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Heard of Dirty 30? Forget about it. At Sage Oil Vac, the last 30 years have been full of cleaner, safer and faster oil changes. We couldn’t have made it this far without you. Celebrate three decades of mobile lube innovation with a look back at our story so far.

Starting with humble beginnings

In 1993, Gary Sage was a farmer looking for a better way to change oil on his irrigation engines. He was tired of spilling oil on himself and the ground. Turns out, so were his neighbors.

Gary’s fellow farmers turned into the first Sage Oil Vac customers. They placed orders for the innovative new system, built without pumps. Compressed air made it possible to move fluid to and from sealed tanks — without a spill in sight.

Units were built according to the harvest schedule, with most of the manufacturing happening after crops were harvested in the fall. Soon though, that wasn’t enough. Customers had discovered the power of the innovative equipment and they wanted more.

Meeting customer demand

In 2001, Gary moved his operation to Amarillo, Texas, and brought some extra help on board. Sage Oil Vac was officially born — no longer a side project for a busy farmer. With the headquarters open, Gary and team could focus on delivering the equipment customers wanted for their preventive maintenance programs.

“It was a big deal to move to Amarillo,” said Gary Sage. “We knew we were taking a plunge, but we were confident. We knew it was what we needed to do to best support our customers.”

After the move, the Sage Oil Vac crew started to expand the product lineup. The original Sage Oil Vac system was translated to carts, trailers, skids and trucks, all featuring the pumpless technology that helped crews reduce equipment problems and maintenance costs. Eventually, the fully customizable LubeBuilder™ system was added to give customers the flexibility to create the exact fluid exchange system they need.

Customer demand drove equipment innovation and led to the addition of fuel and other fluid capabilities.

Storage and customization were also important considerations for helping customers get the job done their way.

“We continued to listen to the customer, adapt our existing product to the changing world of on-site fluid maintenance and develop new products,” added Aaron Sage, current Sage Oil Vac CEO and Gary’s son. “That’s where our drive to be innovative comes from — our passion for meeting customer needs. And we’re not stopping any time soon.”

Realizing the power of partnership

Over the years, Sage Oil Vac has had some incredible partnerships with our customers that have driven growth across the world.

In 2004, the U.S. Army Reserve called on Sage Oil Vac to build custom mobile lube equipment for their work. It was more than an honor for the team to prepare the systems. The work also helped double business for Sage Oil Vac, resulting in a 24,000-foot manufacturing facility expansion.

In 2007, the Sage Oil Vac team created another equipment innovation that changed the game for the emerging wind energy market. The wind gearbox oil exchange (GOEX) system created a safer way to manage oil, antifreeze and other fluid changes on turbines.

After that, it was time for Sage Oil Vac to go international. Australia was the first stop in 2008. With an economy heavily influenced by resource extraction and mining, there was quite a bit of heavy equipment in need of preventive maintenance. Sage Oil Vac worked with a western Australia oil distributor that would later become Oil Vac Systems of Australia. The two companies built a relationship focused on innovation and moving the local industry forward — and away from slower, less reliable pump systems.

Europe was next with a distributor in the wind energy industry. Now, Sage Oil Vac systems are being used in several countries for cleaner, safer, faster fluid exchanges.

Moving toward a cleaner future

In 2016, Aaron Sage took over as Sage Oil Vac CEO. Under his leadership, the company reached a major milestone: three decades of equipment innovation and cleaner, safer, faster oil changes. Once a one-man shop, Sage Oil Vac is now a 60-person team building the equipment that powers preventive maintenance for operations around the world.

For 30 years, Sage Oil Vac has been committed to helping customers make the most of their time on the jobsite. And we’re going to be here for a whole lot longer. We hope you will too. Thanks for being a part of our story.

In your mind, picture a traditional lube/jobsite fuel truck — the kind that’s been common for fuel and oil delivery around the U.S. for decades. You may see a large tractor-style truck with a bed dominated by a fuel tank around 1,000 gallons in size, likely rolling on a Class 7- or Class 8-sized chassis and driven by someone with the required commercial driver’s license (CDL).

That’s long been the norm for lube and jobsite fuel trucks servicing machinery around the country. Yet, a combination of factors has many contractors and operators looking to smaller trucks that don’t require a CDL — those in Class 5 and Class 6 — to help them care for equipment on the job. In the process, they’re discovering the cost and efficiency benefits of deploying a smaller class of trucks.

Changing industry dynamics

Commercial lube and jobsite fuel trucks typically range in size from Class 5 to Class 8. Each class covers vehicles with a specific gross weight range starting at 16,001 pounds. A CDL is required to operate a commercial vehicle above 26,000 pounds in weight, making it a necessity to lawfully operate a Class 7 or Class 8 commercial truck. However, Class 5 and Class 6 vehicles in the non-CDL class do not carry the same restrictions.

But despite growing demand for all types of commercial transportation that requires a CDL — namely over-the-road trucking — the number of licensed commercial drivers in the U.S. has not increased. Despite that demand boost, a similar increase hasn’t happened in licensed commercial drivers. In short, for work requiring a CDL, the demand is growing but the qualified labor pool is not.

“There’s just a shortage of qualified, skilled drivers. It’s as simple as that,” said Sage Oil Vac CEO Aaron Sage.

The CDL shortage is just part of the equation making non-CDL lube trucks the solution for many contractors. Traditional Class 7 or Class 8 trucks are large and have high fluid capacities, enabling them to service a lot of equipment. However, due to their size they’re also less fuel efficient when traveling long distances and can be difficult to maneuver on jobsites with uneven terrain and a lot of equipment to service. Add regulatory pressure — which becomes an even bigger issue when traveling across state lines — and operating these larger trucks suddenly can become more than a greater expense and inconvenience. They can be a hindrance to a company’s future growth.

“If you’re working at a remote location that has a lot of challenging terrain, a smaller jobsite fuel truck is going to be more nimble and will perform better in terrain like that than a larger, tandem-axle truck,” Sage said, adding non-CDL Sage Oil Vac lube trucks are built on Ford and Dodge Ram Class 5 and 6 truck chassis, enabling them to better navigate more varied jobsite terrain than heavier dual-axle tractor-based trucks. Plus, it allows the owner to choose which brand best fits their style.

Filling a growing niche

Things like the decline in CDL-certified drivers and the efficiency of smaller trucks have made non-CDL machines a more viable option than in the past for many contractors, for both operational and managerial reasons. On top of the benefits of the smaller trucks, non-CDL trucks enable mobile equipment service providers to do their job without requiring operators to have commercial driver’s licenses. This opens the door to more hiring opportunities for company owners and managers, creating more employment opportunities for operators. In this way, Sage Oil Vac non-CDL lube trucks are helping fill a growing niche in the service truck sector.

“We are always honing the design of non-CDL lube truck bodies and putting them with trucks that don’t require a CDL to operate. Many in the industry are talking about moving to smaller jobsite fuel trucks for many reasons. We are working hard to add value to their operations by offering equipment that can make them more efficient,” Sage said. “We want our customers to look at their equipment and determine which system will work best for them. In some cases, multiple non-CDL trucks will be more cost-effective and efficient than one Class 8 truck. It’s sometimes hard to get people to make a change like that, but I think when you put pencil to paper, these types of changes will pay for themselves in a matter of months.”

The Sage Oil Vac non-CDL lube body lineup includes both open and enclosed models, allowing crews to choose equipment tailored to their work. The open lube body truck prioritizes agility on the job, offering a 180-gallon tank for used oil and a combined 340-gallon capacity for fresh fluids for an 8,328-pound (3,777.5 kg) total operation weight. Meanwhile, the non-CDL enclosed trucks provide additional fresh and used fluid capacity and protection against colder climates — for year-round productivity. Most importantly, both body options include our exclusive pump-free technology.

Learn more about Sage Oil Vac non-CDL lube truck bodies. Hear from one of our customers how a Sage Oil Vac non-CDL lube truck streamlined their equipment maintenance.

Sage Oil Vac is charging into trade show season to celebrate the strong, long-lasting relationships fostered over three decades. There’s no such thing as Dirty 30 when acknowledging this anniversary. That’s because Sage Oil Vac keeps busy cleaning up jobsites with pump-free fluid changes since 1993.

Help the entire Sage Oil Vac family celebrate 30 years of keeping service technicians’ clothes squeaky clean and your jobsites spotless at two of the top industrial trade shows. We’re looking forward to seeing you at Work Truck Week 2023 in Indianapolis, Indiana and CONEXPO-CON/AGG in Las Vegas, Nevada. Plus, we’re bringing exclusive, limited-edition anniversary hats to mark the occasion – because we’ll only turn 30 once. We’ll tell you how to reserve your free hat later.

Two venues, a single solution

These trade shows are pretty different, but what do they have in common? Attendees at both shows deal with messy fluid changes. Sage Oil Vac is bringing a solution to both shows to help take care of the problem: the newly redesigned Class 7 Fuel/Lube Body.

Work Truck Week – March 7-10 (Indianapolis, Indiana)

Work Truck Week 2023 serves as North America’s largest work truck event and provides the opportunity to check out the latest commercial vehicles, equipment and technology. Sage Oil Vac will be in the main exhibit hall at booth 2811. Exhibit hall hours run from 9:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on Wednesday, March 8 and Thursday, March 9. The exhibit hall will also be open from 9 a.m. to noon on Friday, March 10. Come see the latest lube truck advancements. Bonus: Stop by for free breakfast starting at 9:30 a.m. on Wednesday, March 8.

CONEXPO-CON/AGG – March 14-18 (Las Vegas, Nevada)

CONEXPO-CON/AGG is the largest construction trade show in North America. With over 2.7 million square feet of exhibitor space and 1,800 exhibitors, this is a one-stop shop for everything you need to run a construction business. Stop by the first level of the South Hall in booth S62329 to learn about spill-free oil changes on the jobsite and opportunities to enhance productivity. Show hours run from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday and from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. on Saturday.

The star of the show

At both shows, the Sage Oil Vac crew will be giving an exclusive look at the latest enhancements to the redesigned Class 7 Fuel and Lube Body, including:

Join the party

No party is complete without gifts. We’re bringing exclusive, limited edition Sage Oil Vac anniversary hats and we want to save you one. Check out our Work Truck Week 2023 and CONEXPO-CON/AGG 2023 landing pages to let us know if you will be attending either show. Don’t miss out, supplies are limited, and we only turn 30 once!

We’re excited to celebrate at our booth to discuss your business needs. We promise to keep it clean!

Come as you are. Any technician who runs a Sage Oil Vac will tell you, cleaning up for the big event after a day in the field is no longer required.

Heavy equipment shows offer unique opportunities to stay on top of the latest technology and industry developments. That information can give your company a competitive advantage. These shows also offer excellent ways to network and form beneficial relationships that can help grow your business in the short and long term.

Let’s face it though, the shows can also be intimidating, covering a vast amount of real estate that easily can leave you dazed and confused if you don’t go in with a plan. We’ve all been there. You spend valuable resources to be there, so it’s important to make the most of your investment.

To help pull together a plan for your next show, we’ve compiled 10 tips to help ensure success at even the largest shows:

Before the show

  1. Set goals and objectives for what you want from the show. This could be gathering specific information on new products, looking for alternative solutions to current preventive maintenance challenges, reconnecting with industry peers, developing new contacts, or learning about emerging trends in fleet maintenance.
  2. Register in advance. Registering early also gives you the best chance to book hotel blocks at discounted rates, if they are offered. You can usually find them on event registration pages.
  3. Be prepared. Research who you want to meet, schedule an appointment with them if you want uninterrupted time and come to the conversation with questions.
    • Get your hands on a map and a directory to help plan out which booths you want to visit and in which order. Most shows post this information online at least a month out. Large equipment shows require a strategic approach to minimize the number of miles walked. Many of these shows cover acres and you want to minimize time spend traversing the same territory.
  4. On a related note, pack two pairs of comfortable shoes that can be used on alternate days. Feet can take a beating at a large trade show. Outdoor shows, specifically, have vast display areas. Check the weather a few days in advance and pack so you can dress accordingly.
  5. Consider setting aside time to attend an educational session being offered. Check the event schedule before you go and identify any presentations you may want to check out. The knowledge you gain could save your company in the future through increased efficiency or new processes that can streamline fleet management.

At the show

  1. Give yourself time. Navigating a large tradeshow floor often takes longer than you anticipate. Make sure the time allotted is realistic to achieve your goals. Once on-site, start walking the floor as soon as possible. This gives you time to cover the booths on your list without feeling rushed. After you cover the booths that you plan to visit, that leaves time to re-walk the show at your leisure.
    • Taking a break can be a useful way to digest information at the moment, as opposed to rushing from one-time slot to another. On the flip side, don’t spend too much time at a single booth. That limits the time you have left to spend throughout the rest of the trade show.
  2. Don’t get distracted by work. You paid to attend the tradeshow and they do not happen often. Make the most of the opportunity. Prior to the show, make sure coworkers can cover your responsibilities back at the office. It is easy to get bogged down in the day-to-day operations going on back in the office and miss a large portion of the show.
  3. Keep an open mind. Look for new concepts that could potentially change the way your company operates. Focus on the present and future goals of your operation as well It is easy to dismiss new products and procedures based on current fleet maintenance practices. Listen to the pitch and reserve judgment until a later date.

After the show

  1. Prepare a summary of what you found, what you learned and what you discussed so you can bring this back to team members who couldn’t attend. This also helps you determine the return on your trade show investment. Without documentation, it is hard to determine if the time was well spent.
  2. Compile a list of action items. This includes following up on questions that were not answered during the trade show and scheduling time to discuss potential opportunities with your team.

A little preparation up front can pay off big time in terms of ‘take home’ value during show season. The size of these shows can catch the unprepared attendee off guard. It is easy to spend a day walking aimlessly through acres of displays. Don’t let that happen to you. Develop and execute a plan to take advantage of this unique opportunity.

Make sure to check us out at one of the shows listed below in the coming year. We’re excited to show you how the pump-free Sage Oil Vac line can take your preventive maintenance to the next level of efficiency, cleanliness and safety.

There’s no one-size-fits-all lube truck. Whether it’s a non-CDL vehicle or a custom lube truck, we’ll help you find one that’s just right for your operation. Working with the wrong size can waste time and money. If your lube truck is too small, you could fall behind on preventive maintenance (PM). Likewise, a lube truck that is too large for your needs costs more upfront and drives up utilization costs. Finding the right fit is all about balance. You need to meet your needs today and consider any planned growth to ensure your investment will also meet future needs.

No two fleets are the same. They come in all sizes and contain all types of equipment for use in diverse geographical locations.

Size your tanks

To determine the specific volume of each product your lube truck will carry, start by calculating the number of units you’ll service per day before you make a trip back to the shop to offload used fluids and fill up with new. Check service interval recommendations and refill capacities of each machine in your fleet to figure out how much of each fluid you’ll need.

Once you determine the quantities of products you need on your lube truck, you can determine what sizes of tanks you’ll need. If you do a lot of work on remote jobsites, higher-capacity tanks may be a better choice to minimize the number of trips you’ll have to make per day. You’ll also be able to calculate the total weight of the products you’ll be carrying to help determine what size of truck you’ll need.

The right truck size for your product capacity needs

For both lube-only and fuel and lube bodies, Sage Oil Vac offers non-CDL, Class 7 and Class 8 truck chassis operations. The truck classes are determined by the gross vehicle weight range (GVWR), which is directly related to the size of the product tanks that can be mounted to the truck.

Let’s look at an example of how this may break down using a Sage Oil Vac Class 7 Standard Model 7120P fuel/lube body. It has a 1,000-gallon (3,785.41-L) fuel capacity with a variety of tank options. This may include:

Now compare that to the Sage Oil Vac Class 8 8180 fuel/lube body that can deliver 2,000 gallons (7,570.824 L) of diesel to your jobsite in one trip. Tank options include:

You can see the extra capacity benefits as the GVWR increases.

Other considerations

While fluid-handling capacity is a primary consideration in choosing the right lube truck, you need to weigh that against other practical considerations, like the truck’s ability to access the site and the availability of drivers.

Finding drivers is perhaps your biggest challenge. Drivers are required to have a CDL to operate a commercial vehicle above 26,000 pounds, which includes all Class 7 and Class 8 truck chassis. These drivers are in short supply, with demand for their services continuing to increase.

This has led to the growing popularity of trucks that can be operated without a CDL, which increases the potential labor pool.  Another benefit of these non-CDL trucks is that they are nimbler and will perform better in rough terrain than larger tandem-axle trucks.

Customized lube trucks versus off-the-shelf solutions

You can choose either off-the-shelf standard solutions or custom-designed lube handling products. A custom lube truck lets you build a service vehicle to match your exact needs for maximum efficiency. You should consider the lead time when thinking about ordering a customized solution.

If after weighing all this information, you find you don’t need a dedicated lube truck, review the complete line of Sage Oil Vac carts and skids. This includes fully customizable LubeBuilder™ systems that can tailor a lube skid solution for your existing work trucks. This unique approach to a customizable lube truck allows Sage Oil Vac to create tank configurations and capacities that match your needs.

Ask the experts at Sage Oil Vac

Choosing the best mobile lube truck solution is a big decision that requires carefully weighing several variables. Contact Sage Oil Vac for expert advice that will help you identify the best fit for your preventive maintenance needs.

Ready to dig deeper? Check out our truck and body lineup for the full specs. Don’t forget to check out the case studies featuring our custom lube truck solutions.

You don’t need us to tell you about how mobile lube systems can enhance the productivity of any preventive maintenance. But to make the most out of your investment, there are several add-on options and attachments that can further increase efficiency and reduce contaminants when performing a mobile oil change. Some people will call them accessories, but around here we like to think of these unsung heroes as “secret weapons”.

These enhancements range from actively managing products in the mobile lube tanks to tackling the more difficult parts of the mobile oil change, such as used filter disposal and fluid transfer to and from bulk tanks.

So, let’s break down a few of our favorite “secret weapons” to help you determine which could be a good fit for your operation.

Filter Stinger™

More than just a cool name, the Filter Stinger™ helps simplify preventive maintenance tasks and protect both the technician and environment from potential exposure. The Filter Stinger attaches to the used oil hose, then is used to puncture the oil filter and suction out the used fluid, placing it directly into a used oil tank. Check out this video to see it in action.

 

Used Filter Receptacle™

The Used Filter Receptacle (UFR)  serves as a trusted sidekick to the Filter Stinger. After the filter is removed it can be placed into a UFR to drain what little fluid is left before being discarded. The UFR provides a secure holding tank for used filters. It connects to a used fluid tank so users can easily vacuum oil collected in the container, providing a secure and leak-proof way to catch remaining fluid that may drain from the discarded filters. For mobile applications, there are several UFR configurations that will match the specific applications. You can choose from top side pack mounted, inside side pack cabinet mounted top open and front door opening UFRs. It’s your UFR, your mobile oil change and your call.

Barrel straw

A key benefit of a mobile lube system, appreciated by every technician in the field, is that it reduces the antiquated practice of manually lifting heavy buckets or jugs when transferring bulk fluids to the equipment. But oil still needs to be transferred from bulk storage to the mobile lube system. Enter the barrel straw. The barrel straw eliminates the need for transfer pumps during bulk oil storage or drum storage transfer. Simply, attach it to the fresh fluid tanks and insert the opposite end in a bulk tank to vacuum fresh fluids into the fluid tank at rates of 10 to 20 gallons per minute. The vacuum process is 100% self-contained within the straw to reduce the chance on any fluid spilling on the ground and your work boots. Words don’t do it justice. Watch it in action.

Bonus: The barrel straw also prevents the fluid’s exposure in open pouring containers. Less handling of new oils translates into less chance of contamination. It is a customer favorite for mobile oil changes.

Oil drain pans

Proper planning also simplifies the oil drain process. Capturing used oil should not be an afterthought. Trying to transfer used oil in a 5-gallon bucket is labor intensive and risks spillage. Sage Oil Vac offers 10- or 17-gallon oil drain pans that quickly connect to all Sage Oil Vac equipment. Used oil can be directly vacuumed through a used oil hose to reduce spillage risk.

 

Even more options to drive productivity

Every preventive maintenance application has its own unique set of challenges. Location, climate and fleet size are just a few of the variables that impact how you approach a mobile oil change. Mobile lube accessories can often tackle some of the more pressing issues. For instance, heated fluid tanks might simplify the task of a mobile oil change when the temperature drops in the northern climates. Meters can ensure equipment is properly filled when technicians are performing oil changes on several different types of equipment throughout the day and grease kits may be a good option for those who perform more than oil changes.

That’s just scratching the surface. Check out the complete line of accessories from Sage Oil Vac to determine what solutions can best increase your PM productivity.

Reliable service and maintenance technicians are often hard to find, putting contractors in a difficult situation when it comes to keeping current with preventive maintenance schedules. Everyone in the construction industry knows the important role preventative maintenance plays in optimizing machine uptime and health. This presents your dealership with the unique opportunity to become the one-stop shop they rely on from sale to service.

Man kneeling at the back of a truck

Offering your customers flexible service options for preventive care is a win-win for your business and theirs. Contractors should be focused on projects that drive revenue, yet they are often distracted by the investment required to maintain the equipment fleet. They end up hiring additional staff or asking members of their team to pull double duty. This often results in the use of sub-optimal tools that may contaminate the very same machines they are trying to protect or create environmental hazards through spilled fluids.

By offering preventive maintenance services to customers and investing in the proper preventive maintenance tools to perform the service correctly and in the most efficient manner possible, you can provide a level of service the customer might not be able to justify internally.

So, what are the reasons establishing dealer preventive maintenance services can help you capitalize on market opportunities? From increased revenue opportunities to building long-lasting customer confidence, there are too many to count. Below we’ll break down our three for dealers, and then you can get a closer look at this comprehensive Preventive Maintenance Guide, which also includes a series of benefits for your customers as well.

Reason 1: You’re the go-to, from sale to service

By offering preventive services, you become a complete equipment solution provider. Your customers can offload their preventative maintenance burden, creating one reliable relationship for their equipment, freeing up more time for them and opportunities for you to generate ongoing revenue.

This not only builds customer loyalty but your customer’s success is closely tied to the profitability of your dealership. While creating preventive maintenance programs for customers can feel overwhelming at first, the process can deepen your relationship with them and create long-lasting relationships.

Sage Oil Vac hoses and fluid pumps

Reason 2: Eliminates customer pain-points

Your customers move as quickly as you do, oftentimes leaving PM as an afterthought. The more efficient you can become at servicing the equipment, and the more diligent to keep them on top of their PM schedules, the greater the potential profit. In a sense, you’re acting on their behalf to make sure their equipment stays in proper order to minimize downtime.

We recognize the challenge with creating any new revenue stream is often that dealers have to convince customers that you can save them time and money in the long run in exchange for a service and or finding the adequate labor to do the work. This also allows you the opportunity to develop programs that are mutually beneficial for you and the customer (see Reason 1 above). These programs can range from offering to handle all routine preventive maintenance over a certain period at a discounted rate to negotiating rates to help maintain their entire fleet of new and used equipment.

Reason 3: Develop a source of quality used equipment

As equipment shortages continue to disrupt the market, ensuring a supply of quality used equipment is beneficial to your dealership. When you handle the customers’ preventive maintenance plans, you know the equipment has been properly cared for and is up to date on all manufacturer-recommended scheduled maintenance. Not to mention, your customers will have peace of mind and confidence in purchasing from your dealership knowing the maintenance has been taken care of on-site. Furthermore, by becoming the customer’s equipment solution provider, it is likely you will get to take this equipment on trade at a fair market value, allowing you to better develop an accurate pricing strategy. Having access to the service records adds value to any used machine.

Finding the Right PM Solution Doesn’t Have to be Complicated

Ranging from skids and trailers up to Class 8 lube bodies, Sage Oil Vac mobile lube equipment is built to meet your dealership’s requirements for tank size and capacity as well as licensing restrictions. The more efficient the lube system, the more oil changes that your dealership can perform every day reducing the need for a high volume of employees to execute this offering. Our pump-free, vacuum system provides efficient fluid exchanges, less mess and ongoing repairs for so you can keep PM schedules moving with a lower cost of ownership.Cat equipment

And who better to speak to the time savings and ROI a reliable mobile lube solution can provide then one of our customers?

Michigan Cat discovered the benefits of investing in a Sage Oil Vac system to assist their preventive maintenance services. They used to transport two 55-gallon barrels of oil to the jobsite for generator maintenance, switching out oil manually and returning used oil barrels to a central shop. This averaged almost three hours per oil change. After investing in a Sage 1C5F-2100 preventive maintenance trailer, the Michigan CAT techs were able to complete the same task in 69 minutes. This left technicians with enough time to conduct an extra oil change every day. With this increased efficiency, you can make a profit performing preventive lube services while exceeding customer expectations.

Contact us today to learn how we can turn your dealership into a PM profit center. And don’t forget to check out the comprehensive guide that breaks down the benefits in more detail.

Summer’s longer days bring increased pressure to keep machines running with as little downtime as possible. That means mobile lube systems and proper maintenance are crucial. Uptime directly translates into productivity and, ultimately, your success. And let’s face it, at the end of the day, anything you can do to keep machines running contributes to the bottom line.

Using conventional, mechanical pump-based systems to change oil on the jobsite can be time consuming. Sometimes that extra time paired with the pressure to keep machines running makes delaying preventive maintenance (PM) tempting. But that’s a recipe for downtime and costly repairs. On the other hand, Sage Oil Vac pump-free vacuum technology removes used oil and dispenses fresh oil safely and quickly. It’s so much faster than competing mechanical-pump technologies that you’ll be able to service more units per day.

If you’re on the hunt for the right system to handle a busy summer of PM, start by asking yourself the three questions below. Already have a Sage Oil Vac mobile lube system? Check out our summer maintenance checklist.

3 questions to ask when choosing the right PM system to handle the summer grind

 

1. Does the system solve or add more challenges to summer PM?

Conventional systems often require a pump for each product tank. The more product tanks required, the more chances for leaks or pump failures. Failing pumps that need to be replaced or rebuilt are typical on conventional lube equipment with diaphragm or air-pump-driven systems. The versatile Sage Oil Vac system has no pumps to maintain, and the simplified plumbing is virtually problem free.

2. Which system features and capabilities make PM more efficient?

For starters, each Sage Oil Vac mobile lube system offers a digital meter to ensure you quickly fill a machine with the proper amount of fluid. Certain meters offer preset functions that allow you to set the amount of oil needed to refill the tank, so no more underfilling or overfilling. For added telematics, the optional NextLube monitor system (available for truck and skid models) allows operators to integrate data while automating fluid control, all through centralized controls from an easy-to-use panel. How do real-time inventory of fluid levels and tank labels tanks sound? Pretty efficient and accurate, if you ask us.

3. Is the system designed with operator safety and cleanliness in mind?

The Sage Oil Vac enclosed, pump-free system protects the technician and the environment, as tanks are not vented into the atmosphere. Clean, sealed tanks prevent contaminants from being introduced into fresh fluids (and mean less spillage on the job). As an added benefit, we offer a variety of optional attachments for our systems that help maintain a clean jobsite.

 

Your PM Equipment Needs PM Too: Here’s Your Summer Maintenance Checklist

The uptime of your lube equipment itself impacts the number of machines you can service. Your Sage Oil Vac system needs its own PM to handle the PM demands of the busy season. Here’s a handy checklist to help keep your mobile lube equipment systems running smoothly.

Download and print this checklist

Taking a few proactive actions now can keep the equipment running when it matters most. Don’t get caught on the sidelines when the season heats up. Still deciding which system is right for you? Check out our product selector.

Many times, people don’t realize how much profitability is left on the table to extra labor costs, machine downtime and lost productivity if they don’t follow best practices for preventive maintenance. A worst-case scenario would be a crew standing around waiting for a machine that has suffered a catastrophic failure. While not every machine breakdown can be avoided, following regular preventive maintenance schedules greatly reduces the likelihood of significant machine failures.

Whether you have a construction or rental business or are on the dealership side, you’ll find that Sage Oil Vac mobile lube systems are designed to help you limit downtime and boost your bottom line.

Here are 5 key preventive maintenance advantages you get with Sage Oil Vac equipment.

1. Reduced transport costs and more timely preventive maintenance

Performing preventive equipment maintenance directly on the jobsite offers significant advantages. For starters, waiting for machines to return to the yard for maintenance can translate into missed or delayed service intervals, placing machine reliability at risk. Servicing equipment while it is in the field also yields time and transportation savings. The financial benefit really depends on your approach to mobile lube service and, ultimately, on which mobile lube system you use.

2. Better use of technicians’ time

Service and maintenance technicians are difficult to find, so you want to ensure the best use of their time. The pump-free Sage Oil Vac vacuum-operated system is much quicker than a traditional pump system, which means a technician can complete more oil changes per day — saving you money on labor.

Consider this real-life example. Michigan CAT documented their actual time savings while servicing a group of power generators in Michigan’s lower peninsula. This job required the removal and replacement of 110 gallons of oil for each machine. Using a conventional, pump-driven system — typically delivering two 55-gallon barrels of oil to the jobsite, switching out oil manually, and returning used oil barrels to a central shop — Michigan CAT service technicians averaged almost three hours per oil change. Each generator oil change took about three hours. After switching to a Sage Oil Vac 1C5F-2100 preventive maintenance trailer, this time was slashed to 69 minutes!

3. Less time maintaining lube equipment

Most mobile lube equipment manufacturers use mechanical pumps to transfer fluids, which require regular maintenance and repair. And, since each tank on a mobile lube system has a diaphragm and a mechanical pump, maintenance and repair needs for these systems can be time-consuming and costly, especially when you consider equipment downtime. The Sage Oil Vac system uses compressed air to push oil out of the tank — no pump required. To empty used oil out of tanks, you simply reverse the process to create a vacuum within the tank.

The time it takes to maintain your mobile lube system takes away from the time you spend performing preventive maintenance on your production machinery. Every minute your equipment is down for service, it costs you money. The Sage Oil Vac system is designed to get you up and running more quickly. This allows you to maximize equipment utilization rates and increase the return on your investment.

4. Lowered system operating expenses

Some mobile lube systems are more costly to operate due to their design. For instance, conventional diaphragm pumps and air piston pumps require a constant volume of air for the air compressor. Running an air compressor to operate a mobile lube system consumes fuel and increases maintenance costs. The Sage Oil Vac system reduces air compressor run time by up to 70% over a conventional system. We recommend shutting off the compressor when the used oil tank has a full vacuum and the fresh oil system is pressured to 80 psi. This reduces wear and tear, noise and fuel consumption.

5. Stays clean

Sage Oil Vac’s enclosed systems prevent contamination, which is the enemy of any tight tolerance and is costly to replace failed components. For instance, hydraulic systems continue to use tighter tolerances for higher performance, which demands close attention to oil cleanliness and best handling practices. Any significant contamination will significantly reduce equipment life.

And, since Sage Oil Vac systems use patented vacuum technology and have no moving parts inside the tanks, they are completely sealed. There is no opportunity for contamination to enter the lubricant tanks. On the contrary, mechanical pump systems require air-breathers to vent tanks, which can lead to contamination over time.

Choose the right solution for your business

Sage Oil Vac offers a wide range of solutions to ensure you get the right lube system to match your needs. To find your most efficient solution, consider mobility, system/tank sizes, CDL requirements, pump type and accessories needed to make the job go smoothly. Mobile lube systems come in a variety of shapes and sizes. Sage Oil Vac options range from lube carts, skid trailers and lube bodies to our fully customized LubeBuilder™ system, and from tanks to reels and everything in between.

Finding the best solution for your needs helps drive efficiency. For instance, a large lube truck may allow you to service more equipment before returning to the shop, but a non-CDL truck under 26,000 pounds will broaden your pool of service technicians since it doesn’t require a CDL to operate.

A mobile lube system can be beneficial to your overall success. They can help you improve productivity and work more efficiently. But not all mobile lube systems are created equal. The pump-free Sage Oil Vac system is designed to maximize your bottom line. View the complete line of Sage Oil Vac mobile lube solutions, and talk to your dealer to see which system is right for you.

Sage Oil Vac is a true American success story rooted in innovation and the determination to find a better way. In the early 90s, Gary Sage was a farmer looking for a better way to change oil in his irrigation equipment without spilling oil on himself or the ground. This led to the creation of the first oil vac system in 1993, an innovation that quickly caught the attention of neighboring farmers as the system was not only cleaner, but faster than conventional pump-driven systems.

Demand quickly grew as Gary’s farm employees cut, welded, painted and assembled the mobile oil change equipment in the farm off-season. “Orders taken in the spring and summer would be built after wheat harvest in July, and then the major building season was after corn harvest in the fall,” he recalls. “The timing made it difficult to appease the growing customer demand that expected the units to be on the ground or available with a short lead time.”

Additionally, not all of the career farmhands were keen on participating in the manufacturing business during the off-season. Their expertise didn’t necessarily translate into manufacturing skills.

Sage Oil Vac 1995 Unit

Taking A Risk

Demand continued to grow as Gary attempted to keep pace. And in the fall of ’99, a customer order changed the trajectory and set the stage for Sage Oil Vac to become a major player in the mobile lube system business.

Gary’s largest customer at the time, Western Marketing, a lubricant distributor in west Texas, had been ordering one or two units at a time for about two or three years in the late 90s. They would let their customers use the Sage Oil Vac units for free, if their customers bought lubricants from them.

This became a very popular program for the oil distributor and as a result, the company needed more systems. And while Gary was in the midst of fall corn harvest, the owner called and wanted eight of the largest oil vac units as fast as he could get them.

New Markets Drives Growth

The Western Marketing order helped Gary realize the Sage Oil Vac product could find use in many other markets. Any machine with oil that needed to be changed in a mobile setting could benefit from the product. To serve this market, Gary decided to transform Sage Oil Vac into a full-time manufacturing business. In 2001, he established a full-time shop dedicated to fabricating oil systems in Amarillo, Texas.

Sage Oil Vac’s mission to supply mobile oil change equipment paired perfectly with the emergence of the domestic wind power industry.  “Amarillo, Texas is the windiest city in the United States, and many wind turbines were being put up in and around the land of the same irrigated farmers that we were supplying oil vac systems to for their irrigation engines,” says Gary. A trip to deliver a system to a farmer in southwest Kansas gave him the opportunity to visit a Florida power and light wind farm with 60 turbines. He simply walked into the maintenance office and asked to speak with the site lead.

At the time, there was not an efficient way to change the 80 gallons of 320-weight gear oil in each gearbox located in the nacelle at the top of the wind turbine.

“We worked with this company to develop the first Sage Oil Vac GOEX system for wind energy and demonstrated the system just 18 months later,” explains current CEO Aaron Sage, who took over the business from his father in 2016. “It fit within our mission and there was a need. Today we ship this system all over the world.”

By exploring every opportunity that could benefit from a mobile lube system, Sage Oil Vac continued to thrive. In 2004, the company secured a game-changing partnership with the U.S. Army Reserves. It allowed Sage Oil Vac to double its annual revenue in one order. “Although not a big purchase for the Army Reserves, it was the difference in Sage Oil Vac being able to take the business to the next level,” recalls Aaron.

Sage Oil Vac Navy SeeBee Units 2004

Overcoming Design Challenges

One manufacturing challenge that Sage Oil Vac has faced over the years is adapting the original design to the different applications where mobile oil change equipment is needed. Traditional lube equipment uses rectangular tanks, optimized for size and space to meet each customer’s needs. The vacuum and pressure used to operate the oil vac system called for a rounded tank.

Rounded pressure tanks are heavier than thin-walled atmospheric steel, aluminum, or plastic tanks. This presents weight challenges in some applications. “However, our system does not have pumps, so we offset much, if not all of the tank weight difference by eliminating the pump,” says Sage.

The design of the Sage Oil Vac system eliminates the maintenance associated with pumps on conventional mobile lube systems.  Instead, the system relies on sealed tanks that hold pressure and vacuum with no leaks, for years. “Customers appreciate the 10-year+ cycle of a system because of the few moving parts,” says Aaron.

Taking control of quality

Another unique attribute of the business is that Sage Oil Vac does not rely on outside vendors to control the quality of its products. Critical components of Sage products are built in-house. “In 2021 the most important component, the tank, began to transition in-house, which provides control over the quality and design of the workhorse of the Sage Oil Vac product offering,” says Aaron. “The frames for the units are also designed, engineered, and built in our facility.”

All tanks on every system are pressure-checked three times – once before tank plumbing, once after tank plumbing, and again upon the final checklist of final completion. “We have never had a tank that failed in the field,” notes Aaron.

Positioned for the future

Sage Oil Vac has experienced exponential growth in brand awareness. Simultaneously, the sales team has worked hard to recruit and grow dealers as well as cross-promote and develop relationships in the truck equipment industry, resulting in large repeating key accounts in the heavy equipment maintenance industry. This has well-positioned the company for continued growth, which has included an acquisition of a steel tank manufacturer in March 2021, now under the name Amarillo Tanks.

Sage is focused on improving manufacturing efficiency. There is an initiative to move the business away from one-off customer projects dominating the product mix, to the repetitive building of a set product offering. This has moved the mix from 60% custom to 20% custom in the last five years.

The stage has been set for Sage Oil Vac to continue its gains and the company is positioned for strong growth in the next five years. “We will do this by listening to the customer, adapting our existing product to the changing world of how on-site fluid maintenance is handled, as well as developing new products that fit within our mission and can serve customers in the markets they are in,” adds Aaron.

To read more about what sets Sage Oil Vac apart from the competition, head over here.

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