I review over 200 orders for Epiroc surface drill rigs and related equipment every year. In Q1 2024 alone, I rejected 22% of first submissions. Not because our team is picky, but because small details—a wrong gas pump spec, a missing drill press compatibility note, a muddled what is a forklift? requirement—can cascade into a $22,000 redo or an 8,000-unit storage disaster.
This checklist is for anyone ordering Epiroc equipment or working with an Epiroc dealer. If you're specifying surface drill rigs, gas pumps, drill presses, or even forklift attachments, these five steps will help you avoid the mistakes I see every quarter.
1. Lock Down the Rig's Core Intended Application
Most errors start here. Your sales team or Epiroc dealer needs to know exactly what the rig will do. Don't just say "drilling." Be specific:
- Blasthole drilling in hard rock vs. soft rock vs. unconsolidated overburden
- Grade control vs. production drilling vs. pre-split drilling
- Bench height range (actual, not assumed)
- Required hole diameter and depth range
Checkpoint: Confirm the model variant (e.g., Epiroc SmartROC D60 vs. D65) aligns with the primary application. Most spec errors I catch are a mismatch between the intended ground condition and the rig's hammer configuration. For example, specifying a COP++ hammer for a predominantly abrasive, fractured formation—doesn't work. (I've learned this the hard way; our first batch of hammers failed 30% faster.)
If your Epiroc dealer doesn't ask you to describe the rock type and drilling cycle, that's a red flag. Push back.
2. Verify the Ancillary Equipment specs—Especially the Gas Pump and Drill Press
Your surface drill rig is only as reliable as the gear supporting it. Two items I check every time: gas pumps and drill presses.
Gas Pump Check
The fuel transfer pump for the rig's diesel engine seems like a commodity item. It's not. I've seen an order specify a pump rated for diesel but actually ship with a pump certified only for gasoline. The difference is viscosity handling and bypass valve pressure. A pump that can't handle diesel will cavitate, leading to inconsistent fueling and potential engine damage.
Checklist for your Epiroc dealer quotation:
- Is the pump explicitly rated for diesel fuel (not just "fuel")?
- Flow rate matches rig draw? (e.g., a SmartROC T40 fuel consumption is about 12-18 L/hr; your pump should deliver above that with margin)
- Filter type? (10-micron is standard for diesel; 30-micron is for gasoline. Wrong filter = injector issues.)
Drill Press Check
If the order includes a benchtop or pedestal drill press for in-shop prep work on drill steel, check: Chuck capacity? The standard 5/8" won't handle 3/4" shanks. And table travel—does it accommodate the longest rod you'll dress? Most in-shop drill presses come with insufficient spindle speed range for tungsten carbide bits. (Note to self: update our standard spec to include spindle speed range—too many returns.)
Checkpoint: Ask your Epiroc parts rep: "Is the drill press spec'd for our specific rod length and bit type?" If they can answer with a table setup description, good. If they say "it's standard," dig in.
3. Don't Assume Everyone Knows What a Forklift Is—Seriously
This sounds ridiculous, but I've seen forklift attachments ordered wrong because the spec sheet said "forklift" generically. The person filling the order assumed a standard sit-down counterbalance forklift with a standard carriage. The actual forklift on site was a telehandler with a pin-type mounting system. The attachment didn't fit. Cost: $4,200 in downtime and adapter fabrication.
When you specify a forklift attachment through an Epiroc dealer (e.g., a fork-mounted rock breaker or concrete breaker), include:
- Forklift type: counterbalance (electric or ICE), telehandler, reach truck, or rough terrain
- Carriage type: hook-type or pin-type
- Capacity: actual lift rating at the required load center
- Tyre type: pneumatic, solid, or cushion
Checkpoint: I now require a photo or model number of the forklift in the purchase order. (This approach worked for us, but our situation is a single-site B2B operation with predictable equipment. If you're a multi-site dealer with varying forklift fleets, the calculus might be different.)
4. Calculate TCO, Not Just Unit Price—Especially for High-Wear Items
The $500 drill steel quote looks cheaper than the $650 option. But after shipping, expediting fees, and replacement cycles, the cheaper option cost us $1,100 over the lifecycle. The $650 quote included thicker walls and heat-treated ends—lasts 2.5x longer.
Calculate total cost of ownership before comparing Epiroc dealer quotes. For surface drill rig components:
- Include: unit price + shipping + tariff + expected replacement frequency + downtime cost per replacement
- Don't forget: tooling cost differences (e.g., special bits vs. standard) and training (if the cheap rod requires different sharpening technique)
Example from our Q3 2024 audit: We compared two Epiroc dealer quotes for a replacement rock drill assembly. One was $8,300, the other $9,400. The cheaper unit had a shorter warranty and required proprietary grease (adds $1,200/year). The $9,400 unit included a standard grease fitting and 2-year warranty. Net TCO over 3 years: $8,300 = $11,900; $9,400 = $9,400.
Checkpoint: Ask the Epiroc dealer for a lifecycle cost projection. If they can't provide one, ask why. (I've rejected two vendors in 2023 solely because they couldn't tell me expected rebuild intervals.)
5. Verify the Compliance Documentation Before Payment
Surface drill rigs involve noise, emissions, and safety regulations that vary by region. A common mistake: assuming the Epiroc dealer's "standard" documentation covers your local jurisdiction. (In 2022, we received a batch of 50 rigs where the gas pump certification was only California compliant—site was in Texas with different VOC regulations. The vendor claimed it was 'within industry standard.' We rejected the batch, and they redid it at their cost. Now every contract includes jurisdiction-specific emission compliance requirements.)
Before you sign the order confirmation, confirm with the Epiroc dealer:
- Emissions compliance: Tier 4 Final? Stage V? Local equivalent?
- Noise level data (dBA at operator ear and at 7m)
- CE marking (if needed) or local equivalent
- Your own safety documentation requirements (e.g., MSDS for lubricants, guard specification for drill press if included)
Checkpoint: I request compliance documentation before the order is placed, not after. This has saved us from three regulatory rejections in four years.
Common Mistakes I See in 2024 Orders
- Mismatched hammer type vs. ground condition—specifying a high-frequency hammer for soft rock that's actually abrasive. Wrong hammer = premature failure.
- Ignoring drill press spindle speed—standard 1,400 RPM is useless for 3" carbide bits. You need 300-700 RPM range.
- Assuming all Epiroc dealers source identical parts—some use OEM service kits, others use generic equivalents. Check the R.O. number on service kits. Generic filters clog faster.
- Forgetting to specify the gas pump's fuel type and filter rating—see Step 2.
These five checks are based on reviewing 200+ Epiroc surface drill rig orders annually, and a 4-year history of seeing what goes wrong. Take it from someone who's rejected 15+ batches in 2023 alone: a few minutes of upfront checklist verification can save you thousands in rework and months of production delays.
Pricing as of January 2025. Verify current quotes and compliance requirements with your Epiroc dealer.
