Category Archives: construction equipment

Care for the safety of heavy equipment

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We often consider safety as one of the most important factor irrespective of the nature of job that we are into. We do differentiate between jobs that are more risky and less risky but then at the same time we also take the riskiness seriously so that we do not harm ourselves. Similarly, we should also understand that the equipment that we use in our daily work also get exposed to certain risks and it is our duty to ensure that the equipment are safe and sound. Safety of equipment become more crucial when they are related to an important work assignment without which you will not be able to proceed with your work or when the equipment are too expensive that you can’t afford to go lousy on them. You have to take the extra care to ensure the safety of your expensive equipment.

When we talk about expensive equipment we certainly can’t miss talking about heavy equipment that plays such a crucial role in the construction sector. Heavy equipment are highly expensive machineries which cost thousands of dollars and at times it even goes in millions. Not many in the construction sector are ready to pay thousands and not take proper care of it. Therefore it becomes so important for the user to ensure that the machines are safe at all times and in order to maintain the required level of safety, the person in charge has to follow few safety parameters. These safety parameters need to be followed at all times.

Cleaning the heavy equipment:-

A construction jobsite is full of dirt and filth and heavy equipment are expected to work in this dirt. Other than that, at times the machines also have to work in treacherous conditions which make it more vulnerable to dirt. The dirt gets accumulated in the interiors of the machine and it gradually weakens the machine from the inside. The best way out is to clean the heavy equipment on timely basis. One can’t clean it every day but they should fix a couple of days in a week where they will spend good amount of time to clean the equipment. Now you can do this job yourself or take it to a workshop where the guy will spray water and get it cleaned. Doing it yourself will be appropriate than giving it to someone else.

Keep the equipment properly greased:-

Once you are done washing the machine, you also need to check if the machine is properly lubricated or has the grease being washed away with water. Grease does not ideally get washed away so easily but you got to maintain your checks and apply lubricants wherever you find it to be necessary.

Clean your engine by regularly changing the engine oil:-

The engine is considered to be the most vital organ of construction equipment. It is the engine that keeps your machine moving and therefore should be given due importance. Changing the engine oil at regular intervals is quite crucial as it keeps the overall health of the machine in order.

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A scraper can generate decent rental income

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If you have heavy equipment that are not in use and you do not know what you should do since you do not wish to sell it off, the best option you have is to rent it to people who need them for their construction business. There are many construction companies who are having a hard time to carry on with their business as they encounter unavailability of heavy equipment. They can’t afford to buy every kind of heavy equipment under the sun but still needs to continue with the project. This is where they need machines on rent. They understand that by taking the equipment on rent, they have to pay the rental money every month which is something that they can easily afford. Other than that, brand new heavy equipment are way too expensive and do not make sense to buy them for just one project. You never know if you will need them again for the next project as there is a possibility that you may have to use some other equipment.

A scraper has the potential to generate decent rental income. As a matter of fact, any heavy equipment has a lot of value attached and can be a good source of rental income to its owner. Therefore if you have a Scraper which is not in use and you expect to not use it for the next couple of months or years, you can let it out to someone who may have some use of it. Scraper is quite useful heavy equipment when it comes to moving dirt. Scraper is widely used in big construction as well as mining sites. You will get to see different types of scrapers in any mining site. Therefore it is never a liability when it is not in use. There are different types of scrapers and each type has its own specific purpose. There are these Coal Bowl Scrapers which are predominantly used in mining sites or the open Bowl scraper which is self-loading hauling system and it is used in almost every site.

A machine with so much use attached to it can fetch you good rental value. All you need to do is keep the machine in good working condition so that people are ready to pay the money just by having a look at the equipment. Keep the machine well maintained by servicing it at regular intervals. Replace any part that has gone faulty. Change the engine oil regularly and do everything possible to ensure that the equipment stays healthy and performs better at the jobsite.

You can list the scraper on any online portal that primarily deals with sale/rent of heavy equipment. They might charge you a bit for listing the item but that is worth the deal. You should mention about your machine in details in the description section and also add the intricacies like the rental amount and the period for which you wish to rent the stuff. Post some pictures of the item and put it on the listing. This will attract viewers who are more likely there to take scrapers on rent.

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Snow tire chains for heavy equipment

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Winter has already arrived and so is the time when heavy equipment owners need to be more careful with their construction equipment. It is perhaps this time that most of the accidents occur. Heavy machineries are not able to have proper grip of the road and they slip. The tires in no way will be able to move smoothly on the icy slippery surface and the moment you increase the speed of the machine the chances of it slipping and turning rise manifolds. This is the reason why an operator has to be ultra-careful when he is driving a construction equipment on an icy surface. He got to be patient with the speed and can’t rush things up. Apart from that, others should also not ask him to hurry. Allow him to do the job or he might get stuck in the ice.

One thing that can be done to avoid this problem is to install the snow tire chains on your heavy equipment so that the tires can get some grip on the icy surface and the operator does not have to put in the extra effort to keep the machine on the road. These tires are highly beneficial especially on steep roads when the machine is climbing up the road or moving downwards. The operator can have real tough time to control the heavy equipment in both the situations. There are higher chances of him to lose the control as the tires will just skid off the road and get stuck in some bush or on a pile of ice. But the probability is more on bumping someone and causing some casualty. The snow tire chains for heavy equipment just ensure that you do not lose control due to icy surface.

There are snow tire chains for all kind, shape and sizes of tires. Since the make of all heavy equipment is not the same, in the same fashion the tires are also different. The snow tire chains are designed by taking into consideration the different sizes of tires in different heavy equipment. The owner of the machine needs to first come in contact with one such company who is engaged in producing tailor made snow tire chains. The guys will first inspect the tires of the machine, take some measurements and will then ship the final product to you.

People who are into the business of manufacturing snow tire chains have their websites. One who seeks their service should first visit their website and check for people’s reviews. If he has received more of positive reviews then it makes sense to approach the team and get the work done. If you are content with the reviews you shall get their contact details on the website and ask them to send a quotation. If it fits your budget you can give them the order.

In no way you should make use of your heavy equipment on icy weather without taking necessary precautions. A snow tire chain is the most needed component during the winters and spending few dollars to ensure that your machine and people around it are safe is really worth the deal.

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Selling heavy equipment can be tedious. Be wise enough and rent it

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We all like to work with heavy equipment that have the latest technology installed in it. It evidently makes the work simpler for the operator who otherwise has to go through a lot of stress to get the job done. But as time passes by and with the ever changing dynamic of the construction industry more technologically advanced heavy equipment take over the market thus making the old ones redundant. So the question is what do one does with the machines that they feel has become redundant.

Sell it as scrap may be one options but not the best one and the other would be to give it on rent as there are always takers ready to take old construction equipment just to get their job done. You might also get a good price if you sell the machine but that can be way too tedious and make take a toll on you. Moreover, when people are investing on heavy equipment, why would they buy something that they know is technologically deprived and not as per the standard that the current machines are built. They would rather take a loan from some financial institution and try to buy the advanced technology machines. However, they won’t mind to take it on rent if you give them a good deal. You only have to reduce the rental amount and you will see people wanting it take it on rent.

If you are sure that you will not be putting the old construction equipment to any use in your company, then you can list it on some heavy equipment rental websites. Try to list it in a site that is known to people so that your machine is viewed often and the chances are higher for someone picking it up at the earliest. All you have to do is register yourself on their website and become their member. Once you are a member, you can buy as well as sell/rent on their website. It is quite likely that you have to pay some money in order to list the item. However, that will not be exponentially high and it should fairly fit in your budget.

On the listing you can mention the rental amount you want on every month and the tenure for which you would like to rent the machine. Try to put all your terms very clearly on the site. Also try to describe the equipment to the fullest. The one who takes the machine has every right to know about the stuff they are going to deal with. It is recommended that you do not hide any information and if you know anything vital then you should definitely disclose that on the listing.

Regarding the payment, you can state your wish of receiving payments. The ideal way is getting the money automatically credited on a given date of every month. However, if you want to receive money through some other means, you can state that there.

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What does low oil pressure mean on your heavy equipment?

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A lot of care needs to be taken when it comes to construction equipments as it is often considered to be the backbone of the industry in any jobsite. If your heavy equipments cease to work your entire project comes to a standstill and a construction company will never want that to happen. This is the reason why they must ensure that the overall health of the heavy equipment is in order. Now something that plays a crucial role in determining the good health of heavy equipment is the lubricant that is used on it. The machine will perform smoothly as long as the lubricants are doing their job but one also needs to ensure to change the oil which if not done can cause immense problem to the machine to perform. This can simply not be ignored and if done then the owner should be ready to bear exponential cost to get the machine fixed.

In most of the modern day heavy equipment that all construction companies and contractors possess have something known as “oil pressure warning light” installed in the machine which will flicker the moment the machine comprehends a problem that is causing due to low oil pressure. They can also get a low oil pressure reading on the dash gauge which also acts as a warning indicating a problem is expected to arrive at your doorstep. The owner/operator should not take this warning lightly. Action needs to be taken immediately. However, it has been observed that people tend to neglect and ignore such warnings which later become the reason of the non-functioning of the machine. Since normal wear increases the engine bearing clearances, engines are bound to lose a certain degree of oil pressure. But when you indentify low oil pressure in an engine you should take it as an indication that there is something really wrong which if not worked on can throw up severe consequences.

One also needs to understand what causes low oil pressure. It is often caused due to worn main and rod bearings. The oil pump produced flow and any sort of resistance to this flow causes low pressure. So who causes resistance? It is the orifices in the engine block that causes the resistance. The oil flows through the engine block and between the bearings and crankshaft journals. So when the bearings wear it just increases the flow of oil which ultimately results in low pressure. Other parts of the machine such as the overhead cam engines can also suffer due to low oil pressure. Increase in the bearing clearance can also lead to noisy engine and pounding which should be enough indication for the owner to act immediately on the machine or be ready to shell out good chunk of money to fix the problem.

Other than rod bearing if there is an excessive flow of oil through any other means is also a cause of worry. This can obviously not be checked every now and then and which is why the best option is to get the problem resolved at the first stance when you see the oil pressure warning light flickering.

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Used heavy equipment tires

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It is just not the heavy equipment that has a market value attached to it after being used for years. The tire of the machine equally carries good value in the market and there are more takers than one can even expect. We are ideally of the opinion that heavy equipment tires once used on a machine is of no use later but that is history now. We can make good use of the used heavy equipment tires as well. There are small companies that deals with buying and selling of used heavy equipment tires and also give a good price for them. What one needs to know is how to approach them. They are probably not as widely known as an authorized heavy equipment dealer. You might find a dealer in almost every state but finding a guy who deals with used machine’s tires is somewhat difficult.

Let us first understand what does these companies do out of used tires. The modus operandi is quite simple. You give the tires that have lost its grip and they will work on it. They will revive the tire and make it look as completely new and then will eventually sell it off. In this way they make money by selling repaired tires after making them look new. Companies that exclusively deal with selling tires are also into this business. However, they will inform the buyer if they are selling them used tires or new ones. It has also been noticed that companies that deals with selling only new tires ideally do not get into used ones but then there are always some exceptions. There has been a rising trend of these tire selling companies selling used equipment tires as well as they claim that people prefer going for used tires as it cost less to them.

But is cost the only factor? It may not be. It seems that the quality of the used tires after being repaired becomes better and come in close competition with the new ones. This gives them a cutting edge over their competitors. Added with it is the cost of the tires that is pretty low and this is what draws more and more people towards used tires. It is indeed a no brainer that people will buy something that is less expensive and stands equal in terms of quality.

Finding the companies that deals with used heavy equipment tires can be a bit difficult as they are not more in numbers. However, they can be searched on the net. So just in case if you want to sell your used tires to them as you see no need of theirs in your machine, you have to do a search and take the tires. You can even call them at your jobsite so that they can dismantle the tires from the machine and take the tires along with them. They do pay you a good price for the used tires. However, the amount differs from companies to companies as they do not have any fixed price. More to it, the price is dependent on the quality of the tire that you are willing to sell.

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Heavy Construction Equipment fuel consumption per hour

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Fuel consumption has always been a matter of worry amongst almost every construction companies. They have to spend more on fuel than perhaps on the maintenance of the machine. It is believed that the overall operating cost of a construction project involves a good portion of money spent in the fuel consumption of the machine. The construction companies try hard to get the figures down but they can only do that when the fuel rate in the global market is down. This means that they suffer a lot as the machines they owe do not consume anything less than gallons of fuel for a couple of days work. Well it is not that there is no solution to it but it can be expensive. Heavy equipment companies have recently come up with many such machines that are low on fuel consumption. However, their prices are pretty high as compared to the conventional machines. This is why construction companies are reluctant to invest on heavy equipment that consume less fuel.

There is one more way by which you can make your construction equipment fuel efficient and that is through regular servicing the machine. It is important to keep the engine and other important components of the heavy equipment clean so that when it functions it functions without any hindrances. So when you have an excavator working for you with a diesel engine it consumes anything between 0,21 to 0,26 kg/(kWh). Other than that the fuel consumption also depends to a larger extent on the type of engine installed in the machine. Better the quality of the engine less will be the fuel consumption. The size of the engine also matters a lot when it comes to fuel consumption and its efficiency.

There are few people who in order to increase the fuel efficiency changes the engine to a much better one. They believe in upgrading the machine without having to change it completely. So you got to just call your mechanic and talk to him about the kind of engine that can be installed to achieve higher fuel efficiency. They mostly do all the work for you. This is what many small construction companies and contractors have been doing. They see this to be a wise move where they do not have to spend a bomb in buying new construction equipment and can still have a fuel efficient machine.

Different heavy equipment react differently to the work conditions. For a CAT excavator, it consumes anything between 2.1 to 2.6 GPH (Gallons Per Hour) under low load factor. Under medium load factor, its consumption increases to around 2.6 to 3.1 GPH and when the load is to its maximum, the fuel consumption is 3.1 to 3.8 GPH. One can’t give a clear answer on the fuel consumption per hour of a particular machine as it depends upon a lot of factors. However, what can be done to know the machine’s fuel efficiency is fill the tank in full and make a note of the meter reading. Use it the whole day and take the reading. You can also take the reading on an hourly basis giving you a much better picture of the fuel consumption.

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Dispose the heavy equipment that is not in use

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Heavy equipment being such an expensive item are out of the reach of small time contractors or newbie businessman who has just entered the profession. They are always in search of big construction houses who are willing to sell their equipment at a dirt cheap rate and if the machine is in good order, these small companies also become ready to pay a premium. Therefore if you are among the lot who has heavy equipment that is not in use and want to dispose it off, the best option would be to sell it off to these small companies.

We all like to make some money if we are at all selling a used item and it is not different when it comes to disposing heavy equipment. But the point to ponder is how you can transform your old machine into a new one so that people will have the confidence to buy it paying a good price. We would be discussing few pointers that are essential when it comes to selling your heavy equipment.

Get the machine repaired before you talk about reselling it:-

It is pretty obvious that the equipment will not be in order if it has not been put to work for the last many days and you have to shell some amount of money to get it repaired and running. You have to be cautious about advertising your product and should only start talking about reselling it when you are sure that the equipment is in order. If you start talking about it before it is repaired, then you might have people willing to see it and then you have to tell them the truth. It causes a negative impact on their minds and they may find this to be a complete waste of time. You also lose a good prospect.

Take the service of an expert to repair the machine:-

If the machine you want to sell was idle for good number of days due to severe complications then you should seek help of an expert mechanic who can check the machine and let you know how long it is going to take for him to fix it. Other than this, he may also tell you about the amount you need to shell out for getting it fixed. An expert hand on your machine will always be fruitful because that is going to increase the life of the machine which in other words allows you to increase the price of it. You can also paint the machine if it has an old look or put some jazzy stickers that will make it look attractive. You can make use of your imagination and can adopt innovative ideas to make the equipment look good and can fetch you a good price.

Spread the word in all circles:-

Once the equipment is ready to sell, all you have to do is pervade it across in newspapers or on internet. These days internet is the best option as people like to buy things online. They will check your heavy machinery online and if at all they are interested will contact you. By doing this, you are ready to sell off your equipment at a descent price.

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Caterpillar 323F L Excavator

For a construction company that is into excavating work, it is very important for them to possess a reliable, strong and efficient excavator. Their complete business depends upon this very machine and therefore choosing the best excavator is so crucial for them. A construction company before buying an excavator should do thorough research of the model that fits their business requirement and also check if its costing will have any negative impact on the business. Only after they are sure of the machine they should buy it.

Other than that, the after sales service is also crucial. You just can’t forego the importance of after sales service. So it is crucial for you to analyze the facts well in advance. It makes no sense in buying an excavator from a brand that does not have good features or have issues with efficiency and also does not have adequate after sales service points. You will be left in a pickle if things go wrong with the machine. Therefore go with the brand that makes more sense and falls apt to your needs.

A brand like Caterpillar can turn out to be real good for your business. Cat has come up with 323F L Excavator that promises the consumers of high performance and supreme quality. It is probably more reliable than any other excavators from any other brand. This particular machine is said to be 9% better in terms of fuel efficiency than its predecessors (E-series). Other than that, the 323F L Excavator is fitted with C7.1 engine that has a net power of 161 hp. With the help of its automatic engine speed control system, it can lower the rpm of the engine when the excavator is not loading any stuff and also has the engine idle shutdown system which will shut down the machine after remaining idle for a defined duration.

In terms of fuel efficiency, the machine is fitted with ECO mode which permits the operator to adapt the machine’s performance to the application and simultaneously consumes less fuel. It has the regeneration circuits for the boom and stick that helps in reducing the load on the main pumps. The maximum operating weight of the machine is 56,000 pounds with a max dig depth of 22 feet and max reaches at ground level of 32 feet and 4 inches.

The most intrinsic feature of the 323F L Excavator is the technology installed in the machine. It is integrated with technologies like Product Link which helps the operator with key information like the location, hours of constant activity, fuel consumption and idle time. The operator can make use of this report to understand the efficiency of the machine and can be used for various other operating needs.

The excavator can be purchased from any CAT authorized dealer in your city. Placing the order in advance will be a big help to the dealers to make the machine available for you to check before buying it. The dealers will also assist you to get loans from institutions at lower interest rates and they do this for f

Importance of backhoe loader in the construction business

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We all know the importance of heavy equipment in the construction sector and to what degree it can help the construction workers to ease their work but there are some heavy equipment that are by large considered as the most efficient and most preferred by all construction companies. Heavy equipment like dozers, scrapers, rollers etc. all have a specific role to play but there are some that can be used for multi-purpose activity. Heavy equipment like excavators and backhoe loaders are machines that have the capability to perform activities for which you require another set of heavy machines. So you need not buy any other set of machine and can only depend on these heavy equipment to do most of your work. All you need to do is change the attachment as per your needs and it should be able to take it from there.

A backhoe loader is one such heavy equipment that can do 2 things at one time. It can use the backhoe to dig the dirt from the ground and with the help of the loader it can gather all the dirt and load them on the truck. So this means that the construction house does not need to deploy 2 different machines to do this activity. Backhoe loaders in general are quite powerful, efficient and completely reliable. Not just for constructing big buildings but also for constructing roads, these powerful machines make a huge difference. It has the potential to work on rough terrains and does not give a nightmare to the operator when he gets to know that he has to work on a mountain slope or a muddy piece of land.

The cabin for the operator working inside the backhoe is spacious enough to accommodate him and few of his belongings easily. It also has good leg space allowing the operator to stretch his legs after working for long hours. The most important part of this machine is its engine which is super tough. However, the quality also depends from companies to companies and therefore someone who buys the loader from a reputed brand will always find his money worth the machine. It is also much preferred heavy equipment with most of the mining companies. With the help of the backhoe it can easily break down the toughest rock and the loader can then carry it all. This gives it an edge over all other heavy equipment in its class.

The operator of a backhoe loader should be pretty experienced with having worked with such machines in the past. They may then know how to maneuver the machine with ease. A newbie might find it a bit difficult and may need guidance to deal with it. It is crucial for the operator to know the gears well as it is also used during the digging process. So the person working on it should be aware of the gears and understand its significance. Overall, it is a machine that most of the small construction companies look forward to as it helps them to fulfill dual activity by just switching over the attachments.

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