May 2025 Vol. 80 No. 5
Features
How to get more hours out of your heavy equipment
By Tony D’Angelica
No matter the size of your fleet or the mix of machines in it, maximizing the life of those machines is critical for controlling costs and improving productivity. The longer your machines can work, the lower your cost-per-hour investment will be and the higher the value they will provide.
So how can you get more hours out of your equipment and still have it perform efficiently and safely? You’re probably doing a lot of things right – but just in case, here are four key reminders.
Use high-quality fuel, oils, filters
Diesel quality is a fundamental factor in machine longevity, especially in extreme environments. Northern operations often contend with frigid temperatures, where traditional fuels gel up. These regions typically require a special blend to maintain flow and performance. Beyond temperature considerations, clean, high-quality diesel helps avoid buildup that can lead to long-term wear in the engine, filters and injectors.
Quality oils that are specially formulated to protect engine parts reduce friction and increase flow efficiency. Use oils that meet strict industry standards and include additives to help prevent degradation. By investing in premium fluids, you not only protect engine components, but may also extend the time between oil changes, keeping your equipment running longer with less downtime.
As for oil filters, air filters and any other filters you use, it’s best if they come from the machine manufacturer. That’s how you can be sure they’ll do the best possible job keeping contaminants from reaching engine components. Skimping on filters might save costs at first, but in the long run, the savings may be lost on repairs and inefficiency.
Preventive maintenance; stick to a consistent service schedule
Preventive maintenance, like fluid analysis, can help identify issues before they become costly failures. For example, catching an increase in metal content in your axle oil might lead to a simple bearing replacement, versus your machine grinding to a halt and needing a whole new axle. Proactively scheduling downtime to address small issues prevents unexpected, more costly repairs and increases overall machine longevity.
One of the simplest, yet most effective, ways to increase the life of your equipment is to adhere to regular maintenance schedules. Routine inspections and timely replacement of worn components prevent minor issues from turning into major repairs. If you have too much on your plate to keep track of this properly, find out if your dealer has service contracts and fluid analysis programs.
Properly match machines to applications
Using a machine that’s too big or too small for the task at hand can lead to premature wear. Diesel engines perform best when working under optimal loads. If a machine is oversized, it may spend too much time idling, which wastes fuel and contributes to engine wear. Limiting idle time saves fuel and avoids “washing” your engine cylinders. (When fuel isn’t burned properly, it can wash oil away from the cylinders and create more wear.) Educating your operators on the effects of idle time can significantly extend machine life.
On the other hand, using an undersized machine can wear it down faster than necessary. To find the balance, aim for a machine that can work effectively for about seven hours of an eight-hour shift. Your dealer or OEM should be able to help you with this.
Invest in operator training
Most operators are good at what they do, but we’re all human – anyone can slip into a bad habit that costs the company money. Proper training ensures that your operators use their equipment efficiently, which directly impacts machine life. For added support, use systems that can provide data on fuel consumption, idle times, engine RPMs and more to help you monitor machine use and operator habits. But remember, training and reports are only valuable if your team adjusts behaviors, accordingly.
While some of these strategies may seem obvious, it never hurts to check in and see how well each one has been implemented. Working closely with your team to make sure these practices are in place can pay off in extended machine life, reduced downtime and lower operating costs. These steps may require a bit of investment up-front, but the payoff in the end is usually well worth it.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Tony D’Angelica is the technical service manager at Volvo Construction Equipment
FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Volvo Construction Equipment, (855) 235-6014, volvoce.com
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