Whether it’s wintry December or pleasant May, heavy equipment maintenance is required year round.
At the same time, some seasons can get especially hectic. For instance, if you oversee a construction fleet, perhaps summer is the busiest time of the year for your company. During these weeks, the last thing you want is extended downtime or unexpected difficulties for your fleet.
In this article, we’re sharing some tips to prep your fleet for June, July, and August. We’d like to extend a special thanks to Matt Francis, a WIX District Sales Manager and Senzit enthusiast for contributing to this checklist with his industry expertise and field experience.
Heavy-Duty Maintenance Tip #1: Ensure the Right Tire Pressure
When it comes to fleet maintenance, you might be tempted to focus on mission-critical maintenance tasks…such as changing your oil or checking your air filters.
But don’t forget that small tasks—if neglected in your preventative maintenance schedule—can create unnecessary downtime, too.
That’s why you need to check your tire pressure before summer begins.
The reality is, in the hotter months, air pressure will tend to increase in your fleet’s tires. Too much pressure means there’s less tire touching the ground. It can also mean your tires will wear out in the center instead of evenly.
So, while your technicians are performing other heavy equipment maintenance, ensure they take a tire gauge with them—so they can optimize their maintenance.
Heavy-Duty Maintenance Tip #2: Install a Fresh Cabin Filter
Not all heavy-duty equipment contains an enclosed space for operating the machine. For instance, your fleet might consist of asphalt pavers that are open to the elements.
However, if you have a mixed fleet, some machines might have AC systems. If that’s the case, here’s one item to put on your presummer to-do list…
After the spring season, your cabin filter might be dirty with pollen. And what employee wants to breathe dusty, allergy-aggravating air? We’d recommend that you keep the air clean and pleasant by installing a new filter before summer starts.
Heavy-Duty Maintenance Tip #3: Change Your Oil and Oil Filter
For every fleet manager, changing oil and oil filters is a routine part of heavy equipment maintenance.
But perhaps unexpected downtime or scheduling challenges have made you push this task to the backburner.
Now is a good time to get proactive.
Even if it’s Maintenance 101, don’t forget that neglected oil can turn to sludge and damage your engines.
And while your mechanics are changing oil, why not top off your other fluids? It’s a good opportunity to check on things like brake fluid or antifreeze, too.
Heavy-Duty Maintenance Tip #4: Check Equipment Lights
Lights go out. And, unless you have scheduled inspections, it’s easy to forget about this part of
The reason?
Your technicians likely service equipment during the day—when lights aren’t needed or aren’t as visible.
However, checking your lights matter. Driving a machine with poor visibility may lead to accidents and downtime from popped tires.
But it’s especially dangerous if some equipment operates on the road. Having a headlight out can result in getting a ticket. For instance, the North Carolina DMV says, “Motorists must use headlights from sunset to sunrise.”
All that to say, if summertime means your company will be working later hours, don’t neglect this tip.
Heavy-Duty Maintenance Tip #5: Ensure Your Emergency Equipment Is in Order
Emergency equipment is an important part of many fleets. So this spring, have your mechanics ensure…
- Each first aid kit contains all the necessary supplies.
- All safety triangles are accounted for.
- Fire extinguishers are inspected and charged.
These items may not keep your heavy-duty fleet running…but they’re present for a reason. Including these items in presummer maintenance will help your company be prepared for unexpected emergencies.
What Did We Leave Off This Maintenance Checklist?
In our tips, you might have noticed that we left off a very important item: changing your air filters. You see, each task we’ve listed above falls into the category of preventative maintenance. In other words, you likely can’t pinpoint when to change your oil…or replace your cabin filter is. So it’s better to tackle these tasks before they become problems.
But—with Senzit—there’s no need to change your air filter before summertime.
Instead, Senzit provides condition-based monitoring for your fleet—letting you know when your air filter requires maintenance…whether it’s spring, summer, fall, or winter.
Ready to strike one task from your preventative maintenance list—and start enjoying predictive maintenance?