5 Cool Ways to Utilize Heavy Equipment Refurbishing

Here’s a comparison you probably haven’t read yet: in some ways, your heavy equipment shop is like your sock drawer.

Well, in one way, at least. (Bear with us—this will all make sense in a bit.)

Let’s say you notice a hole in your favorite sock. For many people, this means throwing out the sock and buying a replacement. While that’s not a bad strategy by any means, you could also save a bit of money by darning it yourself.

The same principle holds true in the world of heavy equipment maintenance—except heavy equipment is a lot pricier than a pair of socks, so you’ll save more than just a bit of money. Refurbishing vehicles in your existing fleet may be less flashy than buying new equipment, but it’s undeniably a much cheaper option. Better yet, going this route can provide benefits like improved performance, greater sale value, and even enhanced safety features.

Keep reading for a closer look at heavy equipment refurbishing and the perks linked to this process.

1. Extend Asset Lifespan

Every piece of equipment in your fleet has its own lifespan, but determining that lifespan is more complicated than you might think. For example, imagine you’ve purchased a truck with an estimated lifespan of 15 years. While you might reasonably assume this vehicle will last you one and a half decades, there are ways to extend that period.

As part of your heavy equipment rebuilding process, aging parts will get replaced with newer components. That won’t solely affect the longevity of these individual parts—it will positively impact your truck’s overall lifespan (a very good thing, considering how expensive even used trucks have been lately).

Just be careful though, or you’ll fall down a metaphysics rabbit hole. If you refurbish every single part on your heavy-duty truck, does it still count as the same truck? Is this blog actually about replacing trucks rather than refurbishing them, after all?

Regardless, replacing one aged part at a time is generally less expensive than doing it all in one go. You’ll maximize your investment and reduce the downtime commonly associated with aging equipment.

2. Improve Equipment Performance

Have you ever watched a YouTube video about, say, a six-year-old child playing Mozart and felt the need to sit down and re-evaluate your life? If so, you know how aging components feel (or would feel, if they had emotions).

The truth is that newer parts can perform more effectively than those they replace in critical areas like fuel efficiency and power—all without high equipment replacement expenses. That’s doubly true if the parts you’re getting rid of haven’t been well-maintained in the past.

And again, truck components don’t have feelings—so you don’t have to imagine your old parts going through the incinerator scene in Toy Story 3.

(Well…you didn’t have to imagine that until now. Sorry.)

3. Improve Operator Safety and Comfort

There are plenty of reasons to consider replacing your existing trucks, and the good of their workers is one of them. New vehicles can benefit from modern safety features that simply didn’t exist in the past—not to mention more comfortable, ergonomic cabins than the trucks already in your fleet.

Still, you might not know that you (and your employees) can enjoy these perks without shelling out for entirely new equipment. A top-to-bottom equipment rebuild can include new safety features and fully-updated cabins. This is one of the less-discussed perks of heavy equipment refurbishing, but it’s definitely worth keeping in mind.

4. Enhance Aesthetics

If the trucking industry is about one thing, it’s style.

Your drivers can’t just get shipments to their destinations on time—they need to look good doing it. That’s why aesthetically-pleasing equipment rebuilds are the best investment you can make for your fleet (aside from designer trucker uniforms, obviously).

Okay, the last paragraph might not be…you know…true. But while people won’t pay that much attention to how your equipment looks, you’ll undoubtedly want to maintain a professional image across your fleet. Heavy equipment refurbishing is an easy way to refresh your trucks’ visual appeal, reinforcing your brand in the process.

5. Prepare for Sale or Trade-In

It’s safe to say that refurbishing or rebuilding your equipment is a quick way to improve its value. If you might be interested in selling your trucks or trading them in at any point, this work should be a high priority for you.

Still, this isn’t the only way heavy equipment refurbishment can add value to your business. The enhanced performance this process delivers can help you bid for jobs you wouldn’t have been able to pursue without it. You’ll also have a chance to save money by using less fuel, reducing your maintenance costs, and running a more efficient fleet after a rebuild.

Sock It to the Competition With Fullbay

There’s no shortage of reasons to consider heavy equipment refurbishing. This process will help you wait longer until it’s time to buy new trucks, but its benefits go beyond that. A good refurb will make your trucks look and function nearly as good as new for years to come.

While Fullbay can’t repair heavy equipment or socks for you, we’re pretty sophisticated when it comes to streamlining the process for you to handle it yourself. (The heavy equipment thing, that is. We haven’t branched into clothing repair yet.)

If you need heavy equipment repair software capable of guiding your technicians through service order workflows and providing the services you need wherever you are, schedule a demo today!