4 Ways Your Dealer Can Keep Your Fleet Healthy

Maintenance issues can crop up unexpectedly – like a cold or virus for your machine. The time your equipment is in recovery and away from work can put a strain on your business. If you don’t have the knowledge within your walls, don’t try to diagnose the issue and make needed repairs yourself. Instead, take your machine to the doctor: your local dealer.

Dealerships have the time, tools and expertise to help you maintain a healthy fleet. Trained service technicians know what to look for and have the latest information concerning your compact equipment. They have diagnostic tools and software that are typically not available to customers. Your dealer’s service team will use all these resources to assess your needs and help you take the steps to keep your equipment in good health.

Schedule regular checkups.

Following the recommended service schedule helps keep your compact equipment in good shape. Like a yearly physical, planned maintenance helps you better gauge what equipment and tools are needed to manage machine health. Dealerships offer planned maintenance contracts to make sure your equipment stays up-to-date on its service schedule. Dealers have the parts inventory to ensure maintenance is performed on time and can prevent missed maintenance from leading to bigger problems.

Keep up on the fluids.

There’s no cold and flu season for compact equipment, but changes in temperature affect the performance of your machines. Your dealer can match the fluids to the proper ambient temperature for the season and determine the best oil for starting in cold weather and lubricating performance. The right blend can extend oil change intervals and promote longer engine life during periods of high performance.
When the busy season hits, you can rack up the machine hours fast and burn through your stash of fluids before you know it. Dealerships stock engine oils, coolant, hydraulic fluid, grease and drive-motor lubricants to keep your machines working through your busiest months.

Monitor health trends.

While you know your equipment best, it’s impossible to know the status of every machine in your fleet at all times. And sometimes you might need a second opinion. Dealers can provide reports and insights to help you understand the current operating status of your equipment. With a fluid and oil analysis program, you can keep tabs on what’s happening in your engine, gearbox or hydraulic system. Frequent sampling and monitoring can expose trends over time to give you a better picture of your machines’ health.

Have your prescriptions ready.

Flat tires and loose tracks can happen at any time and slow a project down. In some cases, you may have unknowingly used the wrong tire or track for the job. Make sure your dealership knows the scope of the work you do so they can prescribe the proper tires or tracks for the task at hand. For example, if you’re excavating or grading, they may suggest a pneumatic tire for superior traction. Or if you’re doing demolition, a solid tire will hold up against the cutting and chunking caused by debris.

Even when you have the right tires and tracks, their lifespan depends heavily on working conditions. Tires can wear down in 400 hours or less in severe conditions on roads and parking lots. If your dealer knows your project schedule and timelines, they’ll be prepared with the proper replacement items and parts you need in order to work without delays.

Let’s face it, health often takes a back seat to the work that needs to get done. When it isn’t top of mind, little issues can add up to big problems – and bigger costs. By putting the health of your compact equipment into the hands of your dealer, you can save on time, money and stress. The equipment experts at your nearest dealership have the tools, training and team in place to help your machines have long, healthy lives.