Winter is just around the corner and all of us here at Black Dog Equipment know how the weather on the western slope of Colorado can change quickly. That’s why it is best to be prepared for winter equipment maintenance. Small equipment maintenance is just as important as heavy equipment maintenance for keeping your projects moving forward during all seasons, so let’s jump in and go over what to look for and where to start!

The basic place to start is with the cab of the machine. Working in the Crested Butte, Gunnison, Telluride and Ouray areas means extremely cold weather and most of you are prepared by having enclosed cabs. Are the windows and windshields in operating order? What about windshield wipers and heaters? Our parts department is trained to source the glass you need, including Caterpillar, Terex, JLG and Genie glass. We do offer 3^rd party windshield wipers that are designed to stand up to the wear and tear of dirty and hard-working job sites. When calling in it is best to have the equipment make, model and serial number on hand to streamline the ordering process.

Another simple maintenance project is replacing any damaged or worn hydraulic hoses. With our stock of Parker hydraulic fittings and hoses it is easy to bring in the hose you need replaced and we build the hose to match your current one. You want to replace any hose that is sun damaged, worn or frayed because as the months get colder the hydraulic oil becomes more viscous and takes longer to warm up in the machine. The thicker the oil the more strain is put on the hydraulic hoses and system.

If you don’t feel comfortable taking the hoses off the equipment to replace them, we can do it for you. Bigger projects like booms hoses are better to do in house, just because of the length and tight spaces that you must work in, we are specifically equipped for that type of task. Black Dog Equipment also offers on-site hose building. Our outside equipment service truck is equipped with a multitude of fittings and hose options to get you back on the project fast!

Batteries and cold weather don’t really go well together with heavy equipment and that is another area to look at as the weather starts to get colder. During cold weather service, checking the batteries for a good charge and making sure water and acid levels are full is a great beginning step. Starting equipment causes a large pull of power from the batteries through the starting components. So having the appropriate amount of power is recommended. Fun fact, at 32 Degrees Fahrenheit a battery is only operating at 20 percent of its normal operating compacity. That level drops to 50 percent of normal operating capacity at -22 degrees Fahrenheit, which is not unheard of in western Colorado. In short servicing and replacing batteries regularly is very important for peak operation of equipment during the winter months.

Safety is the top priority of all jobsites and having the proper lights on the equipment is necessary. During winter months there are a lot of hours of work that can be done in the dark, and being well prepared will keep you working. Damaged lights on equipment is a safety red flag and all equipment is different. Our parts team is specifically trained in ordering those safety flashers, reverse lights, brake lights and headlights on all equipment. We can source the parts for most JLG, Genie, Caterpillar, Toro and more types of equipment! Please remember to have the machine make, model and serial number ready when you call.