“It’s not always the hot summer temperatures that cause the problem,” he says. “During the construction season, equipment and people are kept busy. It increases the chance of human error, which can result in a costly repair.”

And, of course, you can never forget about the king.

“Finally,” says Abernathy, “you need to take care of the most important component of your grader – the operator.

“Motor grader operators take great pride in their skilled trade and in the equipment they operate. If they identify something that needs attention, then as the owner you should correct the issue as soon as possible,” he says. “We have seen this happen a number of times: When a small problem is ignored, operators tend to be less diligent with the equipment. Over time, this attitude creates larger problems. Hotter temperatures bring hotter attitudes to the jobsite and, if the operator thinks that you don’t care, then they will stop caring, too.

“The best way to get the most from your grader is to make sure that everything is in perfect working condition, especially the air conditioning.”v