Monthly Archives: December 2013

How to buy a used bulldozer?

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Whether it is for shoving the soil of your land, or to level the ground, the heavy mechanical equipment that is required is the bulldozer. This vehicle has blades attached to the frontal part and there is a ripper at the rear part of the vehicle. For quarrying or for mining, this heavy equipment or vehicle works wonders. The bulldozers are quite expensive to afford. However, if you need one, then buying a used bulldozer is a very intelligent task, as it comes at quite a cheap rate and also there is no problem in the availability of the second hand bulldozers.

Although you will think that you are going to buy a second hand bulldozer or a used bulldozer, so you can simply buy the one that comes in your budget, but this is however, not the right thing to do. Even the used bulldozers also cost you a lot, so finding the best available equipment is a tricky task altogether.

How do you choose the best among the used bulldozers?

  • The first thing that one must do before buying a used bulldozer is to find a Dealer who is reputed in offering the best heavy mechanical equipment. There are many dealers and websites who are very efficient in providing the customers with the best used bulldozers.
  • The next thing that the customer must check while buying a used bulldozer is the condition of the equipment. The time period for which the vehicle has served and the age of the bulldozer is to be noticed carefully. The less the vehicle has served is the more it has life.
  • The pricing is the next factor that should be taken care of. If a vehicle comes at the cost that is beyond your budget, then it is definitely not the choice of equipment that you would want to buy. However, if you get to notice that by spending a bit more than your budget is letting you the opportunity to buy a used bulldozer that is in all conditions far better than the one that comes in your budget, then buying the better one by spending more than your budget is quite a good idea.
  • The next thing that must be taken care of is that when you choose a used bulldozer for yourself, you have to make sure that the equipment has not faced any damage in its history. If the equipment has encountered a servicing, then it is very obvious that you will end up inviting trouble to your home by buying a lame horse.  (Ask to see service records)
  • The most important of all factors that one must keep in mind before buying a used bulldozer is that one should not buy a used bulldozer when the papers and all the necessary documents of that vehicle are not ready.

A good customer service and service centre that serves all the problems related to the bulldozer should also be kept in contact. Buying a used bulldozer by following these tips is the best way to cut short your bulldozer buying expense.

How to change the cutting edge of a piece of heavy equipment

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If you use heavy equipment for whatever reasons like construction, road building or other purposes, it is very obvious that prolonged usage and heavy load will damage the machine. Not only the engine, but the body of the machine also faces severe damages, especially in the metallic outer part. If that is the case, then heavy equipment needs an edge cutting so that it is repaired and can function properly again.

How can you change the cutting edge on your heavy equipment?

When your heavy equipment stops functioning properly or is giving you trouble, then it might be one of the reasons for changing the cutting edge of your heavy equipment. This is a rather difficult process and can be done in a few ways:

  • Removing the part of the equipment from its body so that it does not harm the rest of the equipment. Preparing or making a new part or joint for that part of the equipment.
  • Cutting the edge of the malfunctioning part so that it can get its original condition back. If the part of the machine or heavy equipment is broken, then it can be welded in order to make it useful again.
  • Cleaning up the metal so that the machine or part of machine which was facing trouble gets back to its original condition or it can be found where the problem lies. Whether it is broken or not.

 

Check out the different parts of Articulated Trucks

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One of the strongest vehicles that have been used for commercial purposes is articulated dump truck.  There are no such vehicles that are so strong like articulated trucks. You may be aware with the fact that this strong vehicle has been made particularly like this for many good reasons so that it can run on stony or muddy area along with the huge loads that it need to carry during work time.  Articulated trucks have to carry huge loads that a normal truck cannot carry. It is made in this way that it can take such loads and it is perfect for working in any condition. It is actually able to move easily in such conditions and there are oscillating hitches in the vehicle that separate it from the cab and help the cab as well as the body to move perfectly by maintaining a distance from each other. This eventually helps the truck to decrease its stress and help the wheels to stay on the ground.

  • Great chassis:

If you want to know the best feature of these articulated trucks then it is sure its movable chassis which is great actually. A regular or normal truck is made of one chassis and it bears the cab and the bed. However, an articulated truck is very different. There are two main parts of the truck. One is the cab and the other is the body that carries the dump bed. A big movable hinge helps to connect these two different parts of the vehicle.  Due to this amazing set up this truck is able to move in any kind of condition.

  • Awesome steering:

It has a different steering system as well. There are two large hydraulic rams in the vehicle which are connected with the bed and cab. This system helps the truck to take good turns and improve its movement.  You will find the usual ‘rack and pinion’ steering system in the normal trucks but when it comes to articulated dump trucks you will find that great hinge steering system which is really very flexible. For this special system the truck is able to carry huge loads and handle it properly.

  • Amazing lock system:

You will find this articulated trucks in three different drive configurations and that are 4*4, 6*6 or 6*4. Through a different lock system every tire of the truck gets power in order to move the vehicle. This lock system is designed perfectly so that the truck can perform perfectly.  This truck consists of different types of engines and transmissions only because of the fact that it has to move under critical condition. Usually all the normal trucks cannot move during such situation so articulated trucks are really very useful.

  • Cab:

All the cabs are made with great care. You will find the driver’s seat at the central point of the cab and there is enough space for at least two people.

With all these special system an articulated truck is far better than a regular or normal truck.

 

Pump In Oxygen In Your Vehicle By Changing Its Engine Oil

You spend a lot for buying a vehicle and when you make a purchase you make sure that you are buying the best in terms of your budget and affordability. After having bought the vehicle, you take extra care to ensure that you do not bump it with any other vehicle that naturally will leave a scratch on it or you may even end up with a dent on it. You also give it for servicing after every 5000 miles or when you feel the need for it. The mechanic at the garage does the entire thing for you like changing the engine oil, putting grease in all the right places for better lubrication and check if the car is smooth enough for a comfortable drive. Everything seems right till now. However, once thing that leave us with an opportunity to ponder is the fact “has the mechanic used the right engine oil for my vehicle?”

This is perhaps the most important question when it comes to servicing your vehicle. There are many engine oils available in the market; all have their importance in certain model of cars. No one engine oil can be used for all cars and it depends upon the type of engine the car has upon which the compatibility of the oil is considered. The engine oil can be considered as the oxygen of the engine without which the engine of the car becomes nothing but a piece of rusty metal.

Why do we need to change the engine oil?

In order to get an answer for this question, we need to first understand why an engine needs oil in it. Well, a vehicle has lot of moving parts which brushes each other quite often in the process of moving the vehicle. This friction of the moving parts creates heat. Here comes the function of the engine. The oil lubricates the engine which absorbs the heat that is generated from this friction and permits the parts to continue their function without getting over heated. The particles generated from the friction get mixed with the oil which ultimately wears out the quality of the oil and create the need to get it replaced with fresh oil.  This is one of the major reasons why you need to change the oil.

How often should one change the engine oil?

 The user manual gives instruction as to when should the customer change the engine oil. However, it also depends on some other factors which play a significant role in determining the frequency to change the engine oil. Factors such as “how you drive the vehicle”, “Where you live” “the age of the engine” etc. Ideally, you can just take your vehicle to the mechanic who will check if you should be changing the oil now or will give you a time frame as to when you should come back to him for full servicing.  As stated above, basically we need to change oil after every 5000 miles. However, if you use special synthetic oil, it may run for another 5000 miles. These oils are very expensive but one may still find it to be affordable if they want their vehicle to perform in the long run.

Reduce Expenses and Earn Profit- Rent Wheel Loaders for Construction

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The smooth operation of heavy equipment largely depends on the use of heavy equipment. If you are into the field of the construction, you definitely cannot ignore the importance of these equipment for the fulfilment of the construction job. Among the many types of heavy equipment that are required on the site, the wheel loader perhaps forms an indispensable part.
What Is A Wheel Loader?
Putting it simply, a wheel loader is just another of the heavy construction equipment that is used in the construction industry for the purpose of moving heavy materials such as asphalt, dirt, snow, debris, feed, gravel and the like. As the name suggests, the wheel loader is used in the construction arena in order to load and move things from place to another without pushing it. They usually come attached with a bucket at the front.
Renting Wheel Loaders
Wheel loaders, no doubt form an important part of any construction business, but it is also a stated fact that these equipment are expensive. For small enterprises who are struggling to gain a foothold in the industry, investing such large sums of money on wheel loaders is not a very viable option. In such a scenario, renting wheel loaders seems to be the most effective alternative as not only does it serve your purpose, but also cuts cost quite effectively. And when you have to invest less, then it is obvious that your profit margin is sure to expand considerably. Moreover, when you have to deal with projects that are for comparatively shorter periods of time, renting a wheel loader instead of buying it seems like a more prudent alternative.
Check Before You Seal the Deal
There are lot of rental organizations on the block from where you can rent wheel loader. However, you need to keep certain things in mind before you seal the deal.
• First and foremost, make sure that the rental company picked by you is reliable and has a good name in the market. This ensures that the heavy equipment that you are renting is of the best quality. And we all understand the importance of quality when it comes to heavy equipment.
• Make sure that the wheel loader that you are renting is good enough to serve your purpose. Make sure that the controls are in perfect order and can be easily operated as is usually with wheel loaders. Also ensure that the engine of the wheel loader is on perfect order as it is of paramount importance to the smooth functioning of the loader.
• Before fixing on a particular rental agency, be sure to check out other alternatives available on the block. This will ensure that you find the best wheel loader available for rent. Additionally, looking for second opinion ensures that you do not miss out any lucrative offers.
It is, therefore very clear that wheel loaders have acquired quite an important place as far as the construction arena is concerned and renting the equipment instead of buying it certainly contributes to the effective cutting down of expenses.

 

 

How Far Is it Important To Keep Your Heavy Equipment Well Maintained

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You buy a new house and you do everything to ensure that it looks new all the time. You bring in new furniture, fit in with the most expensive false-ceiling that you can afford and also with all these expenses, you also make sure that you paint the house at least once a year and call people to pest free your house. You do this because you want your house to not lose its shine till the time you own it. This will help you in two ways. Firstly, it will be a hygienic place to live and second if you ever wish to sell it off, you can fetch a good price for it. It is very obvious that the buyer will not like to spend a good deal of money after buying your house by paying a fortune. Moreover, your house being in good condition makes it saleable at a high price as compared to other properties in the same location. Well, the same theory goes with heavy equipment.

Heavy equipment may not be as expensive as the property you live in but at the same time, it definitely pinches to buy a new machine to meet your business requirements. Undoubtedly, the high cost of heavy equipment makes it unbearable for a small time construction company to purchase a new stuff which is why they are more likely to end up buying a second hand or a used machine to take care of their project needs.

How frequently should one service his machine?

The frequency for servicing the machine largely depends upon the type of work it was under. Nevertheless, the thumb rule is that one should service the machine once in a month or at times once in 2 months. You may simply call in a mechanic at your place and ask them to check the different parts of the equipment. Change the oil, lubricate the different parts of the machine, give it a complete wash and if there happens to be any spots that got burned, fix it up as soon as possible without waiting for the servicing period to knock your door.

Paint your machine:-  Not much heed is paid to painting the equipment as we all find that job to be of least importance. Well, as far as taking care of heavy equipment are concerned, there is nothing known as least important in its vocabulary. If you find your stuff worn out, try to get that repaired by either painting that part of the equipment or out some sticker which will limit any further damage to the part. If we keep it idle, dust will settle in and as a result it starts damaging the part at a much faster pace than it would have. Moreover, it will also give a feel good factor to us at any moment our eyes fall on the machine.

Keeping good mechanics as part of the crew is an added advantage as they can fix any problem that comes up during the project and ensure that things run at the same pace without falling apart.

Is Heavy Equipment going Green, that is, Environment Friendly?

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When we talk about heavy equipment, what is the first thing that comes to our mind? The gigantic appearance and huge structure that releases thick and black fumes that fills the air, isn’t it? If you drive your car behind a heavy construction vehicle, then you will not be able to breathe in the horrible amount of smoke that the vehicle emits. But now times have changed and the vehicles emit such a lesser amount of smoke that it is quite possible to call them “environment friendly” equipment. Why do we need to focus on environment friendly heavy construction equipment? With every passing day, as our environment is becoming threatened by the amount of pollution that is generated by the vehicles, including heavy construction equipment, people are becoming more conscious about making the environment pollution free. Therefore the heavy construction equipment manufacturing companies are also now focusing on making equipment that emits far lesser amount of smoke. What are the changes that have been introduced to the heavy construction equipment in order to make them environment friendly?

  • One of the biggest reasons of the pollution that is emitted by the heavy construction equipment is that the heavy construction vehicles have a very low horsepower because of the old-dated engines, and therefore, they emit tremendous smoke. As in modern technology, that has become greener or more conscious about making the environment pollution free, they now make the vehicles equipped with electronic engines. And electronic engines lead to a very high horsepower. High horsepower is very beneficial for lesser amount of smoke emission.
  • The next thing that makes the heavy equipment environment friendly is the use of automatic transmission. As the equipment become fully automated, the fuel consumption is much lesser, and the lesser the fuel consumption is, the less will be the smoke emission and the causing of pollution can be controlled.
  • The other change that many other heavy equipment manufacturing companies are focusing on is the production of nickel free and chromium free equipment that are more environment friendly than earlier. Not only does this make the equipment more durable, but also makes its component life extended and as the gear speeds will reduce, there will quite less breakdowns. And if there are less breakdowns, then obviously, there will be less requirement for any replacement of the parts of the heavy construction equipment.

All these measurements will make the vehicles quite environment friendly. Even if you recycle the old or second hand equipment rather than discarding them into the environment, the environment will be less harmed and of course the equipment will become of use, and the cost will be reduced. Environment friendly heavy construction equipment are not only beneficial for the eco-system, but also for the construction company that is using the equipment as it will reduce the cost of maintenance of the equipment. So, go green and buy environment friendly heavy construction equipment for your company.

Track Loaders- An Important Construction Machine. How Does It Actually Work?

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The use of heavy equipment is perhaps one of the most important aspects of the construction industry. If you are into the arena of construction, then you will have to acknowledge the power that these machines have over the smooth functioning of the industry. Without the correct operation of heavy equipment the construction industry will cease to function. Among the many construction equipment on the block, the track loader can definitely be said to occupy place of pride in the industry.

What Is A Track Loader?

The one question that must be answered before anything else is what exactly is a track loader? You must have seen this large machinery in the construction site that loads debris and earth from one place to another. Well, that is what is called the track loader. Track loaders are just another category of construction equipments that is used for moving earth, bricks and mortar in construction sites. Advancement in technology is leading to the decrease in size of this heavy equipment by a certain factor every year, but that does not really affect the capacity of the machine in any way.

The Working of a Track Loader

The track loader is an important part of the construction industry- yes. But have you ever wondered how does it exactly work? In a majority of commercial vehicles, it is seen that the wheels are under the chassis. But things are a bit different in case of the track loaders- it has tracks that somewhat resemble the military tank. The main purpose of the track loader, i.e., digging and loading is performed by the loader that is attached to the front end of the machinery. What makes the track loader such popular equipment in the construction industry is its ability to multi task- it is effectively an excavator, wheel loader and excavator rolled into one.

It must however be noted that the Track Loader has undergone significant alterations in its design ever since its introduction in the construction forum. The early track loaders were modelled to fit the bill of the tractors with “scratch built loading extensions”. They were somewhat similar to the bulldozers of the time and hence were not suitable enough to dig the soil. Operated by means of a cable they were primarily functioned as a tool meant for stowing vehicles and moving bricks, mortar and earth.

The hydraulic system that makes the track loader as we know it today, aids in increasing the overall capacity of the loader, thereby enabling the loader to put a downward pressure on the bucket, which in turn, allows the track loader to dig the soil. However, this puts a certain amount of strain on the undercarriage of the machine, thus leading to wear and tear of the same. The turn of the track loader into the refined equipment that is used today happened with the introduction of the hydrostatic drive mechanism.

The great power and multi tasking ability of the track loader, thus, makes it an indispensible part of the construction business.

Mobile Pressure For Washing Your Heavy Equipment

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The moment you enter inside the boundary of a construction site, you will see dirt and dust all around you and something that may also catch your eye is the heavy equipment that are working almost round the clock to get the work done in time. The love and bonding that heavy equipment have with the dust can’t be expressed but need to be felt while you are on a visit. Well jokes apart, companies producing heavy equipment manufacture them knowing the fact that it has to go through a lot of hardships on a daily basis where it’s entire body will be wrapped with dust and dirt and if the buyer knows the real worth of the equipment, he shall clean it daily or at least once in a week. But in case, if it is bought by someone who is least interested in getting the stuff washed, then it would really be a very hard time for the machines.

Dust can shorten the life of the machine:-  If you keep your equipment dirty, it is bound to wreck more often than having taken care of it. Why do machines fall apart after going good for many years? Well, it all depends on how nicely and well maintained you keep the stuff. In order to lengthen the life of the machine, it is very important to keep it clean. Knowing the nature of work it has to do, a good wash is recommended once in every week. If at all, you can manage to give it a wash daily, it would be prolific to you. Other than that, oiling and lubricating its parts are few other things that should be taken care of. Before, the dust particles enter the innermost part of the machine and starts creating problem for you, it is better that you take the charge in your hand and get its skin washed.

In order to clean the dust particles that have entered the inaccessible areas of the equipment, one should be using a power wash. In a power wash, the water flows at tremendous speed which hits the equipment with great force causing the dirt to get washed off in no time. You can make use this technology to wash the equipment once in every week. There are service centres available who does this work.

How to get hold of a service center:-  There are 2 very simple things that you can do to know a nearby heavy equipment provider which washes the equipment. You may check out with people from your business circle that also uses this kind of a service. You may take their reference and can arrange for a wash. The other option is to check on the internet. You can try something like “Mobile pressure for washing heavy equipment in Texas”. The internet will throw number of options and you can pick one that you feel you should give a try.

Heavy equipment are worthy piece of metal and it becomes your duty to take every care of it.

Dirt Moving Equipment – An Important Part of The Construction Industry

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We all must have been at some or the other construction site and have witnessed dirt all around the place. Well, the dirt comes from machine that excavates the earth and dumps it all at one place so that it can be later taken off from there and dumped in a dump yard. The importance of dirt moving equipment was always felt in the construction segment without which the work that is done in days will take years to complete. Companies such as Caterpillar, John Deere, Komatsu etc are known for manufacturing highly sophisticated and user friendly dirt moving equipments.

In order to construct a building, you need a strong base and to get the strong base, you need to dig deep inside the earth which is only possible with the help of dirt moving equipment. Though, other heavy equipment also come handy during this process, the major role is played by none other than the dirt moving equipments. Let us understand the different types of dirt moving equipment available with construction companies and how they are effective in removing huge pile of dirt from the surface of the earth.

Dirt moving equipment like backhoe loader plays an instrumental role in excavating and moving the dirt using the bucket in the front and dumping it in the desired place. A backhoe loader is the equipment that is used throughout the world for breaking asphalt and also for digging the earth’s surface. One of the unique features of the backhoe loader is that it has an arm in the rear which can be removed anytime, thus making it versatile in nature. This equipment is renowned for its versatility and for high performance even at extreme weather conditions. Be it snowy or it rains heavily, you can make maximum use of it.

Another intrinsic feature of a backhoe loader is that it is small in size as compared to other dirt moving equipment. Therefore, in order to dig deep in the earth especially in a location which can’t allow big machines to maneuver easily, a backhoe loader comes handy.

Then we have excavators which are used extensively for excavating works. These excavators are used by big construction companies working on huge projects. They ideally use 2-3 excavators of different models in order to get the work done. An excavator is not only used for digging purposes but is also used to demolish old construction. This is perhaps the only dirt moving equipment which has the ability to knock down old settlements and also deep dig inside the earth and move the dirt from one place to the other. An excavator runs on tracks which move with the machine.

We also have bulldozers which can be used as dirt moving equipment. They come in different sizes and have the ability to move huge stock of rocks that are usually the leftovers of a knocked down property. They have a metal blade in front of the dozer which is used to push the debris. These blades can be changed on basis of the kind of work it has to perform.