Winter is one of the toughest seasons especially in terms of maintaining the efficiency of construction machines. The resultant problems from cold temperatures, ice, and snow will have their implications on the machines, thus affecting their efficiency and lifespan. Be working on a small residential or industrial site, it makes a big difference as long as your equipment can keep running even in the freezing conditions. On the contrary, checking the JCB price of winter-ready equipment or specific upgrades to make with JCB could help you ready your budget and come with machines best suited for harsh weather conditions.
Here’s a guide on how to keep your construction equipment functioning well during cold weather.
Tips to Maintain Your Construction Equipment in Good Condition During Winters
1. Begin with a Pre-Winter Inspection
Every construction equipment should be checked before the harsh winter weather sets in. Minor issues magnified in cold temperatures can become major problems. It is essential to check for such wear and tear before winter sets in. One should look at cracks, worn parts, leaks of fluid, amongst other things.
Some of the areas to focus on include
- Hydraulic systems: Hydraulic fluids thicken when it is cold, which means they do not operate effectively. Look into all hydraulic accessories.
- Electrical systems: Battery, alternator, and starter react to cold weather. Make sure you have checked all electrical accessories.
- Cooling systems: You can check if you have enough antifreeze in your car and if there are no leaks in the cooling system.
A thorough check minimizes the risk of breaking down during the cold season.
2. Right Fluids
Another is in the performance of the fluids of your machine due to low temperatures. Engine oil, hydraulic fluids, and lubricants generally thicken in the lower spectrum of temperatures, making it hard to crank the equipment and get smooth runs. One is forced to opt for specific cold-weather fluids designed to work in temperatures with reduced effectiveness.
Some of the considerations on this include
- Engine oil: Viscosity of the oil is low so does not tend to drag when it is freezing.
- Hydraulic fluid: If you are using hydraulic fluids that are thought of as the lower temperature types, then efficiency will not be an issue.
- Antifreeze: So long as you are using the proper mixture of antifreeze, your engine will not freeze up.
- Fuel: Cold enough diesel fuel can gel. You might also wish to switch to winter-grade fuel or add a fuel stabilizer.
By switching to the right fluids, you ensure that your equipment can handle winter conditions and continues to perform as optimally as it should.
3. Keep Batteries Warm and Charged
Batteries are perhaps one of the most affected parts that occur during severe cold weather. It can slow down the battery’s power output and also become much harder to start the equipment. To prevent battery-related problems, here are a few things that should be taken care of.
- Keep the batteries charged up: A fully-charged battery never freezes and does not let the batteries come down to zero for any reason. Ensure charging of the battery before the time of going to work.
- Use the warmers for the batteries. Even if you are experiencing a freezing cold temperature, with cool or cold-weather conditions, these battery warmers will be helpful in keeping your batteries at optimal temperatures and you may find it more feasible to start the machines.
- Corrosion due to the presence of moisture: Extreme winters tend to hasten corrosion in batteries. So, keep on checking and cleaning the terminals in order to have effective contact with it.
This keeps the chances of failures due to cold-weather batteries at bay.
4. Warm Up Equipment Before Its Use
Allowing machines to warm up before use is probably one of the most crucial steps for keeping construction equipment running well during winter. This will allow the fluids to flow right, which reduces the strain on the engine and other components.
Here’s the right way to warm up your equipment.
- Let the engine idle: Before you let your equipment do some work for you, let it idle for a few minutes. This way, the oil inside will circulate and heat up. Your equipment will be much easier to run after this.
- Do light operations: Before pushing your equipment to full capacity, do light operations first. This will make all the parts heated up thoroughly before operating.
- Check fluid levels: Fluids shrink with cold weather. Ensure the fluid is checked after warming up to avoid leakage or low levels, which might damage.
Warm-up avoids excessive wear and tear of equipment thus avoiding breakdown.
5. Protection of Equipment When Not in Use
As long as it is not going to get used, your equipment needs to be put indoors, where it will not get frozen.
And if there ever was a time to haul the machines into the garage-None of us gives much of a hoot when freezing rain and snow pound on the equipment, unsheltered from the weather.
How You’ll Protect Your Equipment:
- Store Indoors: Do the best you can, placing equipment in an indoor heated garage or warehouse. This will protect it from damaging freeze-ups and moisture accumulation.
- Use covers: For those pieces that cannot be kept indoors, purchase heavy-duty covers. They will protect the equipment machinery from even snow, ice, and wind damage as much as possible.
- Clear snow and ice: Before one starts running any of the equipment, ensure removal of all snow and ice. This should be done so there is no formation on critical parts like an engine, hydraulic lines, and joints. All these certainly help avert damage and will run hassle-free.
Proper storage of your equipment will protect it from winter weather and minimize the possibility of damage.
6. Tire Pressure and Tracks
Cold temperatures lower air pressure inside tires, resulting in uneven wear, poor traction, and possibly even a blowout. When temperatures freeze, the tracks on tracked machines can become brittle and lose their effectiveness.
To keep your tires properly inflated:
- Check tire pressure daily: Tires have a tendency to lose most of the pressure when weather is cold, so look at the tire pressure daily before fitting every piece of equipment to the grounds.
- Use winter tires: You may consider changing to a winter tire or deep-tread tire when the cold weather conditions set in. This gives you extra grip on the ice and snow.
- Check tracks: If your equipment applies using tracks, inspect them periodically for cracks or damage. Cold weather conditions wear out the tracks much quicker.
Keep your tire pressure up, and your tracks in good condition. That will keep your equipment stable, and safe to work with in winter conditions.
7. On Frozen Ground and Icy Surfaces
Frozen or icy ground also creates hazards like sliding, low traction, and potential harm to your equipment. Be much more careful with equipment operations in such conditions.
The following are suggestions in overcoming frozen ground and ice:
- Travel slow: This reduces operating speed where one has control and does not skid.
- Use traction aids: As a precaution, install chains among other traction on tires for equipment to make it safer to operate on the ground covered with ice.
- Avoid sudden movements: Sudden jolts, braking, or turning can cause equipment to skid off on icy ground. Equipment’s operating speed should, therefore, be smooth to avoid accidents.
Being cautious and adjusting for icy grounds will both ensure safety for your equipment as well as your crew.
8. Equipment Regular Maintenance and Cleaning
Construction equipment needs maintenance in cold weather to keep them running.
Snow, ice, and dirt may adhere to the machines if cleaned regularly and cause problems in performance.
Important maintenance suggestions include:
- Lubricate moving parts: Grease may thicken with cold temperatures. Lubricate all the moving parts before every shift to prevent friction and wear.
- Replace filters: Dirty filters reduce your machine’s efficiency. You need to replace them regularly in order not to let machines down.
- Clean equipment daily: Remove snow, ice, and dirt from equipment every day, at the end of every shift. Dirty dirt and water would freeze overnight and cause damage.
Routine servicing and cleaning will ensure that your equipment is operated under the best conditions, even when winters have developed to conditions of their worst.
Conclusion
The cold weather can be pretty challenging for construction equipment; if you prepare and maintain your equipment well, you can ensure that it works smoothly during the winter months. Start by using the right fluids for winter, warming up the equipment, and ensuring proper storage. These will help you avoid costly downtime and ensure that you keep your projects on track, hence in good working order. Checking the Tata Hitachi price for winter-suitable equipment or accessories will make such decisions more informed.
Maintenance of machinery during very cold weather upsurges the life of the machinery and its output for a long time.