Proper maintenance of pulling and anchoring equipment can go a long way toward running an efficient, profitable shop
Tools are only as good as the maintenance program that supports them. If they don’t work, they can’t be of any use to generate profits or wages. It is vital for any shop to make sure all employees are properly trained in the care, upkeep and maintenance of any piece of equipment.
Frame and anchoring equipment in the collision repair world is no different. Regularly scheduled maintenance is necessary for this equipment because of the very nature of the job it performs. It holds and pulls against itself with thousands of pounds of pressure and from every conceivable angle. And it does all this while the technician pounds on and around it with heavy hammers and heats it to extreme temperatures. It’s no wonder it doesn’t work perfectly all the time.
There are many different operation systems within the typical frame machine and anchoring equipment. All are prone to mechanical failure, wear and tear, and subject to human error. As anchoring equipment wears, due to the strain and tension, the “jaws” or teeth of the anchoring clamps must be replaced. That is why it is important to include this inspection process in the regular routine. If the wear and tear is caught in time and replacement is done in a timely manner, no down time for the machinery or the technician is experienced. If we wait until a vehicle is pulled out of the clamps because of worn or clogged jaws, costly vehicle repairs, equipment repairs or—even worse—technician injury will result. Pulling the vehicle out of the clamps is extremely dangerous, as we can be pulling on the vehicle with several thousands of pounds of pressure, and when it slips, it isn’t pretty. Here we point out some of the more common problems and offer some solutions for a longer life span of the equipment and more profitability during the machine’s lifetime.
Housekeeping is the first step in equipment maintenance. A clean and well-organized work area makes the job easier to perform. Do you often spend more time looking for things than you do repairing vehicles? If so, you’re wasting valuable time, and in the collision repair industry, time truly does equal money. A clean work area is also a safer environment to work in. If everyone in the facility keeps the work station clean and orderly, some of these routine maintenance items will be more visible and can be caught in time before they lead to bigger problems during the next job—finding a minor hydraulic leak before it turns into a major one, for example. An added bonus is that the shop environment looks great to customers and anyone else who enters the work area of the building.
Scheduled maintenance is an area that is often overlooked in the collision repair shop. You should keep a record of all routine checks. Each facility will probably have a different maintenance schedule depending on the age and brand of the equipment as well as the frequency of its use. Someone from the shop should assume the responsibility of completing these periodic checks once a schedule is determined, and then keep a record of all problems and solutions. This could be as simple as a visual inspection followed by a specially designed checklist provided by the technicians or equipment manufacturers.
The following is a list of common maintenance items and some inspection tips:
Bent parts are common and should be repaired or replaced according to manufacturer suggestions. Damaged or misaligned parts can adversely affect the machine’s effectiveness and efficiency. Bent or damaged parts also can be a safety issue. Safety and maintenance go hand in hand with frame and anchoring equipment.
Leaking cylinders, hoses and fittings should be repaired immediately as they can hamper the effectiveness of the equipment and also cause a slipping hazard. These types of repairs can often be outsourced or sublet to an appropriate company.
Leaking air lines, fittings, valves and gauges should be repaired with equal urgency. Air supply systems must work overtime to keep up with the leaking components and shorten the life span of the compressor and related systems. Many of the needed repair parts are available from a paint and body equipment supplier or local business that deals with compressed air systems.
Broken or damaged electrical parts such as connectors, fittings and insulation are an immediate concern as well. Equipment malfunction and electrical shock can be the culprit here. If there is not a qualified electrical technician in the facility, your local electrician may be the best source of repairs.
Air motors and pumps need to be oiled or lubricated on a regular basis with the correct material. The manufacturer usually suggests the correct oil and frequency of application. This can prevent lock up of air motors and other related parts. Air motors need oil too.
Safety stops should be in working order, inspected and in place on all equipment. This can prevent costly repairs by keeping the vehicle on track. Safety skid-proof surfaces should be in place and inspected as well.
Damaged chain and accessories are very much a safety hazard and should be checked on a regular basis. Watch for stretched hooks and chain that may be weakened by grinder marks and heat from torches. These parts can fail during a heavy pulling operation and can cause serious property and bodily injury. Parts should be replaced according to the manufacturer and not at the local hardware store.
Chain rollers and pins must be checked for signs of stress and wear. These should be replaced according to the manufacturer’s specification or with the original parts. The worn or damaged parts should be considered scrap metal instead of back-up parts.
Anchoring clamps and pulling clamps need to be clean and sharp to effectively bite into and hold the metal. Often there is a build-up of undercoating, tar and other materials that plug up and coat the teeth and allow the metal or the vehicle to slip in the clamps. This is obviously a loss in productivity and again, a safety issue. A low-heat source such as a heat lamp or radiant heat source coupled with a wire brush can remedy the situation. Using a torch to do this job may change the temper of the metal and weaken the clamp or jaws of the clamp.
Tool boards or some type of organizational process is important to keep up with tools or accessories that are damaged. The most common and widely used organizer is the shadow board. A shadow board is a pre-arranged order of the tools on a board with a black shadow or impression of the specific tool that occupies a spot on the board. If a tool or accessory such as a clamp or chain is in good working productive order, it is placed in its own “spot” on the board with its own shadow or outline. If a tool is rendered unproductive or not in working order, it is condemned to a designated area until it is repaired or serviced, leaving a blank spot or shadow on the board. This system is a constant monitoring mechanism and works well, as long as it is used on a job-by-job basis. It bears repeating—even simple housekeeping techniques can go a long way in helping a shop keep organized and profitable. There are other ways to monitor and maintain tools, but this one seems to work well for many shops.
Stretched or ‘galled’ bolts in clamps can render them useless and cause serious downtime. These become one of those accessories that are condemned to that space where non-productive tools are sent. Some shops have buckets and boxes full of perfectly good clamps that they can’t use: nothing wrong with the clamp, the bolt is just frozen. In some parts of the country we call this a “dollar waitin’ on a dime.” Check with the equipment manufacturer to get the correct application of bolts for the equipment. And remember, not all bolts are created equal.
Lubrication of bolts and clamps is a good way to prevent the stretching of threads on those bolts and fasteners that are used under the intense pressure of the pulling and anchoring apparatus. As a periodic check is performed, identify those fasteners that no longer function properly and remove them and replace them with the correct fastener grade. Frame and anchoring equipment normally use a specific grade of bolt that determines the hardness of the bolts and nuts. A graphite type of lubricant works well and does not attract as much dust as petroleum lubricants.
Removing galled bolts is not always easy. A cut-off wheel can be used to cut the bolts or a plasma cutter can be used if care is taken not to overheat the parts being separated. Creating too much heat on the clamp or anchoring device can change the temper and strength of the part and cause another dangerous situation if the part fails or breaks during the next heavy pull.
Training is a big plus for the technician or individual who does the maintenance checks and subsequent repairs. However, training in this area shouldn’t be reserved for just one individual. Training should be provided for everyone in the facility including clerical and office personnel.
Here is a scenario that may help make this a more palatable idea: One of the office staff has just received a call and must deliver a message to one of the painters. The person walks through the body shop to the paint shop and delivers the message. On the return trip, he or she passes by a fluid leak under the corner of the frame machine. However, without the proper training, he or she isn’t equipped to recognize—let alone deal with—this possibly dangerous situation. The office staffer returns to the bustling front office and continues to help customers. Thirty minutes later, the office person hears sirens and finds out that the frame technician has slipped on that oil and has sustained a broken leg or some other debilitating injury.
Aside from personal injury to the structural technician and related costs of medical care, productivity is now affected for the duration of the recovery, unless there is a spare structural technician waiting in the wings. Medical insurance, workmen’s compensation and many other factors can come into play.
If all personnel were trained to look for things such as oil, air leaks and other potential problems, this situation may have been prevented and life would have gone on as usual in the shop.
Consider implementing a reward system that acknowledges individuals who get involved in the maintenance of equipment and the overall safety of the workforce. The individual who pushes the “stop button” could be rewarded with lunch or another form of recognition. A knowledgeable member of the staff or management could provide this training, or a qualified maintenance or safety expert could deliver it.
Frame and anchoring equipment is a big investment for many shop owners and is a necessary part of the everyday routine of collision repair. It only makes good sense to take care of this equipment, as it is designed to pay for itself and then some. It can only be a productive piece of equipment if it is in good and safe working order. Routine or scheduled maintenance might sound like a pain in the neck right now, but the next time the machine goes down, the process of maintenance might seem a little more appealing. It is never too late to implement good ideas, especially when they can lead to more profits for everyone.
