So you are in the market for a new drill rig. The big thing about drilling rigs is the cost, let’s face it they are an investment. But in order to make money, a bit of money needs to be spent on the proper equipment. There are many different manufacturers that build and sell drilling rigs and taking the time to glean every bit of information about each one is extremely time consuming. If you are short on time and need a good quality new or used portable drilling rig, look no further than the experts at Champion Equipment Sales. We are the number one dealer in the country for new and used Soilmec drilling solutions and many other brands and configurations. When you trust the experts at Champion Equipment Sales you are taking a step towards getting exactly the equipment you need for your job and region. Not all drilling rigs are created equal and there are many things that must be considered.
Major Components
There are literally thousands of components on a drilling rig and if you are looking for a portable machine, the equation gets even larger. The nature of these machines is the fact that, if one major component does not work, you are pretty much dead in the water. At Champion Equipment Sales, we sell only good quality used equipment and when we take in a used rig we look for the same things that you need to be looking for in used equipment. On a large machine, looking at all of the components is sometimes not practical, due to covers and the general configuration of the machine. Looking for flaws or damage to the major components is highly advised whenever buying used equipment. I mean, you wouldn’t buy a used truck without popping the hood, would you?
Tracks
Let’s say the rig you are after is a portable unit that collapses for easy jobsite maneuvering. Chances are, it is on a set of tracks. Now tracks, as you can imagine, are much more durable than tires of any kind. Their use on tanks is a testament to their toughness. That being said, tracks are not without their downfall. By nature, they are susceptible to great forces of wear and, due to their inherent traits require much more maintenance than tires. Tracks, however are much more difficult to determine wear. Occasionally, a grouser will be worn down or a pad will be broken but generally these components can be replaced relatively easy. Tracks will wear underneath the grouser pads without much visible damage.
Tracks are essentially a continuous chain with grouser pads bolted to it, the tracks run on a system of idler pulleys and gears. These components are designed to be replaced when the wear becomes too much, thus protecting the undercarriage itself. Measuring wear on the tracks, rollers and sprockets is usually accomplished with a series of measurements that will determine whether or not the tracks are in satisfactory condition.
If you have any questions about new or used drilling equipment, please give us a call and one of our rig experts will help you through the process. Next time we will delve deeper into what to look for in a used drilling rig.