Best Practices
A Daily Checklist for Equipment Maintenance in Wisconsin
Minimize downtime by following these tips
When it comes to maintaining your heavy equipment fleet, the machines are your most important assets. If you want to ensure they keep running for the long term, it's critical to follow a daily checklist for equipment maintenance.
The best thing you can do is refer to the manufacturer's manual often and trust the knowledge and experience of your operators and managers. Each person in these roles should be inspecting your equipment regularly before and after use to ensure they continue to meet the highest standards.
Daily equipment maintenance tips
Small issues will eventually lead to large or even catastrophic problems. The only way to prevent that from happening and avoiding downtime and costly repairs is to check each part of the machine before use. Here is the equipment maintenance checklist we suggest at Kelbe.
- Attachments—Inspect every attachment for any signs of breakage or excessive wear. Plus, sharpen your bucket teeth as needed.
- Body—Always do a daily walkaround inspection to spot any damage to the body of the equipment, like rust, dents, chipped paint, and scratches.
- Brakes—Look at the brake line fluid levels, filters, connections, and pressure for each piece of equipment in your heavy equipment fleet. The brakes are one of the most crucial components to keep an eye on. Inspect the health of the brake pads, drums, discs, and shoes.
- Electrical lines—Regularly conduct tests for the voltage and amperage of your machine's electrical lines. Look out for exposed wires and damaged insulation.
- Fuel—Check your fuel lines and pumps, look for dents in the fuel tank, and make sure the tank cap is on and tight.
- Hydraulic oil—Inspect your hydraulic oil levels, and top them off if they are lower than your manual recommends. Check the hydraulic lines, cylinders, hoses, and fittings for leaks.
- Lift arms—If your piece of equipment has lift arms, then you should check for leaking hydraulic lines, weak points, and rust.
- Lubrication—Constant lubrication of your machine's joints and sleeves is essential to prevent costly downtime. Greasing your equipment will lead to smoother operation and better performance.
- Suspension—Examine the machine's springs, shocks, struts, and undercarriage for any visible signs of damage. Look specifically for corrosion and wear.
If you need equipment maintenance in Wisconsin, then reach out to our branches in Milwaukee, Madison, or Green Bay!
