In many cases, your excavator is at the heart of your operation. Its uptime and performance dictate whether a project stays on track and on budget. But what if you could get even more out of your machine — more hours, more productivity, and a higher return on your investment?
Preventing problems is always easier (and cheaper) than fixing them, so it’s smart to take a proactive approach to maintenance and operation. These 10 fundamental practices will help you dramatically extend your excavator’s lifespan, ensuring it remains a reliable, profitable asset for years to come.
1. Use the Right Machine for the Job
First things first: Matching your excavator to the application is a big factor in its longevity. An oversized machine may spend too much time idling, which wastes fuel and can lead to cylinder washing, where unburned fuel washes oil from the cylinder walls, increasing wear. Conversely, an undersized machine will be overworked and overstressed, leading to premature wear and tear. The ideal scenario is an excavator that works at its optimal load for the majority of its shift.
2. Invest in High-Quality Fuel and Lubricants
| Your local Komatsu America Corp dealer |
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| Road Machinery and Supplies Company |
The fluids you put into your machine have a direct and lasting impact on its health. Be sure to use high-quality, clean diesel fuel. In colder climates, this may mean using a special diesel blend to prevent gelling. Clean fuel also prevents internal buildup that can damage engine components, filters, and injectors over time.
Premium lubricants and oils are also a wise choice because they’re formulated to protect engine parts against wear and friction. High-quality oils often contain special additives that prevent degradation and can even extend the time between oil changes, reducing maintenance downtime. While premium fluids might cost more upfront, the long-term protection they provide makes them a sound investment.
3. Be Selective About Filters
If high-quality oils and lubricants are the lifeblood of your machine, then filters are its vital organs. Filters play a critical role in preventing contaminants from reaching sensitive engine and hydraulic components. OEM filters provide a longer service life and meet stringent quality standards. While aftermarket options may seem cheaper initially, the risk of contaminants bypassing a low-quality filter can lead to major component failure and significantly more expensive repairs down the road.
| Your local Link Belt dealer |
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| Hayden-Murphy Equipment Co |
4. Don’t Prefill Fuel Filters
Prefilling a fuel filter might seem like a quick way to get your excavator back to work, but this shortcut can cause immediate — and expensive — damage. When you pour fuel into the center of the filter, you bypass the micron-level filtration, sending any tiny contaminants from the can or funnel directly into the sensitive, high-pressure fuel system. It only takes one instance to damage injectors, leading to costly repairs and unexpected downtime. The proper procedure is to install filters dry and prime the system with the machine’s hand primer, ensuring that only clean, filtered fuel protects your engine.
5. Stick to a Preventive Maintenance Schedule
One of the most straightforward ways to extend an excavator’s life is to simply follow the manufacturer’s recommended maintenance schedule. Conducting routine inspections and replacing worn components in a timely manner can prevent a small issue like a loose hose or a worn belt from escalating into a catastrophic failure.
| Your local Gomaco dealer |
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| Swanston Equipment Co |
| Hayden-Murphy Equipment Co |
Preventive maintenance should also include fluid sampling. A basic analysis can provide valuable insights into the health of your machine. For example, an increase in metal content in the axle oil could point to a bearing issue, allowing for a simple replacement before the entire axle needs to be overhauled.
If you purchased your excavator, a holistic approach to total cost of ownership (TCO) is important. These next three strategies not only extend machine life but also help retain a higher resale value.
6. Get a Preventive Maintenance and Repair Agreement
These agreements can have a dramatically positive impact on an excavator’s resale value by preventing unnecessary wear and long-term damage. This higher resale value directly translates to a lower TCO over the machine’s lifetime. A structured agreement ensures that all necessary services are performed on time, keeping your excavator in peak condition and reducing the likelihood of unexpected downtime.
| Your local Volvo Construction Equipment dealer |
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| Nuss Truck & Equipment |
7. Monitor Machine Performance to Tailor Maintenance
While hour-based intervals are a common way to schedule maintenance, some owners prefer a more tailored approach based on fuel consumption. By monitoring excavator fuel burn with telematics, you can customize service intervals. For instance, if an excavator is highly fuel-efficient and has a low fuel burn rate, it might be possible to safely extend the oil drain interval, saving on lubricant and filter costs. Conversely, if a machine is working a particularly heavy-duty cycle, the interval may need to be shortened to prevent premature oil breakdown and component failure. This data-driven approach ensures that your machine isn’t over-serviced or under-serviced.
8. Consider Active Monitoring
Modern telematics programs like Volvo’s ActiveCare Direct can monitor machines 24/7. These systems can detect and report critical error codes that an operator might not notice, such as low oil pressure or an engine overheating. This allows you and your dealer to address potential issues proactively. These systems also provide data on fuel consumption, idle times, and engine RPMs, helping you monitor machine use and operator habits. The data can be used to identify and correct habits that negatively impact the excavator’s long-term performance.
| Your local Trimble Construction Division dealer |
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| SITECH Northwest |
If you lease your excavator, you may not be concerned with resale value, but you’re still focused on minimizing operating costs and maximizing uptime. These final two tips help make that happen.
9. Follow Lease Requirements
Lease agreements often include specific clauses about maintenance intervals. To avoid additional costs, it’s crucial to adhere to the maintenance schedule laid out in your lease and keep detailed records to prove compliance. Ignoring these requirements can result in fines or other unplanned costs when you return the excavator.
10. Leverage Training and Monitoring
| Your local Komatsu America Corp dealer |
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| Road Machinery and Supplies Company |
Even for a leased machine, proper operator training is important. Good operators can minimize idle times, reduce fuel consumption, and prevent component damage, all of which directly impact your operating costs and profitability during the lease term. Likewise, leveraging any available telematics or monitoring programs will help you keep the machine running efficiently and address issues before they lead to costly, unscheduled downtime that eats into your profit margins.
Ultimately, maximizing the life of your excavator comes down to one thing: being proactive. It’s about seeing the bigger picture and recognizing that a small investment in maintenance today — whether it’s a fluid sample or a maintenance agreement — can prevent a costly, unexpected breakdown tomorrow.
By committing to these practices, you’re not just extending the life of your machine. You’re securing its long-term value as a profitable asset for your entire operation.
Tony D’Angelica is a Technical Service Manager at Volvo Construction Equipment — North America. He has been with the company since 2014 and has decades of mechanical and customer service experience.
