Used 740B hours vs. Uptime

We are looking to acquire several 740B for a job in a remote location. Based on your experiences with this truck, what would you consider a reasonable number of hours to guarantee at least 80% uptime?

We expect to need them to be used for about 2000-2500 hours.

Would trucks with 7000+ hours of the Job or are we looking at major uptime issues with these types of trucks

I was given advice that between 3000-5000 max hours is really the limit.

Is that sensible or are we doing too conservative ? Cost is obviously a variable... We will not be buying new.

Thank you

It depends entirely on how they have been maintained. Get copies of the maintenance records and oil sample reports. We look after a fleet of 740s with well over 10000hrs, some approaching 20000hrs with very few major breakdowns, but we have always serviced them to Cat's recommendations.

I have a couple of questions.

How many machines are you planning on buying..?
2000-2500 operating hours in what time frame..?
What happens to the machines after the job is completed..?

If you are looking at 80% availability working in a remote location the smaller your fleet size the more difficult it will be to maintain that 80% if a machine goes down for want of a spare part that you don't have on site and the logistical chain to get it there.

Planning on buying 7 machines. The 2500 hours s over the space 8-12 months. 6 machines will be used while the 7th is a spare.

Logistics chain to get the part on site is in place and can be delivered in 7 days.

We plan on keep using the machines after the job is completed. However, the overriding factor is machine availability during the job.

So in that case 80% availability is based on a fleet of 6 machines. If one of those six goes down your availability is only a hair above the 80% mark, if you have one undergoing preventive maintenance at the same time your availability has fallen to 67% at a stroke. it's a bit tight but probably do-able. Having spent most of my working career in isolated places that would make your location look as though it's just off the Interstate relatively speaking the 7 day logistical chain may well appear to work on paper but it rarely does in practice. Cannibalization becomes the norm but if it keeps the 6 machines up that you need to make your contract then I still don't see anything wrong with it.

I'd consider machines with up to 7k hours on them in your circumstances, provided that they have a good traceable maintenance history.

An interesting thing I found was application of the truck. We have 2 quarries close to each other but very different. One has their trucks carting full down hill to the crusher, the other is carting full up hill (out of a hole) to the crusher, both do similar hours but ... the one carting down hill full was for ever and ever having issues mostly overheating brakes as were coming down too fast riding brakes. 740's have Jake brakes as well and asked for one but only could get 730's. Have to admit the haul roads were steep!

Nothing wrong with the truck, weren't allowed to blame the operator (no one does) but application and environment showed the one pulling out of a hole not working brakes had better up time.