How do you handle your maintenance?

[plasticweld]

 

I am doing something now I would have never dreamed of doing in the past. I am hiring my mechanical work and maintenance done. I am on a tight time line to finish a logging job before the dead line ends on a right of way. We have been working 12 plus hours a day 5 days a week and a half day on Saturday. I found a guy who is a mechanic who is willing to come in on Saturdays and Sunday to make all needed repairs and check on the equipment so we are ready to roll on Monday with no surprises. I thought at first it was going to be a bit of a indulgence. I have made my own repairs from building engines to rears and to fixing just about anything that would break on the machines because of finances. What I have found that while I consider myself mechanical I am not anywhere as capable as someone who has done it full time for 30 years verses my 30 years of learning as needed. My mechanic has picked up on many things that I would have honestly missed and saved us a bunch of time in break downs and added costs to repair not only the part that broke but the part that got broken when the first part failed. I would rather cut wood than turn wrenches, while I felt this was justifiable on this wood lot because of the deadline I am going to continue this when we are finished.

I am being charged $25 an hour for time, travel included. Plus fuel to get to the site plus parts. I have Sundays off and we are cutting enough extra wood to pay for the maintenance I realize that $25 an hour is a bargain but for a out of work mechanic he was happy to have the extra work.

I was wondering if some of the others out there do anything similar ..Bob

[Bobus2003]

I have always done all my own maintenace.. Plus i do a bit of Mechanic work outside of my own equipment for a few other companies

[Autocar]

I sure would like some help at times also,I pretty well do all my own repair and many times tore it apart and redone it because I didn't do it right the first time. Having someone like you do would be great time saver for sure and it sounds like you have someone thats thinking for you and at problems that may arise in the future.

[tyb525]

If you can afford it, that could only benefit you, because now you have more time to do other things that could potentially make you more money, plus your equipment will be ready to go when you need it.

[treefarmer87]

i fix whatever i can myself, if i have trouble with it i call a mechanic that doesnt charge a arm and a leg. there is a logging company/logging mechanics shop in fluvanna county va called tapscott bros logging, they charge $80 an hour for mechanic work

[woodmills1]

I have always done my own maintainance, but have so many cylinders now I created a log book to keep me on track.  Just too many pieces to keep in my head.  I get a good deal on parts from a local branch of a national chain, since I tutored his daughter over 20 years ago :D.  My rotella is cheaper than I find on the internet, and the hydraulic filter for the cat 416 I got for 63 buck with his list at 154.  I can fix and repair basics but farm out electronics.  I have a good relationship with a local shop and a body shop for things I can't do, and I give them firewood in advance.

[DanG]

Hiring a mechanic to do your maintenance is good business, as long as the time you would have spent on it is worth more than the time he spends on it.  Factor in the things he does that you wouldn't have done, and you got a bonus.  Many operations are just too small to justify it, but when you reach that point, it is the sensible thing to do.  Congrats on reaching that point.  It is a sign that your business is flourishing.

[John Woodworth]

Have always done my own except for rare ocasions where time or other circumstances warrented help. Have been a equipment mechanic for 32 years now + 10 1/2 years in the automobile dealers as a mechanic.

[maple flats]

I used to do all of my own, but I now only do the quick easy stuff. Any real maintenance is hired out. I can do better at whatever I am busy into at the time and the cost is paid with my increased production in what I want to do. I am illusive because I do many different seemingly unrelated things but each one makes money and I enjoy them more than maintenance and repairs.

[snowstorm]

i do all my own work ........todays problem........computer issues  valmet with a keto head. called the pro in montreal even hes stumped on this one .....so he is calling the factory in finland..............anbody on here run a keto head??? fault code says shortcircut cablebr....tho everything works

[mad murdock]

give the computer a lead injection.  That should do it ;)  Seriously, I hope you get it figured out.  I have chased electrical problems for days at times.  Once it haunted us on a machine for weeks, only to finally figure out, moisture in the wiring harness coupled with poor connections where the wires were connected to connector plugs, and moisture issues there as well, were causing the unexplainable behaviour.  A thorough drying out of the wiring, and connectors, followed up by wrapping all exposed wire harness and connectors with silicone tape (self sealing), to more moisture proof things, solve the issues permanently.  Took several days to do all of it, but sometimes a little moisture in wiring, especially when computers are involved, can really foul things up, making it near impossible to figure out where the problem is.

[Mark K]

I do my own maintenance to a point. I rebuild my own engines, transmissions, rearends and winches. Check my machine's over every morning during greasing and fueling. If something's broke it gets fixed then before it goes to far. I have a good shop in the area that finds me parts if I dont already have them on hand. Nothing worse then down time when the weathers decent. Most of my equipment is old enough that there isn't much in the way of electronics. I know the day will come as i update machinery that I will have to call on a shop for the more technical work. That is a good labor rate, most shops around here are $70+.

[captain_crunch]

My problem is I am the only one with enough patience to work to work on my antique junk :( :( :( :(

[deutz4]

$25/hr. for work that you are apparently happy with? Sign him up for a long term contract! We have used "custom" service rarely at $70+. On 2 occasions we had guys show up in beautiful trucks (crane, welder, tools aplenty) and we knew more about the machine than they did. Maybe we should have inquired about renting the truck instead.

[timberfaller390]

I do all my own repairs and do outside repairs as well, mostly on farm equipment. If they can bring it to my shop I get 35.00 an hour, if I have to haul it it's still 35 but there is a haul charge and if I have to do the repair on site, it's 75.00 an hour. I have an old ford jubilee right now that I'm doing an on site tranny rebuild.