Stalled by a two-month bearing wait on my last job

We started an elevator update last fall and everything was on schedule. Then we learned the main bearing was on backorder for eight whole weeks. Had to halt all work and keep the building manager in the loop. What's your go-to move for handling these long part delays? I need ideas to avoid this mess next time.

3 comments

3 Comments

tyler_wilson28d ago

Ever check surplus yards for used bearings as a temporary fix?

hannahm1927d ago

We got stuck waiting for a specialty junction box on a solar install once. The crew was just sitting there. My boss had us build a temporary outdoor enclosure from plywood and a heavy tarp to house the connections. It passed inspection as a temporary fix, and we could mount all the panels on schedule. It looked rough, but it got the job done until the real part showed up two months later.

angelawright28d ago

Back in 2022, we had a hydraulic pump die on a job in Denver. The replacement was stuck in shipping for six weeks. So we got a local machine shop to make a basic copy from our old unit's specs. It wasn't perfect, but it let us finish the wiring and framing while we waited. Now we always ask suppliers for CAD files of big-ticket items upfront. That way we can send them to a fabricator in a pinch.