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Fluid Maintenance It is especially important to monitor fluid levels in your equipment during the summer months when temperatures are high.  The summer heat will cause the engine to warm at a faster rate.  As the engine warms, the machine’s fluids will suffer vaporization loss, eventually leading to a lower fluid level.  Perform daily checks on the hydraulic fluid, coolant, and machine’s oils to ensure that the equipment will not run into problems while operating.    Fluids to Check Hydraulic fluid Hydraulic fluid is used to transmit the force required to operate the machinery and to lubricate the hydraulic system and protect it from corrosion.  Low hydraulic fluid levels will cause the machine to overheat and reduce the power of the equipment.  Before checking the level of hydraulic fluid, make sure the machine is on even ground.  The fluid should be kept at the level indicated on the tank’s gauge.   Coolant Coolant keeps an engine running at peak performance in all temperatures.  Coolant adds antifreeze and corrosion inhibitors, to prevent freezing, corrosion, cavitation, and rust.  Operating with low coolant can lead to major problems, because unprotected surfaces could sustain damage.  When checking coolant levels, allow the engine to completely cool.  Then, locate the coolant reservoir and fill the tank to the indicated line.  Oils - engine, transmission, gear Engine oil is used mainly to lubricate parts.  It also cleans, inhibits corrosion, improves sealing, and cools the engine by carrying heat away from moving parts.  To check the engine oil level, some machines require a dipstick inspection while others require removing the fill cap to check that the oil is at the fill line or the top of the fill hole. Transmission oil lubricates the transmission gears and helps keep the transmission operating temperatures reduced.   To check the transmission oil, turn off the engine and locate the transmission dipstick.  The level should be just under the full mark. Gear oil lubricates gear teeth and helps prevent the machine from overheating.  When checking the lubricant level, make sure the gear oil is at the level of the filler plug.  Fluid level is critical to effective and efficient operation.    Additional Fluid Questions? Contact your local branch with your fluid maintenance questions.  Be sure to ask about fluid analysis to track contaminant levels in your equipment’s fluid, so we can predict component failure.  We will provide guidance and oil change intervals, based on the results for your equipment.

The Most Important Lawn Mower Maintenance Tips Get a jump on the Spring mowing season. Your mower works hard every day, and you depend on it for your business. To help you keep it as productive as possible during the upcoming season, we have put together some of the most important lawn mower maintenance tips.   Change the oil To avoid problems with your mower operating properly, change the oil regularly. When spring is coming, it is the perfect time to complete this important task. In order to protect your lawn mower engine, we recommend changing the oil at least once a year or after every 50 hours of use, whichever comes first. If you are operating in especially dusty or dirty conditions, you may need to change it more frequently. Check your owner’s manual to determine which type of oil is best for your machine and follow the manufacturer’s recommendations for oil change frequency to avoid issues requiring mower service.   Inspect your spark plugs One of the most important lawn mower maintenance tips is to ensure your spark plugs are in good condition before the busy season starts. A loose or dirty plug will make the mower difficult to start, waste fuel, and cause it to run choppy, producing poor cutting results. We recommend pulling off your mower’s spark plug wire, removing the plug, and using brake cleaner and a wire brush to gently clear any dirt or signs of corrosion. After removing the dirt and grime, buff the plug with a soft cloth, and then reattach it.   Replace your mower’s engine air filter The next important lawn mower maintenance tip is to swap out the air filter. A dirty or clogged filter will put extra strain on your engine and keep your mower from operating as efficiently as it otherwise would. By changing the air filter this spring, your machine will breathe easy, run better, and you can avoid costly mower service down the road.     Clean the mowing deck If your mower deck is clogged with grass and debris, it won’t cut as efficiently and can lead to accelerated corrosion. A dirty mower deck can also spread plant diseases from property to property. A good lawn mower maintenance tip is to use a brush and soapy water to remove any other dirt and debris. Once the area is dry, coat the underside of your mower with a thin layer of vegetable oil in order to prevent debris from sticking to it.   Sharpen the blades Your blades are the money makers on your lawn mower. To ensure a great cutting performance this spring and summer, remove the blades from your mower and take them into your nearest Burris Equipment location so they can be sharpened. If you have the right skills, tools, and equipment, you can also sharpen them yourself. Be sure to check the balance.   Check the tire pressure Under or overinflated tires can cause uneven mowing and add additional stress on the blade and internal components that can lead to performance issues and costly mower service. Check the tire pressure before each shift to make sure they are inflated to the manufacturer’s recommended levels.   If you have any questions about these lawn mower maintenance tips, then please reach out to our team today!

Dealing with Changing Tire Pressure During the Winter Underinflated tires are a drain on your business. Low tire pressure increases fuel usage and wear. Follow these best practices to get optimal performance from your equipment.   Check tire pressure regularly You can't check tire pressure with a visual inspection. Many tires will look properly inflated even if they're not, which is why it's important to check regularly with temperature changes. In the winter, check tire pressure weekly. The best time to ensure an accurate reading is before you operate the machine or three hours after shutting down. A general rule of thumb is that 10° F air temperature change correlates to a tire pressure change of 1 psi.   Measure tire pressure at the working temperature Don't measure tires in a warm shop if you'll be working in the cold. Make sure you're taking accurate tire pressure readings in the setting that the equipment will be used.   Inflate tires with nitrogen To combat pressure fluctuations, consider using nitrogen to fill your tires. There's no added risk of combustion or fire and it prevents ice crystals from forming that could hold open the tire's valve stem. When inflating your tires with nitrogen, continue to fill the tire to the manufacturer's recommended psi.   Slowly roll tires if they have been sitting for long periods in cold weather When first using a machine after it has been parked, gradually move the machine at first. Cold temperatures can cause the contact surface of tires to go flat against the ground and this will allow the tires to return to their correct shape.   As temperatures warm, continue to keep an eye on tire pressure Don't let your tires over inflate as temperatures increase. Faster, irregular wear can occur, shortening the tire's life. Measuring tire pressure regularly throughout any temperature fluctuation ensures you'll be working at optimal pressure.  

How to Get Your Equipment Out of the Mud! When you're operating heavy equipment off road, there's a possibility that at some point you could get stuck in the mud, especially on wet, soggy jobsites. Almost any type of equipment can be vulnerable to ending up in this situation, including skid steers, CTLs, wheel loaders, and excavators. Below are some procedures to follow to help avoid this potentially time consuming problem. Better to avoid getting stuck in the mud in the first place Removing equipment from mud can be an arduous task that wastes time and money on the job. Here are some best practices to avoid having your equipment stuck in the mud. Before you start work for the day, thoroughly examine the jobsite to get an idea of the terrain you will be working on. Clearly mark off dangerous areas full of mud or sticky soil to avoid taking the machine in that direction. Use wide tracked compact track loaders and excavators to minimize ground disturbance on your worksite. As wider tracks enhance flotation and traction, they are ideal for working in softer soils and muddy areas. Remove mud or debris from your equipment's tracks, tires, and undercarriages between jobs and at the end of each workday to help improve traction in wet conditions. Tips for extracting equipment from mud No matter how careful you are, your equipment will probably get stuck in the mud at some point. Here are some suggestions on how to handle those situations: Make sure you have robust straps, ropes, chains, or cables handy in your toolkit to pull your equipment out of the mud in the event that it gets stuck. To make the process of getting your equipment out of mud easier, remove anything from the machine that can be removed to make it lighter. This way, you will be able to pull it out more easily. Place planks behind its wheels to assist with traction when you set up the machine to extract it from the mud. To avoid damaging your machine, attach your straps to a tow hook or the frame itself. Doing so will give you the best chance of getting your equipment out without breaking anything. Sometimes, the chains snap during towing, and the tow hooks transform into deadly projectiles that fly through the air. To ensure they fall towards the ground instead of flying up, insert them with their tips up. Similarly, it's important to keep a safe distance away from towing chains or straps in case one breaks. Chains and hooks can launch through the air at a high rate of speed and will cause serious injury to bystanders. Removing equipment from the mud is a difficult and dangerous task. Follow our tips and best practices to avoid getting stuck in the first place. If you do, though, our tips for removing machines effectively will be helpful.

How to Maintain Trench Safety?   Working in and around trenches is a regular part of many construction and utility projects. It’s so common that crew members can sometimes forget that working near trenches can be dangerous if the right precautions aren’t taken. The good news is that most jobsite accidents involving trenches can be easily avoided. Follow this guide to help prevent dangerous, costly situations on your next excavation job.   Common trenching hazards   Insufficient safety precautions surrounding trenches can lead to problems on your jobsite. Some examples of potentially dangerous consequences of not monitoring trench areas sufficiently are: ·         Slips and falls into the trench ·         Cave-ins and collapse of the trench walls ·         Heavy equipment sliding into the trench ·         Flying rocks and other debris from above the trench ·         Nearby structures collapsing into the excavated area ·         Striking underground utilities, resulting in gas leaks, electrocution, flooding, or explosions Below are tips and best practices that will help you avoid hazardous conditions surrounding trenches.   Trench safety tips 1.      Install protective systems – When your trench is deeper than 5 feet, protective systems are required. One way to accomplish this is through sloping and benching, which involves cutting back the trench wall at an angle to create a slope, then developing steps to travel in and out of the trench. The other way is by using shoring and trench shields. These systems use metal supports for the trench walls to help prevent cave-ins. 2.      Routinely inspect your trenches – All trenches should be carefully checked before work begins for the day and then rechecked several times throughout the shift to look for signs of collapse or any other dangerous conditions. Signs of danger include cracking, sagging, or bulging of the trench walls or bubbling on the floor of the trench. If it is raining or snowing, then trenches should be inspected even more often. 3.      Have an OSHA Competent Person on the job – A Competent Person is responsible for noticing and identifying potential hazards on the jobsite, as well as taking necessary steps to maintain safety. This role is required on every job by OSHA regulations. 4.      Ensure your crew is well trained and uses proper protection – All excavation workers should be able to identify and respond to potential trenching threats, and they must wear the proper personal protective equipment (PPE) at all times, like hard hats, eye protection, and long sleeves and pants. 5.      Know your jobsite – Underground utility lines can be hazardous to construction workers. It’s important to know if there are any gas, electricity, or water lines running through your work area. Their locations should be identified and clearly marked for the excavation crew. 6.      There needs to be a way out – Any trench more than 4 feet deep must have simple access and egress routes within 25 feet of every worker. These routes may be ladders, ramps, or stairs. 7.      Keep a safe distance – All workers should keep a safe distance from excavators digging a trench, in order to avoid injury from falling loads or debris. You should also keep supplies, equipment, and excavated materials stored at least two feet away from the trenching edge to avoid the possibility of having them fall into the trench. 8.      Test for dangerous substances – Trenches must be tested for oxygen levels as well as potentially toxic gases like methane and carbon dioxide. Safety First  Trench safety is important to avoid injuries and downtime on the job. You can help prevent accidents and maximize the efficiency of your project by understanding and implementing these tips and best practices for working in and around trenches.

What Can You Do with End of Life Equipment?   To ensure optimal performance on the job, you sometimes need to get rid of even your most trusted and longest serving heavy equipment. No matter how well you take care of and maintain your machines, they will eventually deteriorate with regular use. To minimize unexpected breakdowns, you must replace end of life equipment before the risk of failure becomes too high. The question is, what can you do with your old machines when it comes time to part ways? You don’t want them sitting around taking up valuable space or degrading even further if they still have some value to offer you. Below are the four primary options for properly disposing of end of life equipment.   Sell it Just because your operation is ready to stop using a piece of equipment doesn’t mean that there isn’t someone who can use it. If it is still in usable condition, you can try selling the machine directly to a buyer. The drawback to this end of life equipment disposal method is that it can take a lot of time and effort to sell directly to a buyer. You have to act as a sales rep in addition to running your operation. The other option is to contact your dealer or manufacturer and see if they are interested in purchasing it.   Trade it in Some equipment dealers (Burris Equipment Co. included) or manufacturers will gladly accept your old machine as a trade in. This route is easier than selling, because they are used to refurbishing or remanufacturing old equipment, then reselling it. Plus, most dealers and manufacturers have an established process for reselling used equipment. While this option could help you save money on new a new machines, what you receive for your equipment will depend on what the dealer or manufacturer estimates is a fair trade in value.   Recycle or scrap it  Recycling or scrapping may be your only option if your end of life equipment is well beyond restoration and cannot be sold or traded in due to its poor condition. Although you won’t receive as much money as you would if you were selling a machine in better condition, scrap and recycling centers may help you recoup a small amount, and it is certainly a better option than leaving it to rot on your lot or behind your shop.   Auction it If your end of life equipment is a popular model or for some reason is in high demand, then auctions can be a great alternative to selling to a dealer, even if the machine is in poor condition. Auctioning old equipment using online bidding sites requires less effort than direct selling and also broadens your reach to an extensive list of potential buyers.   Final notes  Old equipment does not need to sit idle and take up wasted space in your facility. There are ways to dispose of it while potentially recouping some of your costs. Whether you have one machine reaching its end of life or several, the options we listed will help you determine the best approach to disposing of any equipment that is no longer useful in your operations.

New Organic Acid Engine Coolant Technology OAT coolant is required for new CASE Tier 4b engines with ≥ 56 kW emissions. Use OAT coolant to avoid the risk of serious engine damage through overheating. About OAT Coolant ACTIFULL™ OT EXTENDED-LIFE COOLANT is CASE's OAT coolant Supplemental Coolant Additives (SCA) are not necessary with OAT coolant that meets MAT 3624 It's yellow in color When should you use OAT? All new CASE Tier 4b vehicles with Flat Power Train (FPT) engines that are in the ≥ 56 kW emissions category require OAT coolant Look for one of the ACTIFULL™ OT decals shown before you add or change the coolant OAT Coolant Part Numbers Case Akcela ACTIFULL OT® extended life coolant concentrate 1 GAL - 73341735 55 GAL - 73341736 Case Akcela ACTIFULL OT® extended life coolant premix 1 GAL - 73341738 2.5 GAL - 73341739 Best Practices for OAT Coolant Never Mix OAT with Regular Coolant Mixing coolants can cause a loss of stability in the corrosion inhibitor, cavitation erosion, and gelling damage. This type of damage is not covered by your warranty, and repairs can cost thousands of dollars. Adding as little as 10% of regular coolant in an OAT system is enough to cause damage to your machine. Look for the OAT decal before adding or changing coolant to ensure you don't mix coolants and cause gelling inadvertently. Selecting Coolants Do not risk using OAT coolants from other manufacturers, unless they specifically meet CASE's MAT3624 material requirements. Use the ATSM number, not the coolant color, for reference when selecting your coolant. Mixing OAT with Water Mix half OAT and half water ratio, which will protect cooling systems to -35° F (-37° C). Only use de-ionized water with OAT coolant. Tap, hard, softened or sea water will reduce the coolant life and can cause deposits to form, creating hot spots and cavitational corrosion. Avoid Machine Damage Do not use anti corrosive additives in an OAT cooling system. Although these additives are commonly used in ethylene glycol fluids, they can cause premature wear in your machine. Only use machines with chemical resistant hosing. OAT coolant will react with PVC, rubber and Viton seals, creating leaks over time. Note: Use of OAT is not recommended for older machines. If you choose to run OAT in an older application, the cooling system must be flushed. The nitrate level must not be higher than 20 ppm. Oil Requirements Engine oil requirements may have changed, too, due to Tier IV emissions technologies. Low-ash CJ-4 oil is required for machines with DPF Non-DPF machines can run either CI-4 or low-ash CJ-4 oil There is no industry standard for CJ-4 oil additives. Don't risk premature engine wear by using oil that is not formulated for your machine.

When to refill the tank On Case equipment, there is a DEF gauge, just like the fuel gauge. It shows the fluid level and indicates when it’s time to refill. When fluid level becomes low in the DEF tank, a series of warnings will alert the operator after DEF reaches less than 10% of capacity. If the DEF tank contains less than 5% of its capacity, the equipment engine power will de-rate. Enough power will be available, however, to travel a short distance, so you can add DEF to the tank. The DEF tank needs to be filled once every 3 to 4 times that you refuel with diesel fuel in Case machines. The frequency will vary with operating conditions. How to fill the tank The opening of the DEF tank is sized to accept only a DEF fill nozzle. This constraint ensures that only DEF can be pumped into the DEF tank. A standard nozzle for diesel fuel will not fit into the DEF tank opening. DEF tanks will hold between 15 and 50 gallons, depending on the equipment size and horsepower. About DEF Composition Diesel Exhaust Fluid (DEF) is non-toxic and is made up of purified water and urea. It is stable and colorless. DEF is similar to baking soda in its alkalinity (pH). It is not a fuel but is used to reduce the level of nitrogen oxides in the emissions to meet emissions control standards. Purpose In the Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR) system, DEF is injected into the exhaust. It converts the NOx into nitrogen gas and water vapor, which are harmless components of air. Storing Keep DEF out of direct sunlight. The ideal temperature range for storing DEF is 32° F to 86° F, and its average shelf life is 3 years. DEF begins freezing at 32° F. The DEF tank on the vehicle has a heater that will thaw the DEF quickly. Freezing and thawing does not change its effectiveness. Because of its alkalinity, it can cause oxidization in the same way that oxygen rusts raw steel, so it needs to be stored in plastic or stainless steel containers. Burris Equipment also offers a complete line of DEF transfer pumps and meters, including on-site bulk storage equipment options. All Case DEF meets ISO Standards for purity and composition and is an American Petroleum Institute (API) certified diesel exhaust fluid. These standards are the highest for quality and safety and ensure optimum SCR system performance.

A few simple maintenance routines can extend the life of your skid steer tires dramatically. Clean your Tires Hose down your tires routinely so they are easy to inspect. Look for bubbles, bumps, cracks, and anything that might be lodged in the rubber. Check the Tread A quick visual inspection will also reveal any uneven wear. On skid steers, one set of tires may wear faster (the front or rear), depending on how they are operated. Rotate the tires as soon as you notice any uneven wear, which will extend the life of all four tires. Operate with All Four Tires Engaged There is less wear on the tires and the machine when the skid steer is operated with all four tires engaged on the ground. When the bucket is too far beneath a load, the front tires may lift slightly off the ground, placing stress on the back tires. Keep the Tires on the Ground Skid steer tires are designed for operation on ground, not on road surfaces. Consequently, the tires will wear out faster when they are driven on roads rather than on the ground. Watch for Debris Skid steers are operating in areas that are often full of debris. Drive carefully and avoid litter. Pneumatic tires can go flat, and foam-filled tires can leak if punctured. Protect the Rims Avoid popping off retaining rims, which can occur by catching the rim on an object. It’s inexpensive to replace a rim, but the downtime associated with unnecessary maintenance can be quite expensive. Look for tires with rim protectors built into the design. Monitor the Pressure With pneumatic tires, if the tire pressure is too low, you will waste fuel, and if it’s too high, you increase the chance of flats. In either case, uneven wear can result. Keep a reliable tire gauge handy and check the pressure every day or once a week, depending on how often you are operating the skid steer. Check your owner’s manual for the acceptable tire pressure range. Store Properly Constant exposure to sunlight can cause tires to expand and crack. Store tires in a cool, dry place. Buy Consistent Brands Avoid installing different brands or models of tires on the same machine. Each brand has its own distinct design and combining brands can cause uneven wear on both your tires and your skid steer.