Do you remember the first vehicle you had? Those first vehicles can leave a mark on someone and can impact what you do with future vehicle purchases. 

My first car was a total piece of junk. It didn’t run well, it had issues all the time and it just wasn’t enjoyable. Because of that I will never go with that brand of car again. It’s nothing against that maker, but it’s in my head now. 

It’s probably the same with you in the utility construction business. You remember the very first vacuum excavator, drill, trencher, etc. and have either good or bad memories of it. Those first vehicles always leave a mark on us. 

In the profile in this issue, Santa Fe Vacuum Excavation owners Tim and John Brown still have the first vehicle their small company purchased. A 1997 Aquatech hydrovac rig. It still runs and the Browns have no plans to get rid of it anytime soon, despite having newer, more updated, rigs in the fleet. 

KEEPING THEM RUNNING

It’s not unusual in this industry to see rigs running that long. All it takes is some TLC to keep those machines running. Performing annual maintenance to the equipment and doing what a manufacturer recommends are always good steps to take.

Right now is the perfect time to be doing all of the maintenance work on your equipment before the busy summer season really heats up. Go through each of your trucks, drills, trenchers and so on to ensure they are in good working order. 

If there is something that needs to be done with one of them that you or your team aren’t able to do, reach out to the manufacturer of the unit or a local dealership and see what they can do for you. 

OTHER TIPS

Having that equipment last you a while is a big benefit to the company. It means you don’t have to spend money on a new piece of equipment when you might not have it available. It also provides you and your team with a machine that you’re familiar with running and can adapt quickly if something needs to be changed with it on a job site. 

Here are some ways you can try and keep that machine running well past its life span:

Listen to it. You know your equipment better than anyone else because you run it daily. If you hear something on the machine that doesn’t sound right, it’s likely a problem. Investigate the sounds and you could fix a small issue before it gets to be a big one. 

Stock spare parts. As your vacuum excavator, drill or trencher get older it’s going to be harder and harder to find the parts you need for it. Anticipate that and start stocking up on the parts that you often will need to replace more often — belts, chains, etc. This will also save you money in the long run buying it when it’s available and not forking out more cash because it’s hard to get.

Clean the equipment. The Browns didn’t get done with job sites and park the vacuum excavator in the garage without cleaning it. Doing that won’t make anything last. Make sure you are cleaning that equipment after each and every job. Take a hose and wash off all that mud. All it adds is just a few minutes to the end of the day — some worthwhile minutes. 

WHAT DO YOU DO?

Do you have a piece of equipment several decades old in your fleet? How did you keep it going? I’d like to hear your story. You can email me at editor@digdifferent.com.

Enjoy this issue!