This month, Tim shares some important maintenance tips to help keep your Steelwrist Tiltrotator operating at peak performance.

Tim’s General Greasing Advice:

• Use the same grease you use on your machine.
• Grease your tiltrotator every 8 hours of operation.

When servicing a Steelwrist Tiltrotator, Tim recommends breaking the process into three key areas: the Upper Coupler, Central Lube (or Non-Central Lube) Area, and the Rotation Area.

Upper Coupler

Start with the upper coupler. Be sure to grease:

• Both coupler pins
• The tool lock dogs

Central Lube Area

If your tiltrotator is equipped with a central lubrication system, inspect all connected lubrication points to ensure grease is reaching every intended area. Locate the zerk fitting for the central lube system and grease all non-rotating components.

Non-Central Lube Area

If your machine does not have a central lubrication system, grease the following points individually:

• Both tilt knuckles (front and rear)
• Main gear housing
• Both pivot points on the tilt cylinder
• Motor housing

Rotation Area

Finish by greasing:

• Both sides of the gripper cassette
• Front and rear zerk fittings (if your machine is not an SQ model)

Tim notes that the gripper cassette contains six zerk fittings that all require regular greasing.

One of the most important steps in the entire process is ensuring every zerk fitting is clean before applying grease. Dirt and debris can contaminate the lubrication system, so always wipe fittings clean prior to greasing.

Finally, rotate the tiltrotator 90 degrees away from the rotating motor and grease the tool lock dogs.

Proper lubrication is one of the simplest and most effective ways to maximize the life of your Steelwrist Tiltrotator. A few minutes of routine maintenance can help prevent unnecessary wear, reduce downtime, and keep your equipment operating efficiently on every job site.

At A&D Equipment, we believe that strong businesses are built on strong relationships. While providing quality equipment and dependable service is important, our true goal is to become a long-term partner our customers can trust year after year. We value open communication, reliability, and understanding each client’s unique needs so we can continue to support their success as their business grows. By focusing on relationships instead of transactions, we create lasting partnerships built on trust, loyalty, and shared success.

As part of that commitment, we have recently updated our website to include customer success stories that highlight the hardworking businesses we are proud to support. We believe sharing these stories is important because it gives others an authentic look at the partnerships we build and the real-world impact of dependable equipment, service, and support. These stories not only celebrate our customers’ accomplishments but also help future clients see the value of working with a company that is invested in their long-term success.

Anthony LaFata serves as Vice President of A&D Equipment and President of LaFata & Son Excavating, balancing leadership roles in both companies each day. His mornings often begin with him connecting with the Superintendent at LaFata & Son to review daily plans, adjust for weather conditions, coordinate subcontractors, and manage the many moving parts that come with excavation projects. No two days are ever the same, and the fast-paced nature of both businesses keeps him constantly engaged.

At A&D Equipment, Anthony works closely with customers from the beginning of the sales process through completion, acting as both an educator and problem solver. Drawing on more than 50 years of experience as an excavation operator, he helps customers identify the right solutions for their projects while focusing on improving efficiency and increasing their bottom line. Throughout the day, he also collaborates with the Parts and Service Supervisor to coordinate logistics, shipments, and customer support. With A&D serving clients across multiple time zones, sometimes with differences of up to 14 hours, communication and adaptability are essential parts of the job.

What Anthony enjoys most about working for A&D Equipment is building relationships with customers and helping them discover solutions that truly make a difference in their operations. He takes pride in sharing the firsthand knowledge he has gained throughout his excavation career and using that experience to help customers succeed.

One of Anthony’s proudest accomplishments has been working alongside the Armed Forces to help develop and modify the Rotastar screening bucket for extracting munitions from land mines. Knowing that A&D Equipment contributes, for over 10 years, to efforts that help save lives is something he considers a tremendous honor.

Anthony believes A&D Equipment stands apart because of the company’s real-world excavation experience and its strong relationships with manufacturers, allowing the team to customize attachments to meet customers’ specific needs. He firmly believes the Rotastar screening bucket delivers one of the best returns on investment in the industry and continues to be a game changer for customers. Looking ahead, Anthony’s long-term goal is to continue growing the company while helping customers and their businesses thrive for years to come.

Grade A Landscaping was founded eight years ago by Zack Jacobs, who began the business at just 17 years old while still in high school. Starting with only a push mower and a pickup truck, Zack focused on lawn care services and steadily built the company from the ground up. Today, at only 25 years old, he has grown Grade A Landscaping into a thriving multi-crew landscaping and excavation company, with several crews working on multiple job sites each day. The company now proudly serves both residential and commercial customers, offering services including excavation, drainage solutions, hardscaping, boulder walls, plantings, and full-service landscaping.

One of Zack’s first purchases from A&D Equipment was a Steelwrist X04 tiltrotator for his CAT 304 excavator after connecting with the A&D team at an equipment show in the fall of 2024. Along with the tiltrotator, he bought several attachments including a digging bucket, grading bucket, forks, ripper tooth, and trenching bucket. With a hardworking crew of just 6–7 employees and a demanding project schedule, Zack says the Steelwrist has significantly improved efficiency and reduced labor hours by allowing the team to accomplish more with less equipment movement and manpower. Next on his wish list? A grapple attachment!

When it comes to working with a dealer, Zack says A&D Equipment already delivers exactly what he looks for: dependable support, outstanding communication, and exceptional customer service. “A&D is not a company that sells you a product and then disappears,” Zack shared. He notes that they consistently check in throughout the year, are always available when parts or service are needed, and truly understand how important communication is. He highlights that A&D Equipment’s support is second to none.

Zack describes his relationship with A&D Equipment as phenomenal and says the team has been some of the friendliest and most reliable people, he has worked with in the industry. He appreciates knowing they are always just a phone call away and looks forward to continuing the partnership for many years to come.