How long can you expect equipment to last?
Machine lifetimes are typically measured in hours, and even that can be tricky given variables such as ground conditions, crop conditions, average load, proper maintenance
and greasing to name just a few. The average combine should last about 5,000 hours or between 10 and 20 years. Most tractors typically have a life expectancy of 15,000+ hours. Wheel loaders are capable of running past 20,000 hours. Most operators replace their combine, tractor, or other equipment before it reaches its full lifetime expectancy - others don't. In either circumstance and with any piece of equipment, it is essential for owners to understand that there are simple precautions that they can take which will maximize the useful life of their equipment.
1. Annual Uptime Inspection by a Trained Technician
Annual inspections are not only important for safety reasons, but they are also critical in the upkeep of information to keep your equipment in service. Proactively catching equipment failures before the main season of use helps to avoid expensive emergency repairs during the busy season when you need your equipment working. Trained service technicians know what to look for and how to get your equipment ready for optimal, safe performance. Studies show that machines with a documented history of regular pre or postseason inspections also retain higher resale values. Detailed inspections by a knowledgeable service technician ensures that all elements of your machine are working correctly going into the season, giving you peace of mind that your equipment will not fail when you really need it to be working. Inspections are a major opportunity to minimize operating costs and extend the useful life of your equipment by minimizing work delays, lost work time, rent for replacement equipment, and the cost of emergency in-season repairs.
At Titan Machinery our Uptime inspection program is the cornerstone of our commitment to providing proactive service solutions that minimize in-season downtime for our customers' construction and farm equipment fleets. Click HERE to learn more about our current Uptime Specials and to sign your equipment up today!
Farm Equipment Uptime Pricing Guide
Construction Equipment Uptime Pricing Guide
2. Change Oil/Filters and Grease at Regular Recommended Intervals
When it comes to maintenance checks, lubrications is one of the most important aspects checked, but it's something that still gets missed in too many cases. It is also important 
to use the correct lubricant and filter for your machine and application. Off-road applications require filters that can standup to heavy vibrations and extreme conditions that farm and construction equipment commonly experience. The same is true for oil and lubricants. If you come across problems with your machinery's lubricant, get them checked by an expert, as they will be able to pinpoint which part of the machine is suffering from wear.
Titan Machinery offers oil, lube and filters that are designed for every brand of off-road diesel equipment - Click HERE to visit the CNHi Industrial website to see all available fluids and lubricants designed for the conditions that you operate in.
3. Keep Your Machinery Clean
It is crucial to keep all equipment clean on both the inside and outside of your machine. Regular cleaning of your equipment can help rust and corrosion from forming. On equipment like combines, removing debris at regular intervals during the season can help prevent fires. All off-road equipment need to have their air filters regularly cleaned in order to prevent dust build-up from starving the engine of proper airflow for combustion. It's especially important to keep mud and dirt from building up in the tracks of tracked machines to prevent premature stretching and failure of expensive undercarriage components.
4. Follow Recommended Operating Guidelines
Pushing equipment past the limits of what it was designed to do can dramatically shorten the useful lifespan of equipment and increase the operating cost per hour. It's better to upsize a machine to the application than try and make-do with something that wasn't designed to do that particular job or load requirement. Modern equipment often includes remote equipment monitoring telematics that can provide useful data that can uncover unsafe equipment operation by operators in remote locations far from supervision.
We service all brands and types of equipment, so stop by your local Titan Machinery Dealership for additional Uptime Service specials.