Considerations When Looking for Heavy Equipment Repair Services

 

The productivity of your business gets compromised when your heavy equipment breaks down.  It’s imperative that you solve the problem quickly. However, if it’s your first time to encounter such a situation and/or you don’t have any experience dealing with heavy equipment repairs, what considerations do you have to take when looking for repair services?

Here are some tips that can help you out.

Repair or replace?

Managers or business owners are left to stress out with this question. When your equipment breaks down, do you have it repaired or do you buy a new one instead? To answer this question, try answering a few more questions:

• Does the equipment break down often or is this the first time?

• How long have you had this equipment?

• What do you think is the problem? Why did it break down?

• Does it need major repair?

• Do you have an ongoing maintenance cost with this equipment?

• Is it a health and safety hazard to the operator?

It’s true that repairing the equipment will save you a lot of money than buying a new one. However, if the repair has been causing you significant delays, unproductive staff, time wasted, and high labor costs, then you may be spending a lot more in your equipment repair than buying a new one.

To make sure you don’t have to leave your decisions to an emotional standpoint, create a maintenance management system. This should help you determine if the equipment is already a liability than an asset. Don’t just guess when you need to make a decision. There should be reliable data backing you up. You should be able to calculate if it’s giving you more expenses than revenue for its service. Don’t let your productivity suffer because of a run-down machine.

Is it under warranty?

Before knocking yourself out thinking whether to replace or repair, check if the equipment is still under warranty. Heavy equipment usually is under warranty for a few years, and you can send it in for repairs at no cost.

If you are a newly hired manager or if the equipment came before you did, checking the equipment history is particularly important. If the equipment is not over five years old and the supplier is not covering the majority of the equipment’s maintenance and repair, look for another supplier.

Warranty is very important because of the following reasons:

• The equipment’s maintenance and repair – When the warranty still covers a machine, the cost of repair and maintenance should either be free or modified. It should not be as costly as repairs without a warranty. The engine, transmission, and hydraulic system are the most critical parts of your equipment that should be covered by warranty. If not, you will be facing a budget killer. Plus, if a machine is well maintained because of the warranty, it is less likely to break down a lot.

• Quality or original parts – When the equipment goes in for repair under warranty and it needs a replacement part, you can expect that the dealer will be using the same brand or OEM parts.  OEM parts perfectly fit the equipment and are usually far better in quality than generic replacement parts.

• Shorter downtime – Because your business may depend on your equipment, you will need it up and running right away. Bringing it to a repair shop would require a lot of diagnosing and even guessing where the problem may be. On the other hand, if it’s sent to the dealer, the problem can be identified easily and accurately. Dealers may also loan you a replacement machine while yours is out of commission. For instance, if you are in the business of landscaping, the garden you are tending or creating doesn’t have to wait until you get your machine back.

• High resale value – When your equipment is being maintained regularly, the lesser are the chances that it will break down or need major repairs. Should you decide to sell your equipment, it will retain its high value because of its well-maintained condition.

Are the parts for replacement available?

When a machine or equipment breaks down, it will surely need a part to be replaced. Make sure that if you send it in for repair, the part that you are going to replace is available on the market. You may have a mechanic or repair service check it to see which part is faulty, and then search for shops that offer such part.  

There are many stores selling parts for heavy equipment, and you may contact most of them online. Say, you need rubber tracks for skid steers; look it up on Google and you should see shops that sell them. You can even compare prices so you get the best value for your money.

 

These questions should guide you when your business relies heavily on your equipment – when to repair your machine and how to maximize your equipment’s full potential by keeping track of its performance and maintenance history. Any machine will break, and it’s important that you know when to give it up or send it in for rehabilitation.