Running a rental business means keeping your machines in good shape and ready to go. When a skid steer or mini excavator breaks down, it's not just inconvenient. It costs you money, frustrates your customers, and can hurt your reputation. At that moment, you may be asking yourself: should we repair the final drive motor ourselves or call in a professional?
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For many rental companies, the first thought is to handle repairs in-house. You may already have mechanics on staff. Tutorials and repair videos are easy to find online. Doing the work yourself feels like a quick way to save money and get a machine back to work.
There are some jobs your team absolutely can and should do. Changing gear oil, checking seals, cleaning case drain filters, and watching for leaks all fall into that category. These routine tasks prevent bigger problems later. For small fixes like that, handling repairs in-house makes sense.
But when it comes to tearing into a final drive motor, things are not so simple. A final drive is a carefully built system with many parts that need to fit and work together perfectly. Even one small mistake during reassembly can cause major issues down the road.
Trying to rebuild a final drive motor yourself comes with some big risks. Hidden damage like cracks or internal wear can be hard to spot without the right experience and equipment. Even if you do notice the damage, finding replacement parts is not always easy.
Another concern is contamination. Something as small as a speck of dirt or a tiny shaving of metal can ruin a rebuilt drive in no time. On top of that, doing the work yourself could void warranties. That leaves you paying out of pocket for the full replacement cost.
For rental companies, these risks are even greater. If a customer’s machine fails on the jobsite, you do not just have to cover repairs. You also deal with delivery delays, unhappy clients, and possible negative reviews.
This is where professional diagnosis and repair can really pay off. Final drive specialists are trained to find the root of the problem, not just patch it up. They know how to check if the issue comes from the drive, the hydraulic system, or even the controls.
A trusted repair shop has access to high-quality parts that meet or exceed the original standards. They work in clean environments where contamination is carefully controlled. Many will even test the rebuilt drive before sending it back, so you know it is ready to work.
Professional service can cost more up front. But it reduces downtime, avoids repeat failures, and protects your reputation. For a rental business, that trade-off is usually worth it.
The smartest approach is a mix of both. Train your team to handle routine maintenance and troubleshooting. Tasks like checking filters, topping off oil, and inspecting for leaks can and should be done in-house. But when the issue is more serious, let a professional take over.
At the end of the day, your customers are not just renting a skid steer or a mini excavator. They are renting peace of mind that the machine will finish the job without a breakdown. Trusting experts for the tough repairs helps you deliver on that promise.
At Texas Final Drive, we help rental businesses protect their fleets. Whether you need advice on basic maintenance or a professional rebuild, we are here to keep your machines reliable. Contact us today to speak with a technician and find the right solution for your final drives.