Excavators are essential pieces of construction equipment, but if you’re not careful, owning one can be very expensive.

Whether you have Volvo excavators, Case excavators, or excavators from any number of noted manufacturers, managing costs is an important part of ownership.

Here are tips you can follow to manage the operating costs of your excavating equipment so you can improve ROI and get the best bang for your buck.

Regularly Maintain Your Vehicles

Maintenance is a necessary part of owning a vehicle, but it’s often overlooked. That’s because owners don’t like to pay for maintenance. They often see it as a burdensome cost rather than an investment that can prolong the life of your machines.

It’s not enough to just follow the operator’s manual. You need someone on your team or working with your team who understands the equipment inside and out and can regularly service the machine so that it operates smoothly, like new, for years to come.

That’s why we recommend finding a local service department that can help you keep your excavators up and running.

Watch for Wear and Tear on Attachments

Attachments, such as buckets and breakers, make or break the performance of an excavator. But if you let them get worn down by wear and tear, they’ll make your machine work harder – which decreases efficiency and increases the chances that the machine will break down.

Keep an eye on the moving parts and key features of your attachments. Teeth can get worn down, hinges can gum up, and other things can happen to get in the way.  For example, the wear plates can go out after long periods of use, and if they do, it’s much more cost beneficial to get them replaced or resurfaced as soon as possible in order to prevent any cracking or breaking into the actual bucket.

Protect the Undercarriage

If you want to prolong the health of your machine, protect its undercarriage. Keeping it clean can go a long way toward keeping your Kobelco or Volvo excavators (or whatever brand you use) healthy and intact. Dirt and debris can wear down key parts, corrode surfaces, foul up the track, wear down pins, scour your cylinders and sprockets, and put stress on your wear points.

A service department can regularly clean your excavator’s undercarriage to keep it humming along as it should.

Use Telematics

Telematics systems can provide data on the operational life of your machine – how often it’s used, idle time, utilization, operating practices, etc. Most new excavators come with some type of analytics capability that gives you an ongoing view of how your system is holding up.

When in doubt, contact a heavy construction equipment supplier. They know how to maintain equipment and can refer you to specialists who can help you reduce costs by following the tips above – and more.