An overhead view shows the extent of the burn damage. The wiring, hoses and harnesses were completely destroyed.

R.J. Poirier Heavy Equipment Repair Inc., is a complete machine rebuilding facility, located in Brimfield, Mass. Established in 1983, it is family-owned and operated, providing service to customers in need of heavy equipment repair or rebuild, worldwide.

The company, whose staff includes Real Poirier, president; Rick Poirier, master mechanic; and Michael Poirier, computer diagnostic specialist/technician, recently received a call regarding a Cat 836G compactor that had caught on fire in a landfill. The customer requested a quote on the extent of the damage and repair cost. In order for R.J. Poirier Heavy Equipment Repair to provide an accurate quote, they had to bring the machine in and completely dismantle it.

The extent of the damage was massive. From the blade to the engine was destroyed; the cylinder was melted; the fuel tank was blown apart; and the steering valve and hydraulic control valve were melted. Also, every wire harness was destroyed; the steel ends were still connected, but the hoses had disintegrated; and the entire cab of the machine was burned and destroyed.

R.J. Poirier provided the customer with a quote for a total rebuild, compared to the price of a new compactor. It was determined that it was more cost effective to go with the repair, versus buying another machine. The quote was accepted, and R.J. Poirier immediately began the rebuilding process.

The total rebuild took about three months to complete. The extent of the work required meticulous troubleshooting and skilled hands throughout every step. They had to remove the cab, damaged hydraulic pumps, the burned transmission, torque converter, drive shafts, steering cylinders, and hydraulic tank.

All new OEM factory cab parts were used to rebuild the machine along with certified Cat hoses and harnesses; the steering pump and implement pump were Cat remains that were flow tested; and a new hydraulic control valve was purchased and installed.

Rather than replacing the burned operator cab with a brand new one, it was decided the more cost-effective approach was to purchase a used one from a Cat 988 loader. It was made to match the specs of the Cat 836G that was being rebuilt.

This process required installing a wire harness, display, new seat, new heater and air conditioner, glass windows and floor mats. Once the rebuild was complete, a truck arrived to pick it from R.J. Poirier and deliver it back to the customer.

Real Poirier obtained his mechanical engineering degree from Wentworth Institute of Technology in Boston, Mass. When he founded the company, he originally worked for a dealer who primarily used smaller earth-moving equipment.

Over the past 20 years, the company has expanded into the heavy equipment arena, specializing in mining, aggregate, large earth-moving machines and waste industry.

R.J. Poirier provides the following component repair and rebuilding services: engine; transmission; undercarriage; bucket/blade rebuild; software updates/enhancements; line boring; welding; machining; custom products/applications; and hydraulic cylinder repair.

Along with repairs, R.J. Poirier Heavy Equipment and Repair also provides local equipment rentals, salvage parts sales and dismantled machine sales.

For more information, call 413/245-3882 or visit www.rjpoirier.com.

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