Maintaining a fleet of heavy equipment isn’t as simple as hosing them down and adding a can of oil on a regular basis. In fact, the maintenance and repair of heavy equipment typically makes up between 15% and 40% of our production costs, and every contractor wants to keep that number closer to 15 than to 40.

Rather than pay for costly maintenance, you may be tempted to do it yourself or hire a general equipment mechanic, but experts agree that this is not in your best interest or in the best interest of your business. The time and money it would take to keep your machines running at top performance just isn’t worth the risk. There are several different types of maintenance, and your business will reap huge benefits from using certified techs who are familiar with the size and specifics of your equipment to perform all the maintenance of your fleet.

Preventive maintenance is performed on a time-based or miles-driven basis. It follows a standard schedule and seeks to find any potential concerns before they are problems. If something is noticed to be wrong with the equipment, corrective maintenance is performed. Somewhere between preventive and corrective maintenance lies predictive maintenance. There are parameters on this equipment that are established from manufacturing and repair data. (Afterall, NO part lasts forever!) Although your machine can continue to run for some time, it will soon need to be repaired, so you’re wise to get it maintained ASAP.

As a rule of thumb, all your equipment should be routinely checked every six to twelve months. The hours it would take in the course of a work year to accomplish preventive, corrective, and predictive maintenance on each of your vehicles are hours that other aspects of your business will be unattended. Chances are maintenance schedules will slip and the repairs will be unnecessarily expensive in the long run if you do not stick with the certified techs to stay on top of your fleet.

Another place you may be tempted to save some dollars is by using aftermarket fluids and lubricants on your vehicles. The debate continues whether it’s best to stick with the Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) fluids on your equipment. In years past, parts would not be covered under warranty if the original fluids and lubricants were not used on the machine. This is no longer the case, since advances in the aftermarket products have been significant, but the owner of the equipment should carefully investigate why certain fluids are recommended. The age of your machines will be a big determining factor in what grade fluids and lubricants should be used to provide optimal power and performance.

Expert technicians understand your equipment and are taught how to fix and return your machines as quickly as possible. It’s best to regularly drop off your equipment for check-ups and professional repairs.  If your fleet is large enough, it may be cost effective to hire a mechanic or fleet of mechanics to care for your machines right in-house. The expense of employing a properly trained maintenance team– either in-house or out—is a worthwhile investment as you strive to keep your equipment healthy and keep your workers safe.