Preventative Maintenance During the Pandemic?
We sat down with our Service Manager, Chip Chappell to hear his advice on the importance of preventative maintenance during the pandemic. Here is what he had to say!
The conventional definition of Preventative Maintenance is maintenance that is regularly performed on a piece of equipment to lessen the likelihood of failure. It is performed while the equipment is still operational so that it does not breakdown unexpectedly. Simply translated, this means a small investment of cash into your equipment periodically to keep it working as intended versus a massive cash injection and lost revenue from down time should you choose not to exercise reasonable spending to ensure a maximum return on your investment.
No matter where you are right now, the economic shutdown has affected your business in one way or another. This is starting to cause a disruption in the supply chain for everything from a roll of toilet paper to the most basic sensor on your equipment. Right now, it is more important than ever to make sure you are doing everything you can to keep your equipment running at its very best. It is also important to develop a good relationship with your local equipment repair company. Simple things that you can normally pick up at the dealer or through an aftermarket parts supplier are becoming more difficult to find.
Here are a few simple tips to help keep your fleet running at its best during this time of uncertainty:
- Make sure, as the weather has changed, to turn off your battery disconnect at the end of the day. A dead battery first thing in the morning has a way of starting your day off on the wrong foot.
- Fuel problems start to crop up when temperatures fluctuate – add a bottle of Cetane Booster, to help lubricate the fuel system and remove moisture in the tank. Keep the fuel tank topped off and check your DEF fluid levels.
- DEF fluid is very sensitive to light and temperature changes. During the wintertime make sure you have access to fresh jugs of DEF fluid to top off equipment daily. Parts directly related to DEF and Regen systems are on national backorder right now and have the highest likelihood to cause down time while waiting for the manufacture to release those needed parts.
- Oil level and service frequency will help prolong the smooth operation of the motor and attached components. Oil changes can be a quick and low-cost service to help prolong the life of your equipment.
- Clean air filters. Air filters help the motor to breath which makes all of the components work with less stress on the system. Never blow out an air filter, as you risk tearing the fibers and allowing dirt into the intake causing damage to the motor or turbo.
These are just a few simple items that we keep in stock to help make sure you are able to continue working. In most cases we keep all of these items on our service trucks or in stock in our shop. We are able to get to most locations in the Houston metro area within 24 hours to better serve you. We have 2 trucks ready to send out to service you and 6 other trucks set up for cylinder repairs, welding and onsite line boring. Please feel free to give us a call and let us help you with all of your maintenance needs.