Cold case: contractors offer tips on keeping excavators running optimally in winter weather.

While demolition contractors in the sunnier regions of the country have their own weather related problems to deal with, rarely do they have to contend with the winter weather that plagues their counterparts in the Midwest and Northeast.

However, even demolition contractors in areas that can see some of the country's harshest winter weather seek no free passes from Mother Nature--demolition is a year-round job. "You can't make money if you don't work," says Brian Baumann of Cleveland-based demolition contractor B&B Wrecking and Excavating.

In fact, some demo contractors report that business actually picks up in the winter. "Sometimes we're busier in the winter getting sites ready for general contractors to build on in the spring," says William Moore of Brandenburg Industrial Service Co., Chicago.

But working year-round isn't always easy. Extreme cold snaps and piles of snow can cause a number of problems for contractors using excavators on jobsites.

However, with patience, diligence in adhering to fluid service schedules, and a little extra effort when it comes to preventive maintenance, contractors can keep their equipment running even in the most adverse weather conditions.

WEATHER WOES 

Precipitation like rain, sleet and snow is by no means problem-free, but some contractors say it's among the least of their worries when it comes to winter weather. "[Excavators] all have windshield wipers on them, so precipitation isn't a huge problem," says Baumann.

While the precipitation itself may not always create problems, rain or snow on unpaved jobsites can lead to a muddy mess, making it a challenge to run any equipment, says Moore.

Snow, for the most part, can be moved out of the way with other equipment, says Moore. However, heavy snows overnight can sometimes obscure the work that was done the day before, creating a potentially dangerous situation if a different operator is on the job, says Ryan Priestly, president of Priestly Demolition, Aurora, Ontario, Canada. "If you're working away on a job, and it snows a foot, you can't see what the guy did before, which can cause problems," he says.

More detrimental to the operation of excavators are extremely cold temperatures, according to Moore. "Below zero weather is hard on hydraulic systems and sometimes diesel equipment is harder to start," he says.

Baumann says extreme cold is sometimes enough to keep his excavators from working at all. "My rule of thumb is if it's below 10 to 14 degrees, unless I absolutely have to work, I don't run my excavators at all," he says.

Bitter cold temperatures can wreak havoc on carrier itself. "The steel becomes more brittle, you can easily snap a cylinder," says Baumann.

In addition to structural problems with the body of the machine or undercarriage, extreme cold can be tough on excavators' diesel engines. "The worst is the cold, absolutely," says Priestly. "The batteries get cold, the engine blocks get cold--it depletes [the engine] instantly."

Winter temperatures can also be tough on the attachments affixed to the excavator, Baumann says. He recommends preheating shears with a torch before attempting to cut with them in cold weather.

Priestly adds that bitter cold can also snap pistons on hydraulic hammers.

Extreme cold also makes dust suppression more difficult on the jobsite, Baumann says. "We have to use water, which makes for slick conditions," he says.

While extreme cold can make demolition work with excavators challenging, contractors can take steps to stay productive.

ALWAYS BE PREPARED

Preventive maintenance before cold weather hits helps excavators operate better in winter, according to Moore. He recommends replacing batteries if necessary before cold weather as problems are more likely in the winter.

Priestly also advises demolition contractors not to wait until winter to prepare their machines. "Keeping the [service schedules] up regularly is key to being able to get a good winter start," he says. "The key is fall leading up to winter." Priestly also recommends taking care of things like oil changes and battery installations in advance of cold weather.

Once winter arrives, Priestly advises contractors and their crews to exercise patience and allow for more time. "Get there early in the winter, give the machine a chance to warm up before you start working," he says.

Baumann says keeping equipment warm is key to keeping it running properly, even in adverse conditions. "I've seen companies make a makeshift tent at night to keep something warm," he says.

Extra attention to keeping equipment covered and warm on the jobsite, coupled with proper preparation before winter hits, can help contractors be productive throughout the winter months.

To Your (Equipment's Health)

Healthy equipment that runs efficiently and achieves top production is the hallmark of a profitable equipment fleet. To achieve this goal, equipment must be effectively maintained at the least possible cost. The following tips from John Deere Service Marketing Manager Diego Navarro will help equipment fleet managers accomplish maximum productivity and uptime while minimizing costs.

Condition-Based Maintenance

Condition-based maintenance is exactly what it sounds like--proactive maintenance procedures that are based on the condition of the machine. To provide maintenance, the technician reads the health of the machine and provides services based on that information. The most powerful technique used in condition-based maintenance is a complete oil analysis.

"With many inferior oil analysis tests out there, it's imperative to use one that will give you complete information," Navarro says. "Any John Deere dealer can analyze an oil sample and really read what's going on with the machine,"

Another technique commonly used in condition-based maintenance is root cause analysis, according to Navarro. "Any problem has three root causes," he says, "One of them obviously is human error--for example, using the wrong kind of oil. Then there's physical error-such as parts failure. Administrative error also can play a part, such as the lack of written procedures or failure to schedule inspections. In short, if you don't find the reason the machine is failing, it will fail again, Root cause analysis helps us get to what is really causing the problem, so we can address it. It's treating the disease instead of just relieving the symptoms."

Particle Counts and Filtration

Filtration of the hydraulic system is important to extend the component life of any machine. The technician should initially determine the particle count by testing the fluid. Once that is done, a target particle count can be established, and then filtration can take place to reach that target.

"An onsite filtration caddy can clean the hydraulics very fast while you're performing other services," Navarro says. Dealers offer a range of filtration methods, including an on-site caddy, to help machine owners keep their equipment's systems healthy and clean, notes Navarro. "In some cases you may need to use bypass filtration, which is an aftermarket product. The bypass filter will take two or three weeks to reach that cleanliness."

Another technique, magnetic filtration, is effective for components such as axles. It is primarily used to capture iron particles. "Iron in big quantities damages bearings, oxidizes the oil and consumes the additive," Navarro says. "When you change oils, not all the iron goes out, so it's important to collect that iron using magnetic filtration."

Proper Lubrication 

Lubricants are designed for a specific purpose, then are tested and developed with stringent quality control. During development, they are subject to a wide range of temperatures, pressures and more to determine how they will perform. As a result, mixing lubricants is a risk machine owners won't want to take.

"When your machine needs more oil, and you simply add any product you find instead of sticking with what's already being used in the machine, you are instantly changing the formulation," Navarro says. "This produces a new product that has not been tested, and it can often affect the machine negatively and accelerate wear, as these two lubricants aren't designed to work together."

One negative reaction that mixing lubricants can cause is copper generation. Copper comes from bronze, which is an alloy used in many high-pressure systems pumps. If copper is being leached from the pump's bronze, pump efficiency will suffer, and contamination of the entire system and components also will occur, according to Navarro.

"If excess copper shows up in your oil analysis, your dealer can help you determine why the system is generating copper and fix the root problem," he says.

Electronic Machine Information Download on Excavators

One useful tool to maximize uptime and keep operating costs as low as possible is a system that allows for electronic machine download. Machines with this type of system can record up to 10,000 hours of operation information, from fuel consumption to pressures and temperature to percentage of use of the arm, bucket, swing and more. For example, this kind of data can be retrieved from John Deere excavators using a tool called Machine Information Center, Navarro says.

"Machine Information Center is vital to keeping costs in line," he continues. "It helps you determine how much time your operator spends idling or working, or when the way he is operating the machine is wearing out the tracks abnormally--it records just about everything about machine operation. The result is hours and hours of information that can really help the fleet supervisor manage cost and maintenance."

This information was submitted on behalf of Deere & Co., Moline, Ill. More information is available at www.johndeere.com.

The author is associate editor of Construction & Demolition Recycling and can be contacted at [e-mail].