With the decreasing temperature on construction sites, it’s important to take care of your machinery to prevent it from freezing.
With each snowflake drop your used backhoe benches an inch closer to a frozen engine. And as a fleet manager, you need to maintain your machinery to increase its lifespan.
While manufacturers design several types of heavy machinery to handle tough climatic conditions. If the temperature drops significantly, you can still face circumstances where a machine refuses to work.
Especially if you want to put used backhoes for sale you have to prepare the machine against winter battles so that it doesn’t cost an extra penny to the buyer.
From engine to fluids, to battery, and tire pressures these are the essential factors that need regular checks to avoid uncertain mechanical failure.
To make the process of maintaining backhoes in winter we have compiled a winter special list. Keep reading and explore it yourself;
Backhoe Storage Plan
- You need to keep up with the manual guide provided by the backhoe manufacturers. These guides have temperatures, load capacities, and techniques to maintain and maximize equipment’s performance.
- Use a hard parking surface so that the tires don’t freeze due to a direct ground connection.
- Make sure you have cleaned the equipment before you leave to avoid dirt freezing in it.
- Conduct a thorough inspection of the backhoe, ensuring all belts, leaks, electrolyte levels, and internal components are securely in place.
- Assure the removal of vintage wiper blades to get along with snowy weather conditions.
Orderly Machine Cleaning Session
- You need to stay vigilant to neuter harsh cold weather and wipe off extra ice on top of the equipment especially if your fleet holds used backhoes.
- Proper cleaning of track parts before and after use.
- If the temperature drops to minus make sure your fuel separator is free of sediments and extra water.
- Before the temperature drops to cold you should pressure wash the undercarriage.
Building Up The Engine
- Be aware of the lubrication chart provided by the manufacturer to understand the viscosity level of the used fluid. If you see that the viscosity of the fluid isn’t weather-appropriate then take action to fill the backhoe tank with winter-grade fluids.
- Assure regular checking of fuel filters to clean them from dirt and debris.
- Make sure you are using manufacturer-prescribed fluid to increase the engine’s efficiency
- You should have a conditioner to treat non-winter rade liquid in extreme weather
- Try investing in an engine block heater to facilitate the engine with the needful warmth.
- Inspect the air compressor, especially the belts, filters, and attached hoses.
- Testing the mechanisms of the rear and front buckets of the backhoe.
- To heat the hydraulic oil enough, run the engine for 15 minutes before the actual operation.
- Practice idling used backhoes to cool down the engine after completing operations.
Preparing The Battery
- The best thing to cope with winter is to fully charge the machine’s battery.
- Cranking is common in winter, load test the battery twice before using.
- If you plan to store the backhoe then disconnect your battery.
- When taking out the machine for work from storage, ensure that all the wiring is tightened up in place.
Inspecting Backhoe Tires
- Always make sure that the tire pressure is up to the mark before using the backhoe. The pressure requirements are generally written on the sidewall.
- Any sort of tread, cuts, or leak trace present on the tire surface can create trouble in low temperatures by creating extra external pressure on the tire.
- Screw the stem caps correctly to avoid excessive moisture and condensation buildup within the tire.
Takeaway
Finally, we can say that no one knows your heavy machinery better than you. Only you know how to make it work the right way.
Heavy machinery experts advise that regular maintenance must not be compromised at any cost.
This way you can increase the shelf life of used backhoes and prevent unnecessary mid-operation downtime.
Nonetheless, getting expert help like a regular checkup by a heavy machinery technician can also help with the needful. Appearing as an additional cost, up-to-date heavy machinery saves you from unpredictable financial damages.
