Unlike a private passenger car, heavy equipment such as bucket trucks has considerably longer life spans. These vehicles are built to be sturdy to survive rigorous daily use. If a regular maintenance schedule is followed, the amount of miles this type of vehicle would have to achieve before requiring a major repair such as an engine or transmission overhaul, would range from 300,000 to 600,000 miles.
Despite its long service life, all vehicle components eventually need to be replaced due to the natural wear and tear process. All used bucket trucks have had routine maintenance performed and could have even faced some component replacement prior to a change of ownership. There is no doubt that some of the serviceable life of that vehicle has been used and additional replacement is going to be more common if not the potential of a breakdown of some important vehicle item. If that has happened, what is the best way to proceed in handling repairs to used bucket trucks?
Options
For most owners of used bucket trucks, the option is not whether the vehicle will be repaired. Bucket trucks are the lifeline of many construction companies and purchasing a new replacement vehicle is most likely not an option. The two choices that do remain are: hiring someone to fix the problem or attempting a D.I.Y. project; and whether to use OEM or non-OEM components including used parts.
The second choice is going to be faced by any used bucket truck company because that selection will always be an owner's decision. OEM parts are always a good choice as the truck's manufacturer will always stand behind them for repair of their vehicle. On the other hand, non-OEM parts can be just as good as the OEM and their price is a whole lot less than using the manufacturer's new parts. The choice between the two replacement part types is one that an owner will have to make before repairs are started.
One of the best options for used bucket trucks owners is to closely adhere to a routine maintenance schedule. This single action will have such a beneficial effect on the dilemma of having to make repairs to any commercial vehicles. Although routine maintenance will not prevent every problem, it will certainly go a long way towards having breakdowns of these trucks be a very rare occurrence.
Problem Diagnosis
In spite of regular routine maintenance, something has caused one of the used buckets trucks to break down. The most difficult aspect of this event will be diagnosing the cause of the problem. Operators of these vehicles are frequently not able to know the source of the difficulty. The best choice here is to have already lined up a qualified commercial vehicle mechanic to check out the truck and come up with the source of the trouble. Once the source of the problem has been determined, a solution can be worked out and repairs can begin.
Parts - Repair or Replacement
Repairing the vehicle can be simple to accomplish by an experienced commercial vehicle mechanic. Some of the pieces of the vehicle may just need to be rebuilt; most time, a new component may be required and will have to be located. This step can be an easy one if it is a new bucket truck as the manufacturer will undoubtedly be able to supply any needed component. For older used vehicles, the access to replacement parts may be a bit more difficult. The manufacturer may or may not still make that particular item. Someone who handles non-OEM parts may be able to supply just what is needed.
Scrap yards are also a good source of affordable used bucket parts. Most trucks inside a scrap yard only have one or two things on them that are broken and the remaining things on the vehicle may still be in good condition. Most mechanics will make that search themselves as they know exactly what is needed to complete repairs. Of course, there is no guarantee as to how long the replacement will last since it is used and has maybe been exposed to the elements for some time.
Used bucket trucks are definitely repairable when something breaks, even if it is something as major as an engine. A small investment of time and patience to allow a good mechanic to fix the broken vehicle can result in a lot of savings to the owner. So what needs to be done when that used bucket truck is broken? By all means, repair the problem and get back to work!
Christopher M. Hunter is an expert in commercial specialty trucks. Click here to find out more about Used Bucket Trucks.
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