Avenue Machinery Maintence Tips
The economic impacts of the COVID-19 crisis have highlighted how important each and every dollar is. Even during the best of times, stretching the life of your equipment is essential to maximizing your investment.
In all areas of our western way of life, a disposable culture has become the norm. We simply push things until they break, then replace them with little thought. Unfortunately, this way of thinking has crept into the way people think of the machinery they use and it is costing agricultural operations big dollars.
When equipment is cared for, you save money and when it does come time to replace a piece of machinery the re-sale value is far greater. Take some time to implement the following basic maintenance tips and start getting more life out of your equipment.
Fluid Checks
Your fluid reservoirs should regularly be checked. Moving parts need lubrication and cooling or you will quickly destroy your systems. You or a member of your team needs to be keeping an eye on all fluid levels. Top them up when needed. Keep in mind that excessive dropping of these levels likely indicates a larger issue that you need to investigate. Don’t brush this clue off, find the problem before it gets any bigger.
Grease it up
Often forgotten about, the mechanical joints pf your machines need grease. These parts are under incredible strain. Grease reduces the effects of pressure and keeps bushings and bearings from breaking under all that force.
Know your intervals!
Too many operators have no idea what their service intervals are. You or your fleet manager need to check your operator manual or contact your dealer to determine exactly when fluids and filters need changing. Modern equipment is being designed to run for longer periods of time between service intervals and this may be leading to forgetfulness, use a decal or another reminder near your hour meter.
Tire pressure
Tractors are engineered to operate with a recommended tire pressure. It’s hard on your machine (and tires!) if you are running with excessively low tire pressure. Tread-wear and fuel usage increase. By taking a couple of minutes to check the tire pressure you can avoid these extra costs.
Use OEM Filters
There remain significant differences between OEM filters and those offered by third parties. Mimicked products simply do not provide the same performance. Significant time and energy are spent by equipment manufacturers to design machines that last. Details are thought out and drilled down the most minute detail, introducing substandard filters can drastically affect the longevity of a machine.
These are just a handful of things to work into your regular maintenance of your machine. They are all easy to do, and yet they are often neglected. Your operation may be busy or maybe it’s not clear whose responsibility they fall under. If you don’t want to worry about equipment neglect costing you money then consider a service agreement.
Avenue Machinery offers 1, 2, and 3 year agreements that include the cost of filters, oils, labour, proper disposal, and travel fees. The Avenue Advantage to you as a business is that you know your maintenance costs ahead of time. They also protect your capital assets from deteriorating quickly. You’ll also find the equipment’s resale value is greater when service records can be proven.
Be mindful of your equipment needs and it will serve you for many years, paying for itself over and over.
Contact Avenue Machinery location to learn about how they can help you maintain your equipment in a consistent and cost-effective way.
