Brick pavers are complex machines that speed up restructuring, landscaping and paving of a new surface. They are mostly used in active city environments, where designated workers have very little time to pave sidewalks and driveways.
Just like most heavy equipment machines, pavers need extra attention from skilled technicians and trained operators to stay in optimal condition. To keep a fresh paver surface smooth and even every time, construction companies do a lot of maintenance work that helps identify damages to any internal components.
This comprehensive guide covers the servicing needs of the average paver machine. Here you will learn what maintenance tasks and ways to maintain the accuracy and longevity of your equipment, what is the average life expectancy for a modern paver, and how often you should service specific components.
What kind of servicing does my paver need?
This section covers the main components of pavers, their purpose, and servicing tasks that keep them in top condition. Follow these steps to repair and eliminate all weaknesses in your equipment:
Keep your brick pavers clean
A mandatory step for all complex vehicles and their components, cleaning procedures eliminate all the dirt, sand, and other debris from the system. Cleaning is essential for the engine compartment and air filtering components, where outside contaminants obstruct the airflow and efficient consumption of fuel.
Removal of abrasive materials is essential for all parts of the paver machine. A buildup of contaminants can affect the screed and its ability to prepare the surface for paving. Most parts of heavy equipment are used, cherished, and praised for maintaining accuracy despite working with heavy loads or harsh conditions. All brick paver maintenance procedures begin with a thorough cleaning to remove dirt, sand, and debris from parts that are installed properly, but cannot perform their duties due to poor maintenance.
Take care of the screed
If you want to keep your pavers looking sharp and effective, make sure to change and replace damaged screed plates to prevent the forming of uneven surfaces. Even with thorough cleaning, the accumulation of debris still occurs during active operation hours of the machine.
Of course, while the dirt and sand damage pavers and their screed plates, the damages would spread much faster without a clear plan and a solid cleaning solution. At every step of the way, the necessity of clean pavers will top the list of maintenance tips.
Inspect and lubricate the conveyor
A conveyor is responsible for the delivery and distribution of materials to fill out the desired and prepared outdoor space. Operators maintain it by checking the belts, chains, and bearings, making sure they are clean from dirt and lubricated. For more details about your model. follow the manufacturer’s manual.
Check the augers and agitators
If the conveyor ensures proportional delivery of materials, the next step is the hopper, where we have two main components: augers and agitators. They move and mix the delivered material to prepare good filling for paving. Augers control the material within the hopper, while agitators prevent it from clumping and sticking.
Due to the constant movement of materials within the hopper, its components are sturdier than other parts of heavy equipment therefore it requires little maintenance. A quick cleaning solution after each use and weekly replacement of augers and agitators is more than enough to maintain these machines.
Fluids and filtering
As a machine performing complex physical labour, a paver has to be properly serviced with fuel, lubrication, and filtering components. Check the engine oil levels to lubricate the internal components and properly disperse heat, as it will increase the efficiency and longevity of your engine.
Air filtering components need to be serviced and replaced to ensure clean air intake into the engine and operator’s cabin. You can maintain them with cleaning during daily inspections, but avoid using old and damaged filters for longer periods.
Follow a maintenance schedule
A strict maintenance schedule creates an essential plan that takes care of all heavy equipment. Ironically, with properly structured maintenance work, your machines will require less attention than before, that is, if you don’t skip any important steps. Split your checklist into appropriate time intervals, and you’ll see how low maintenance most machines truly are. Of course, other pavers may require extra attention due to additional electronic components, but a base plan gives you an adjustable framework to take proper care of your equipment
Train operators for daily servicing tasks
While a skilled technician understands the machine on a deeper level, the operator who uses the vehicle every day is in a better position to feel the depreciation and damage pavers experience. If the paver’s handler can perform daily, or even weekly inspections of the operated equipment, professional mechanics can save time and only focus on tasks that depend on their expertise. With extra training, operators contribute to a more even distribution of responsibilities, ensuring a more productive environment, and better insight on the state of their paver.
Paver servicing intervals
Now that we know the key points of a base maintenance strategy, here are the recommended intervals for servicing pavers. Keep in mind that these values can vary greatly depending on the work conditions, the model of your machine, the lack of maintenance in the past, and the frequency of use.
Daily maintenance procedures
At first, the operator or a skilled technician cleans the screed plate, conveyor, hopper, and air filtering components. After that comes the inspection of fluid levels, and visual inspection of visible damages. The operator ends daily servicing by documenting the state of each component. Some companies use a semi-automated documentation process with heavy equipment software.
Weekly servicing tasks
For weekly maintenance, operators conduct a closer inspection of a screed plate and replace it if there are visible damages. This is where pre-planning and preventive maintenance strategies really start to shine, as equipment managers can have the right replacement parts prepared due to prior tracking and documentation.
The conveyor is also inspected, with belt-tightening and bearing lubrication usually completed 1 to 3 times a week, depending on your paver model and working conditions.
Fluid tanks and filters undergo a deeper examination and replenishment once every 1 to 3 weeks, depending on the manufacturer’s recommendations. Aside from paver-specific components, the engine, and tracks, are usually tested once a week.
Monthly examinations
A paver is a machine with many moving parts; thus it requires a lot of maintenance every week. Monthly examinations usually involve a more thorough execution of prior tasks by an assigned technician, plus the testing of wires, electronic components, and other parts that suffer less wear and tear
Summary
Pavers are complex heavy equipment tools that require a lot of care and attention. However, with a clear servicing plan and thorough documentation, its lifespan can stretch up to more than 10 years, depending on your model. Make sure to keep your machines in good condition to maximise operating hours and save on repairs.
