Customer always ask how long is the expected service life of our equipment. In many cases in depends on the amount of use and the maintenance of the equipment. By implementing good design principles and excellent quality parts we expect to extend the service life of your Tru Mark field marking equipment.
Recently a Tru Mark Athletic Field Marker Model RS-500 self propelled riding unit celebrated its 10 year in operation. Originally purchased by Norfolk Public School District in 2000 this unit has been used extensively during the fall, summer, and spring field marking operations. See this RS-500 field marking unit in operation on the morning of 08/05/10 in a photo album.
On average the unit is used about 6-8 hours a week depending on the season for on average of 28 weeks a year, or about 200 hours per year. Given this is its 10th anniversary, the unit has operated for 2000 hours without any major upgrades to the chassis or striping equipment. There were 4 practice football field to line each week in the fall along with band practice area and the drill and skill areas. In the spring there were 3 soccer fields striped on a weekly basis and in the summer several sports camps were supported.
Mark Nathan, the grounds and maintenance supervisor, performs a yearly preventative maintenance process of replacing pump valve kits, spray tips, and check valves. On a bi-annual basis he replaces the diaphragm pump valve kits on the 3.3 GPM Shurflo pumps, the one-way control valve, and intake line screen assembly. He has replaced the friction drive disc once in the last 5 years on the Snapper transmission and the pump motors, actually upgraded from 1.46 GPM pumps to the 3.3 GPM pumps.
How much longer with this unit be in operation? One of the primary wear items on the unit is the Snapper transmission. This particular unit is probably getting close to its life expectancy given the amount of weight it is operating with. A transmission replacement costs approximately $600 for parts not including the labor. Given these annual repair costs the unit has been a good value in man-hour and supply savings, especially when NPS originally paid $4,950.00.
Below is a RS-500M Out-in-Front with 33" HiVAC Mower Deck with the current chassis.