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Hiring the Best Heavy Construction Equipment: Everything to Consider

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Hiring the Best Heavy Construction Equipment: Everything to Consider

If you are hiring heavy construction equipment for your business, there are so many things you need to consider, from driver training to safety features, from cost to supplemental insurance, and, of course, there are many other factors to consider. Hi, my name is Dave, and I used to work in the oil fields. During that time, I ran almost every type of heavy machinery you can imagine, and I also saw a lot of mistakes being made. I learned a lot, and now that I am semi-retired, I want to share a lot of that info. Before you hire a heavy machine, take a look at these posts.

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5 Pitfalls to Avoid When Renting Tray Top Crane Trucks

12 March 2018
 Categories: , Blog

Are you planning to rent or buy a used tray top crane truck for your construction company? Read on and discover some of the pitfalls that you should be mindful of when you are checking the trucks that are available for rent/sale. 

Inoperable Emergency Systems

You should test the different emergency systems of the tray top crane truck and confirm that they all work. For instance, find out whether the flashing lights work. Check the auxiliary braking system and confirm that it can engage if the truck starts moving while a load is being lifted. Any defective emergency system should be fixed before you start using the truck.

Hydraulic Leaks

Check for hydraulic leaks when you are inspecting the operating systems of the tray top crane truck. Leaks are dangerous because the crane can lose hydraulic power under load. Such a loss of power can result in loads being dropped on personnel or property.

Missing Operating Manuals

Be keen to check and confirm that all the relevant operating manuals are available before you rent or purchase a tray top truck. It may be hard for you to benefit from some of the features of that vehicle if the relevant manual is missing. Maintenance and repairs may also be harder to perform without those manuals.

Uncertified Modifications

Ask a qualified person to check the tray top truck for any modifications, such as trailer body extensions, which are outside the design specifications of that vehicle. Any such modifications should have documentation that certifies that the vehicle was inspected and approved for use. Any uncertified modifications can make the tray top truck dangerous to use if the modifications had an effect on the structural integrity of the vehicle. For example, its centre of gravity can shift and the truck can become unstable when a heavy load is being lifted by the crane mounted on the tray top truck.

Missing Maintenance Records

The mechanical condition of any used heavy construction equipment depends on how well that equipment was maintained by the previous owners. Maintenance records are therefore a valuable tool to help you to select the best tray top truck to rent or buy. Take extra precautions, such as performing a thorough inspection, in case you want to rent or buy a tray top truck without complete maintenance records.

The pitfalls above aren't the only issues that you need to look into before making a final decision. Other factors, such as the suitability of that tray top truck for your application, should be assessed. Involve an experienced person in the selection process if you lack the capacity to select the best crane truck semi-trailer.