Maintenance and more maintenance

[tcrote5516]

Knock on wood, my BX has been a very reliable machine since I bought it a few years ago but I was just thinking about the maintenance I need to do after changing bearings and races on the boat trailer as my BX approaches the 300hr mark and it hit me. The amount of equipment maintenance I need to do on a regular basis is crazy.

I have a 10k generator, a riding mower, a zero turn mower, 3 cars, 1 boat + trailer, 2 snowmobiles + trailer, chainsaw, weed whacker and a leaf blower. The amount of time spent on general maintenance to keep this little collection of equipment running like new and dependable at times feels like I should have a Jay Leno sized team of mechanics on board.

Not sure what the point of this thread is, maybe just to vent but I'm sure I'm not alone and you'all probably need to vent too. I swear I spend more time maintaining than enjoying the toys or using the tools.

 

[D2Cat]

It's like everything else in life, one bite at a time! You don't use them all at once and don't need to service them all at once.

 

[NEPA Guy]

I have 14 engines I take care of. I recently created a "tech book" to keep all my "consumables" information available. Serial and model numbers, oil types, capacities, filters, belts, where to replenish, etc.

It makes it much simpler than digging through a stack of manuals to look up simple information.

I keep it with my maintenance log books, and keep detailed records of everything I've ever done to, or with, a machine. Amount of gas purchased, time spent using or maintaining a machine, and for what purpose, inspections, observations...

Its very helpful in the long run. You can justify your costs, track your time, justify continued use, repairs, or whatever.

I do however like to maintain all my "small engines" all at once. Check and change all the fluids, plugs, filters, the easy stuff. Once I get into a "mode" it's easier for me to continue the path.

Plus, you know they were all done at once so you only have to spend one day concentrating your efforts on maintaining your machines instead of several small spurts over an extended period of time. It makes record keeping easier as well.

I remember once this guy commenting on how much grass I have to cut and how time consuming it must be. HA! Cutting the grass is the easy part. If all I had to worry about was sitting on a zero turn for 4-5 hours a week that would be the least of my troubles. It's prepping the machines to the point where I CAN sit on them hassle free is the hard part. Nothing worse than unexpected down time!

If you can't measure it, you can't manage it.

 

[kckndrgn]

With proper maintenance your tools and toys will last for many years/decades.

I know when I was a kid my dad was a stickler for maintenance. However, in his later years, just before his passing, I have found that he let maintenance items slide. Now that I've inherited many of those items, and with their age, it's harder and harder to find replacement parts that shouldn't really need replacing if maintenance was done.

 

[ThisIsNotaStep]

My Dad's son abused the hell out of his equipment, same thing, he kinda lost the will to maintain stuff in his later years. When I inherited it I spent the first few years overhauling everything. Kinda thought it was payback! The real kicker is I had acquired most of the same equip never thinking I would one day own the stuff, now I've got 2 of everything to maintain.

 

[sheepfarmer]

It dawned on me a couple years ago that while it is fun to get a new "thing" of any sort, from puppies to tractors, that it also meant one more thing to look after...and to be careful what you wish for, you might get it!

 

[Grouse Feathers]

My Dad's son abused the hell out of his equipment, same thing, he kinda lost the will to maintain stuff in his later years. When I inherited it I spent the first few years overhauling everything. Kinda thought it was payback! The real kicker is I had acquired most of the same equip never thinking I would one day own the stuff, now I've got 2 of everything to maintain.

"My Dad's son" That's you right
If I understand this correctly you abused the equipment, then you inherited the equipment, and now you are overhauling the equipment.

 

[ThisIsNotaStep]

You got it!

 

[Erland]

How do I start a new post?