Getting Your Summer Equipment Ready For Winter

We all know that Preventative Maintenance is essential to keep your unit on the road and in working order, but preparing your equipment for seasonal storage is imperative to make sure that next year your equipment is ready to work.  With fall just around the corner, Fleet Managers should be scheduling inspections for all pieces of summer equipment and attachments, large or small, before they are stored for the winter.

Below is a list of steps you should go through to ensure your equipment is ready to roll next season:

1. A thorough wash of the unit and all of its components is a must.
2. Do a complete run test and list any repairs that need to take place.
3. Perform all required repairs, change fluids, change filters, and grease/lube all moving parts.
4. Check Coolant Strength and ensure it is appropriate for your climate
5. Oil spray any areas that are prone to corrosion (if equipped and the conditions allow).
6. Units with gasoline or diesel on board may need fuel conditioner or stabilizer added to prevent fuel deterioration or contamination. This would depend on how long the unit is to be stored.  An alternative to this would be to drain the fuel and dispose of it.

The above steps will prepare your equipment for winter storage, but just because a piece of equipment was stored properly, does not mean that it will be completely “turnkey” at the start of a season.  Once spring arrives, each unit should be inspected and run tested by a qualified Technician or Operator in order to ensure that all functions and components work as intended.  If proper storage, inspections, and repair methods are carried out, then expensive downtimes will be avoided.