As asphalt paving is an important task for ensuring roads and pathways are safe, reliable, and long-lasting, asphalt pavers tend to be quite expensive investments. Despite the higher initial cost of asphalt pavers, regular maintenance is necessary to ensure longevity and proper performance, which in turn can guarantee the success of your asphalt paving job. Although pavement equipment is made to endure harsh conditions outdoors, properly caring for asphalt paving equipment will ultimately save you time, money, and effort in the long run.

Why Is It Important to Have a Routine Maintenance For Asphalt Paver

Routine maintenance is an essential part of ensuring an asphalt paver is operating in optimal condition. Routine maintenance checks can identify and correct minor issues before they become more serious, leading to costly repairs down the line. Routine maintenance can also help with increasing an asphalt paver’s lifespan by properly lubricating its moving parts, replacing worn-out components, and reducing wear and tear on its highly calibrated tools.

6 Tips To Maintain Your Asphalt Paver

Keeping an asphalt paver running optimally is essential for efficiency and safety on any job site. With a little work each day, an asphalt paver can operate at its peak performance every time. Here are a few ways you can maintain your asphalt paver to ensure it keeps operating in good condition:

Inspect Your Asphalt Paver With Daily Maintenance Checks

When using an asphalt paver, it is important to perform daily maintenance checks every morning before beginning operation. Inspecting the machine can help you spot small problems that lead to bigger issues over time. These checks should include looking for damage, worn-out parts, loose fasteners, oil leaks, and other missing components. 

Taking care of these needed repairs or replacements can save money when these preventable issues cause bigger problems down the line. Doing your daily maintenance checks isn’t just about keeping your asphalt paver running smoothly; it also ensures consistent pavement quality and a safer job site for all workers on the project.

Clean Your Paver Every Day

Making sure to clean your asphalt paver at the end of each day is essential for a variety of reasons. Not only will it reduce wear and tear on vital parts, but it can also result in higher-quality asphalt paving jobs. If you leave cold asphalt chunks on the paver, they could end up getting mixed in with new asphalt and cause inconsistencies or even break the machine. Cleaning your equipment may seem bothersome after a long day of working hard, but it’s an important step that will ensure your paver remains effective and efficient for many years to come.

Perform Off-Season Maintenance

Routine maintenance during the off-season of a paver is essential for keeping it running efficiently throughout the entire paving season. It allows you to ensure your machine is operating as expected and prevent any costly emergency repairs. You can give it a deep clean, flush out hydraulic systems and inspect all moving parts. Doing so will allow you to remain ahead of any potential problems that could come up when you’re out on the job.

Mind The Screed 

When asphalt pavers are inactive during the off-season, it’s especially important to pay attention to their maintenance. The screed should be taken care of first and foremost; checking its alignment and ensuring that there are no cracks or imperfections. Measuring plate thickness, conducting an ultrasound test to check for debris, and taking a look at the slide track and heating elements should all take place during asphalt paver maintenance. 

Removing the screed cover and eliminating any pre-existing debris is also necessary to ensure top performance. Mind your screed year-round for a great asphalt paver performance.

Preventative Care Will Keep Your Paver Running

Routine preventative care for your asphalt paver is the key to continued reliable and efficient operation. Scheduling regular service intervals that may involve replacing suspect parts, and regularly changing engine oil and filters, fuel filters, separators, and hydraulic filters will all help keep your asphalt paver running smoothly. Additionally, it’s important to keep up with lubricating moving parts, which should become a habit if you are serious about preventative maintenance. 

Training is Key

Asphalt paving operations can be highly complex, especially when considering asphalt paver maintenance. When a person isn’t adequately trained in asphalt paver operation and maintenance, the risks can be great. Without proper training, operators may not know how to correctly execute asphalt paving tasks which can lead to serious issues such as component failure or structural damage. To prevent these types of issues, asphalt paver crews need to have proper training before attempting any asphalt paving project. 

The Best Equipment Providers for Professional Asphalt Maintenance Solutions

When it comes to asphalt paver maintenance, LeeBoy is the go-to brand in North Carolina. We provide hassle-free asphalt repair and maintenance services anywhere you need them. From our years of experience in the asphalt industry, we know exactly how to get asphalt pavers up and running quickly and efficiently with minimal downtime. 
With LeeBoy, you can also find the best asphalt pavers retailers and local dealers in the market for any type of paving job that might arise. No matter what asphalt job you’re doing in NC, look to LeeBoy first for your asphalt maintenance, equipment, and repair needs.