County staff report large repair needs for Caterpillar unit; revised estimate and parts orders recommended

County shop staff told commissioners that an extensive inspection of a Caterpillar unit uncovered damaged final-drive gears, a cracked aftercooler, worn steering components, damaged cylinders and electrical-harness problems. Brock and other shop staff recommended replacing multiple hard hydraulic lines and, in some cases, entire barrels that could not be repaired.

Staff said the original proposed estimate for the rebuild had been roughly $717,000 in earlier planning, and after vendor discussions and shop savings the meeting transcript records a revised "final estimate" figure stated in meeting remarks as "$6,672,122.30." Staff emphasized that they sought to reduce costs by performing some work in-house and obtaining parts discounts from CAT. Commissioners and staff agreed they needed to order additional parts now to avoid the unit sitting disassembled and delaying the repair.

Board members asked which items should have been included in a rebuild bid and which were unexpected wear. Staff explained they had budgeted to reseal cylinders and re-chrome certain parts but that other internal damage and bent mounting brackets were discovered only after disassembly. The shop said it would replace rubber hydraulic lines and reuse steel tubes when feasible.

Commissioners noted the importance of vendor responsiveness and warranty support while balancing costs. The board did not take a separate procurement vote on the rebuild during the public session but authorized staff to proceed with parts ordering and repair planning to minimize downtime.