You Have Questions. We Have Answers.

When dealing with powerful Versa-Drill drilling rigs, sometimes questions arise about basic maintenance,

preparedness, and daily use. Our Service Manager, Steve Compton, who has over 20 years of experience

in the drilling rig field, has reviewed the emails and calls he receives on a daily basis to narrow down our

top five customer drilling rig questions.

By collecting these, we hope to quickly and easily answer some of the major questions that we hear the

most. But even more importantly, this current top five customer question list will be expanded through

helpful blogs and videos on our website, to give you even more in-depth information and action-oriented answers.

We hope that these answers, combined with the vast knowledge of our team, will help keep your drilling

business running smoothly.

The Top 5 Customer Questions We Get Asked the Most:

1. WHAT ARE SOME OF THE CHEAPEST TOOLS I CAN HAVE ON HAND TO KEEP MY DRILLING RIG IN TOP CONDITION?

Nine times out of ten, when we get calls about an issue, it’s usually electrical. That’s why the number one

tool you can have, ready at your disposal, is a twelve-volt meter or test light. This $10 investment can save

you a lot of time, headache, and money. It’s a quick diagnostic to figure out the cause of the problem.

Since a problem is usually electrical, you can quickly find a solution for the situation and get back to the important work you do.

2. MY SEPARATOR TANK IS LEAKING. WHAT’S GOING ON?

During the winter months, this top customer question increases. That’s because many people forget to go

by the book on this one. The startup manual in the compressor section tells us to drain the separator tank

daily. While this may seem like an extra task or chore, it’s a vital one in order to keep your products running

smoothly.

This task is especially important in the colder months when liquids freeze over, leading to

a cracked valve, and consequently, the oil leak.

3. SPEAKING OF DAILY TASKS, WHAT’S A MAINTENANCE SCHEDULE THAT WORKS?

Just like a pilot and crew doing checks before the plane takes off, it’s important to do a daily maintenance

check on your drilling rig and equipment before heading off to work. A lot of the simple customer drilling

rig questions will cease to exist with a consistent, daily maintenance review. Take a moment to check the rotation

accumulator tank pressure and the oil level of the engines, transmission, transfer

case, and pump drive box. Visual inspection of the correct level for the hydraulic oil tank and tophead drive

should be done daily.

Even just turning on your machine every morning can save a lot of time and panic

later. If a small issue arises while you’re in the field, it’s much more inconvenient to get back to base and figure

out what to do next. We plan to go into more detail about maintenance checks in the near future, but to satiate your appetite

for now, there is a maintenance schedule we like to use.

4. SERVICING THE HYDRAULIC SYSTEM

When servicing the rig on a regular maintenance schedule, Hydraulic filters and oil may be required.

Changing charge filters and hydraulic return oil filters do not require draining the hydraulic oil from the

tank. If changing the hydraulic oil is required, provisions are made to drain oil into suitable collection

containers with a remote drain outlet that is attached to the bottom of the hydraulic tank.

Once the oil is drained do a visual inspection on the inside of the tank for any foreign objects or debris. Inspect the

inlet screens to see if they are clean and not damaged. The oil that may remain in the tank can be

vacuumed or wiped out, leaving the tank as clean as possible before refilling.

Should you ever need to replace a hydraulic hose due to damage or rupture, as simple hack that we use at

Laibe Corp is to apply a vacuum to the hydraulic tank by means of a shop vacuum.

5. HOW DO I REBUILD WATER SWIVELS OR MUD PUMPS?

This last customer drilling rig question is a more in-depth one. While we all love a simple one-line trick,

rebuilding water swivels or mud pumps requires more finesse and direct instruction. Because it is such a

common question though, we will be doing a video on this in the near future to give you as much useful,

clear-cut information as possible. With a little direction and insight, we want to help with the daily questions that arise in our field. It’s important to us that you feel supported and prepared for whatever you face in the field of drilling.

Get Your Drilling Rig Questions Answered Today

We’d love to hear from our customers about any other questions you have so we can better serve your

needs. If you have any topic ideas we haven’t addressed, contact us today by leaving a comment below or

reach out to us through phone or email. We’re always looking for new ways to help.