It's an inside joke but your post above is summarizes a conversation Omegaman and I had.......yesterday.

I have little room for operators that don't respect machinery.

Around Austin, some private company is building the toll roads. I see their machinery running 24/7 (weather permitting) and none of it is running slow either. For example, on a trip to the airpot the other day, I clocked a big Volvo dump loaded and running +45 mph on a haul road that paralleled the highway. Not only is it damned dangerous but that kind of operation beats the everlovin' snot out of equipment too.

Now you have to know that flogged machinery is on a lease and at some point, will go back into a rental fleet where some poor sucker (like me) will need it, rent it and wonder why he can't get any damned work done when the stuff pukes it's guts out on the job.

__________________
Never a dull moment at Berry Hill Farm.

Yip, its an uphill battle to make them keep the fuel tanks full despite a pocket full of gas cards and numerous stops to the gas station for coffee,smokes,rubbers and anything else they can charge other than fuel.

Were in the natural gas bussiness and the backhoe gets used as one would expect, Digging trenches or making berms. The problem lies when they move it to another location or off the mountain all together. If you look at where they drilled these wells you wonder if they had to repel from the top just to survey the site. Incredibly steep narrow roads to get to some of these locations.

I agree that there needs to be some accountability with these operators. Also some of these guys cant even begin to imagine that they are doing something wrong. Just not that bright. I have tons of stories.

Its like the gas company around here.

We did sewer and water hookups on project this year and the road was pretty thick. After cutting it we tried to break it with the 310 and it wouldn't so we switched to the Volvo 160 with the little trench bucket and it did it fine.

About 3 weeks later we called the gas company to have a hook up done to one of the houses. They come out with a Case backhoe which is about the same size as our 310. They got the road up with that thing, we were cringing as they were beating it to death. The whole thing was covered in oil from blown hoses, everything was lose and sloppy on it too.

When they don't own the machines they tend to beat them, my uncle has fired a number of guys who beat his equipment. Bottom out a cylinder all the time and he will kick you off the machine.

__________________
2016 Corvette Stingray 2LT
1969 280SE
2023 Ram 1500
2007 Tiara 3200

I can identify with that, I cringe every time I hear a relief valve squeal, whether its a power steering pump or a cylinder dead ended on a piece of equipment. I don't just kick them off the machine, I fire operators that abuse equipment immediately; no second chances.
Another pet peeve of mine is the "Joe Rev" style operator. Over the years I have disconnected the foot throttles on most of our machines to minimize the problem. Experience has taught me that, not only is it more efficient, but a machine operated at a steady rpm will usually last a lot longer and require fewer repairs than one being constantly rev'ed.

Jim

__________________
2005 C240 4matic wagon (daily driver)
87 190D - 225K (on loan)
85 190D - 312K (on loan)
2011 Subaru Legacy AWD (Wife's)