After raising seven children through their teenage years, I've had my fair share of experiences with selling used cars that have body damage. As a child saved up to buy a newer car, I was relied on to find a way to sell their old one for the most money possible. I have learned that fixing small dents and other aesthetic issues with your vehicle is a great way to significantly increase the sales price you ask when you put it on the market. But not all dents are worth paying to have fixed because it won't affect the value much. Whether you are just trying to make the money back that you've put into your vehicle or you're trying to make a profit, hopefully the pages on this website will give you some insight into what's worth putting your time and effort into fixing and what's best left untouched.
In the modern world of efficiency, everyone wants to get the most done for the least pain to the pockets. Often simple problems can be the difference between hundreds of thousands in expenses. While the construction and heavy equipment industry may be garnering billions a year, any company will be keenly aware of common maintenance and repair issues that can blow budgets and timelines.
Keeping Records
This point may be the easiest of common maintenance tasks to complete but, as it goes, many things that are easy to do are easy not to do. Keeping accurate records of the maintenance on heavy equipment can help save money on unnecessary or overdue repairs. Many manufacturers and industry professionals recommend routine checks of equipment when it has reached an hourly benchmark. For one of many instances, it is recommended that hydraulic oil be changed every 2,000 to 4,000 hours on small excavation equipment even if it still appears to be clear and healthy.
Idling Equipment
In the earlier lives of heavy equipment manufacture, it was difficult to start large machines and diesel fuel was cheap so the logical solution was to keep it running even when it was not in use. With advancement in technology, this is no longer necessary and creates a host of problems for your business. Just one of these issues included the skyrocketing fuel prices. Additionally, machine idling can also put unnecessary hours on you equipment, cause build-up, more frequent repairs, and lower the productivity and overall value of your equipment. A simple solution to this problem is to retrain your employees on the proper mode of action. It will also be tremendously helpful to gather information via your equipment's computer on how often the machine is sitting idle. As of 2014, some industry professionals were reporting idle time of 40%, so you can see how one might save money and time by a simple change in idling principles.
Rushing the Diagnosis
The days of simple mechanics where anyone can "pop the hood", diagnose the issue and have it running again in short order are long gone. Nowadays, even heavy construction equipment is retrofitted with circulatory systems, GPS systems for better navigation of deep drilling, and multiple computers to keep it all going. A mechanical maintenance approach can diagnose a mechanical issue in a matter of minutes and take weeks to complete the repair, while an electrical approach can take hours to identify the problem and take only a few minutes to repair. The issue faced by the equipment technician comes when an electrical approach is necessary. Because circulatory diagram standards most often vary among manufacturers, it can be cumbersome to take the time required to redraw the circuit system from beginning to ending and then finding the problem in-between. For some, not only is the computer system intimidating, it can be difficult to explain to a client why several hours are required to simply find the problem as many may perceive that because the technician is not doing any work on the equipment, he must not be working.
The next time you service your machine, take the proper time to reference the manufacturers manual, consult a properly skilled technician, and write it all down. Further, implementing principles on the proper use of technologically advanced equipment can go a long way in the life of your equipment. By following a few simple guidelines, you can maintain efficiency and continue to carve out a place in a booming industry. Contact a business, such as Florida TRUCK & Trailer CO, for more information.
Share11 May 2016
