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After more than 30 years in the heavy equipment and aftermarket parts industry, American Crane & Tractor Parts has gathered innumerable insights which will now be made available to customers here.

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Heavy Equipment Blog

Scams Affecting The Aftermarket Parts Industry For Heavy Equipment

Posted by Carly Wallace

Nov 20, 2014 9:55:19 AM

Dealing with fraud is an unfortunately prevalent part of doing business in the aftermarket parts industry. How much it affects your business comes down to how well you are educated on the types of scams in the market and how well prepared you are to identify and stop potential losses from fraud. 

Here is a quick overview of some common scams and how we at ACTParts have been able to reduce our losses.

Stolen Credit Cards

Using information hacked from financial institutions, perpetrators are able to fool sales reps into thinking a sale is legitimate by providing a valid credit card number which authorizes for payment when entered. Once the real card holder disputes the transaction, the seller will be held liable for the total amount in addition to the cost of lost inventory. 

Ways to protect yourself:

  • Sales reps should demand a faxed copy of both the front/back of the card as well as a government issued ID
  • Credit managers should verify the legitimacy of the card’s use with the card issuer before any transaction is finalized
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Topics: Aftermarket Parts, Engine Maintenance, Filters, Operation Management, Heavy Equipment, Rebuilt Components

Making The Most Out Of Winter Downtime And Your Components

Posted by Carly Wallace

Oct 16, 2014 4:40:46 PM

Winter can be a long and grueling time for contractors and fleet managers. Contractors have to dig in while business slows and working conditions become harsh. Fleet managers must deal with the arduous tasks of winterizing equipment and performing extensive inspections.

Managers who perform scheduled oil samplings, or S.O.S., at regular intervals throughout the year are in a great position to make the most efficient use of their winter downtime and avoid running into costly mechanical issues on job sites in the spring.The samples enable them to identify which machines have abnormal metal or contaminant levels in them and are more likely to require unscheduled maintenance when put back to work.

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Topics: Aftermarket Parts, Engine Maintenance, Filters, Operation Management, Heavy Equipment, Rebuilt Components

2 Easy Ways To Extend The Life Of Your Engine

Posted by Carly Wallace

Jun 26, 2014 2:24:00 PM

extend_your_engine_life_pic

Maintaining your equipment’s fuel system is a great way to ensure a longer life for your engine. When contaminants get into the engine through the fuel, they have the potential to increase wear on everything they touch. The good news is, there are two simple things you can do to avoid them.

1. Buy your fuel from a reliable supplier with a good reputation.

Since environmental regulations require machines to operate using fuel with low levels of sulfur, diesel is put through a process known as hydro-treatment so it burns cleaner and emits less sulfur.  While lower sulfur levels do not have a negative affect on the fuel, the process also removes many of the compounds that give diesel its lubricity. 

Quality fuel suppliers have the knowledge and ability to increase diesel’s lubricity through the use of additives. This increase reduces the amount of friction in your engine, extending its life as it burns the more eco-friendly fuel. 

2. Check your filters often and replace them regularly.

The fuel filters used in your machine’s engine are your last line of defense against contaminants. Buying high quality filters is an essential preventative measure that will help get the maximum life out of your engine. If foreign particles begin to build up in your fuel injectors, the engine’s cylinders will not get the amount of fuel needed to perform at maximum efficiency.  Remember that using dirty fuel can lead to costs that are substantially higher than the cost of replacing a filter.  

When we asked Jerry Duxbury, ACTP’s rebuild manager and a 30 year veteran of the heavy equipment industry, his opinion on the topic, this is what he offered, “Regularly replacing your filters is the easiest thing you can do to extend the life of your engine. A lot of people overlook it or put it off because they don’t want to spend the cash. But if you get your filters from a reliable aftermarket parts supplier like us it can actually be the least expensive way to extend your engine’s life too.”

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Topics: Aftermarket Parts, Engine Maintenance, Filters, Fuel System