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Equipment life spans

14 posts
  1. Redder Charles S
    Redder Charles S avatar
    8/3/2011 11:08 AM
    I am looking for information on the lifespans of golf course equipment. I have had some limited luck but there are still a lot of items I can't find anything on. Many of the things I find are based on seasons or years of use. I am actually looking for hours of use. Any ideas? Other equipment info would be useful as well. (skid steers, equipment lifts, grinders etc.) Thanks...



  2. Bryan Taylor
    Bryan Taylor avatar
    0 posts
    8/3/2011 11:08 AM
    Some of it depends on length of season and cool versus warm grasses. If you can into a 3 or 4 year lease program you get your equipment turned over before big repairs usually start to happen. Plus you have warranty pritection for first 2 years.

    As a follow up question. What is break point when you feel you are putting too much money into repairs versus buying new? That includes labor and parts cost plus down time of no use.

    Bryan Taylor
    Poipu Bay GC



  3. Kinney Brian
    Kinney Brian avatar
    8/3/2011 1:08 PM
    usga report, see attached



  4. Redder Charles S
    Redder Charles S avatar
    8/5/2011 10:08 AM
    Thanks everybody. That information is very useful. I am looking to get a little more specific. For example, how many hours on average can you get out of a fairway mower, or a spray rig, etc. Any more ideas?



  5. Fleegel Timothy
    Fleegel Timothy avatar
    8/5/2011 11:08 AM
    I think you'll get the same answer from everybody. It depends.

    What type of preventative maintenance are you doing?
    How is the equipment being stored?
    How much care are the operators taking?
    What climate are you working in?

    The list goes on and on. I HAD an operator that seemed to break something on every machine he got on, every time he got on it.



  6. Timothy Walker
    Timothy Walker avatar
    0 posts
    8/21/2011 1:08 PM
    timfleegel said: I think you'll get the same answer from everybody. It depends.

    What type of preventative maintenance are you doing? Oil changes and filters, and spark plugs
    How is the equipment being stored? Garage kept
    How much care are the operators taking? not a whole lot
    What climate are you working in? cool season - mid atlantic

    The list goes on and on. I HAD an operator that seemed to break something on every machine he got on, every time he got on it.


    Lowest # of hours on the equipment at my previous position was 3000 hrs on a greens mower and HR-5111. Highest hours were on a tee mower at 6000 hrs. Nothing was new since the HR in 2007. Everything else was purchased used. Triplexes were toro 3000 and one 3100, fwy mowers were toro 223-d and 5400. we spent $20k for repair including 37 units being sharpened by a contractor (approximately $6500).



  7. Matthew Weaver
    Matthew Weaver avatar
    0 posts
    8/22/2011 10:08 AM
    We have greens and tee mowers at 6000 hours and counting, I still consider them reliable, but have replaced almost all hydraulic motors etc, reel frames starting to wear through and replacing them as needed, I feel for the most part we have a new machine, also need to consider replacing all hoses on at least a 6 year cycle (seasonal course). That said I think fairway units and larger mowing units should be replaced more often (although due to budget crunch probably going to do the same for them). As far as spray rig should last a long time as long as fertilizers and chemicals are not allowed to sit in or on unit. But in general I do not consider 6000 hours or more a bad number as long as money is put into them on a regular basis to maintain properly. I remember working at some courses that had units 20 years or older in use and good machines. Although I think the advancement in technology in the past few years warrants a machine past its useful life more than the condition of the machine itself.



  8. Melvin Waldron
    Melvin Waldron avatar
    43 posts
    8/30/2011 2:08 PM
    mweaver, we had this discussion in our shop yesterday, we have triplexes over the 4000 hour mark, front line tee and collar mowers. When do you decide to replace a reel motor, or hydraulic pump, or other big ticket parts items, like engines? Do you do that at a specific hour mark? Or do you have the testing equipment to check specs? I just worry (especially when there is really no back up mower) that what happens when everything craps out in a matter of months? We had this with a Toro 2300, 1995 model, with 3100 hours on it we mow banks with. (was at another facility for years before we got it) We had the fuel pump go out, $800 later and about 150 hours later, pump shot, due to high wear from inside engine, (internal cams from engine turn cams in fuel pump). We can spend another $800 on fuel pump, but really need to spend 3-4 thousand on an engine rebuild, new mower over $20,000. I guess what I'm asking is and it probably all depends, but what do you guys use to determine when to replace and when to rebuild?

    Melvin H. Waldron III, CGCS, Horton Smith Golf Course, City of Springfield/Greene County MO

  9. Larry Allan
    Larry Allan avatar
    0 posts
    8/31/2011 11:08 AM
    I spent 22K repairing a 20K aerator after the ice breaking debacle. Once you are into it for 10k it's kinda difficult to stop. The thing is it didn't break all at once just major piece by major piece each time it went out



  10. Steven Huffstutler
    Steven Huffstutler avatar
    11 posts
    9/8/2011 4:09 PM
    pale said: I spent 22K repairing a 20K aerator after the ice breaking debacle. Once you are into it for 10k it's kinda difficult to stop. The thing is it didn't break all at once just major piece by major piece each time it went out



    ....but the video was awesome.....



  11. Andy Jorgensen
    Andy Jorgensen avatar
    1 posts
    9/8/2011 6:09 PM
    BallMark said: I guess what I'm asking is and it probably all depends, but what do you guys use to determine when to replace and when to rebuild?



    When it is no longer reliable. I have no problem replacing this part or that part up to an engine. But when it breaks down everyday due to a different reason, then out the door it goes!

    That being said, I have often turned the blind eye when it comes to crappy equipment, as long as it is reliable, because I didn't have to personally run it. But as soon as I do run it, or, it breaks down on my weekend, it's getting replaced.



  12. Bruce Williams
    Bruce Williams avatar
    0 posts
    10/11/2011 7:10 PM
    I have always used the general rule of thumb of an average of ten years. So if your fleet costs $1 million then it is likely that you should be investing about $100K per year in keeping that fleet current.

    Now that does not take into account the number of hours on the equipment, how hard it was driven, whether it was kept outside, used during construction, preventive maintenance, etc.

    Tractors should last 20 years and walking greens mowers may be good for only 7-8 years.

    Whatever system you use.......I strongly suggest that a viable business plan for equipment replacement will likely get you what you need vs. the attitude that I have a bunch of junk and need new stuff.......and yes there are some that take that approach.

    I have never had a problem pitching equipment to clubs with large and small budgets if you do your homework and base the purchase on improved playability and business sense.

    Bruce



  13. Boucher Gerald L
    Boucher Gerald L avatar
    6/4/2012 4:06 PM
    WE had mowers at my last club old enough to legally drink



  14. Stephen Okula
    Stephen Okula avatar
    3 posts
    6/5/2012 1:06 PM
    For what it's worth, I figure a dependable life span for turf equipment of 3000 hours, years don't matter. For example, we have a rough unit that works all day, every day (100 acres of rough - 36 holes), and it needs to be replaced every three years. On the other hand, we have fifteen year old aerators with less than 2000 hours, that I figure could go another five years no problem.



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