Skid Steer Maintenance and Service

Your equipment is your livelihood; an investment of time, money, and effort that you depend on day after day to help you get the job done. Making sure that your equipment is running efficiently and effectively is the key to your success, and here at Synergy Equipment we’re here to help. If you use Skid Steer loaders on your job site, you know how useful these tools can be, and so we’re here to make sure that your Skid Steers keep running for years to come. We’ve put together a quick list of checks you should make on a daily and monthly basis so you can catch problems before they become disasters. For all of your Skid Steer and heavy equipment needs, remember that Synergy Equipment is Florida’s choice for parts and service.

Daily Routine

In your day to day use of a Skid Steer loader, it’s important to make sure that you’re keeping tabs on the wear and tear that your machine is absorbing so you can be ready to address problems before they arise. Your first and best indicator of an imminent problem will be leaking fluids, so before firing up your skid steer do a visual inspection of the hydraulic oil, coolant, engine oil, and fuel levels. While you’re under the hood, check your fan belt to ensure it’s maintaining tension, look for any hydraulic leakage, and inspect the fuel water separator.

All moving parts of the machine should get at least a cursory glance, in addition to your hoses, attachments, and tires. While you’re doing your walkaround you can go ahead and grease the fittings at pivot points. Make sure that you’re also checking your air filters, as your equipment won’t be able to run if it can’t even breathe.

When you’re inspecting your tires make sure keep the environment in mind. Extreme heat and cold cause rubber and air to act differently, so make sure that your tires are properly inflated and in good shape. Look for major problems such as chunking and minor issues that might expand like cracks. Obviously punctures need to be addressed immediately. Because a skid steer lacks suspension, operators will instantly feel if the vehicle doesn’t have properly inflated tires, with a bumpy ride caused by over inflation, and sluggish performance from underinflated tires.

Monthly Checks

Month over Month it can be hard to make a blanket recommendation for vehicle maintenance, but in terms of vehicle life you’ll want to make sure you’re changing out all of your fluids in approximately 250-hour intervals. One of the most important things you can keep changed is your oil, as this will dramatically impact your skid steer performance. Some other things to check every once in awhile are the Hydraulic fluid filter, and the chain case tension, so you can ensure that everything is running smooth. The Hydraulic fluid filter should probably be replaced every 500 work hours or so.

Proper Usage

One critical piece of keeping your equipment running well is to use it properly. Make sure you’re using the right skid steer for the right job, install the proper tires, and don’t operate your vehicle outside of the recommended operating parameters. Vertical lift skid steers should be used for lifting and loading, while radial lift skid steers should stick to grading and digging. Using the wrong equipment for the wrong job will impact your service requirements, and likely cause more headache than it saves.

Every working man knows that if you take care of your equipment, your equipment will take care of you. Synergy Equipment is here to help with the parts, tools, and expertise you need to keep your Skid Steer running smooth. Come in and see us at any of our Florida locations and we’ll be happy to help you however we can!