 | Mike Davied is the owner & operator of Mikes Repair & Fabrication LLC located in Frontenac, KS. He has been repairing equipment for 40 years and has ran his own business for 20 years. For more information or to contact Mike please call 620-235-0061. |
Equipment, Maintenance & Repair
2011-09-29 10:40:56
Improving maintenance procedures
Q: My equipment is the backbone of my operation, but it is aging. Last year, we took a huge hit on cost of repairs and lost time due to breakdown after breakdown of these infernal machines. Buying new equipment at this point would be nice, but not a realistic option. Any tips on reducing cost of repairs?
A: Machinery is one of the largest and most important long-term purchases a farm or business will ever make. And maintaining that investment can get expensive. It makes good sense to protect your business by keeping your machinery in the best condition possible.
I can’t stress enough the importance of routine maintenance. Routine maintenance will keep your machinery working longer, and save you money in other bigger more expensive repairs. You also can get a higher re-sell value if you want to trade up somewhere down the line.
My best suggestion for reducing the cost of repairs is investing in regular maintenance. It is always better to prevent the big costly problems by dealing with the small issues early. Improved routine maintenance procedures can reduce machinery repair costs by 25 percent. An $80,000 tractor typically requires about $24,000 in repair costs during 5,000 hours of operation when receiving average maintenance. This cost can be decreased to approximately $18,000 with regular service maintenance.
For example, regular testing of engine oil and hydraulic fluids is an easy way to prevent equipment failure and identify potential problems. It also gives you a baseline of how your equipment is holding up.
Over time, engines slow and they loose power and efficiency. There is no way to prevent the wearing down caused by use, but you can make sure that you get them most out of each piece of equipment for as long as possible. Engine tune-ups help you get higher levels of performance and fuel efficiency, which of course adds to your bottom line.
I also suggest keeping detailed records of the maintenance performed. It will help remind you of how long it has been since you have performed each check.
Next month, I will give you a list of checks you can and should perform regularly to help maintain your equipment and help keep down your cost of repairs.
