Atlas Copco Buying Decisions: 7 Questions That Save You Money
I've managed the industrial equipment budget for a mid-sized construction firm for about 6 years now. We've bought, leased, and repaired a fair amount of Atlas Copco gear—drill rigs, compactors, pumps, the works. And I've made just about every mistake in the book when it comes to figuring out the real cost of a piece of equipment. This FAQ covers the questions I wish someone had answered for me before I started writing the checks.
(Note: pricing data referenced here is as of Q3 2024. You'll want to verify with your local dealer.)
1. Is an Atlas Copco L8 drill rig worth the premium price tag?
That's the question everyone asks. And the short answer is: it depends entirely on your needs and your timeline. The L8 is a beast for surface mining and large quarries. The toplift capacity is impressive—it can handle multiple drill rods without a lot of manual handling. But here's what most buyers miss: the total cost isn't just the purchase price.
I compared three rigs for a big project last year. The L8's operating costs (fuel, bits, maintenance) over a three-year period were about 15% lower than a comparable competitor model. But that advantage only shows up if you're running it consistently—hundreds of hours a year. For a smaller operation using it intermittently, you'll never recoup the initial investment. The question everyone asks is, "What's the price?" The question they should ask is, "What's the cost per operating hour over two years?" That number is where the truth lives.
2. How do I maintain my Atlas Copco plate compactor without overspending?
The plate compactor—the little trench worker—seems simple. And it is, mostly. But the operating expenses can sneak up on you. The most common mistake I see is over-lubricating the exciter unit. More grease isn't better. It can actually blow the seals and cause a pretty expensive rebuild.
What most people don't realize is that the air filter on these is a small part that gets ignored. A clogged filter on a plate compactor? It'll run, and you won't notice the power drop until it's struggling on a moderate slope. Then you're swapping plugs and maybe a carburetor. A $15 filter change every quarter (more if it's dusty) is cheap insurance. I learned never to assume the air filter is clean just because the machine starts easily.
One more thing: the base plate. They wear down. It's normal. But I see operators running them until the plate is paper-thin, and then the whole unit starts vibrating wrong. Checking the plate thickness is a 10-second job during the walk-around. Doing that saves you from buying a whole new compactor.
3. How do you adjust the pressure switch on an Atlas Copco air compressor?
This is probably the most common service question I get. And honestly, it's fairly straightforward, but the first time you do it, you'll likely hesitate—especially if you're worried about breaking something.
Here's the process I've settled on after adjusting dozens of these:
Step 1: Disconnect the power. I cannot emphasize this enough. I know it sounds like a CYA statement, but I've seen the results of an accidental startup. It's not worth the risk for a 5-minute adjustment.
Step 2: Remove the pressure switch cover. You'll see two main springs or screws, usually marked with a cut-in and cut-out setting.
Step 3: The larger spring typically controls the cut-in pressure (when the compressor starts). The smaller one (or a differential screw) adjusts the cut-out pressure gap. Turn the nut clockwise to increase pressure, counter-clockwise to decrease. A quarter turn is a big change. I usually do an eighth of a turn at a time, then test. It takes longer, but I've never overshot the target and had to redo it.
Step 4: Reassemble, reconnect power, and watch the gauge. Let it run through a full cycle to ensure the cut-in and cut-out are where you want them.
The thing that trips people up is that the range of adjustment is limited. You can't, for example, take a 150 PSI switch and make it work for a 200 PSI system. If you need that, you need a different switch. Somewhat obvious, maybe, but it's a question I've had from our own guys.
4. Are "budget" pumps (like the Willow pump) a good alternative to Atlas Copco?
I get this one a lot, especially from project managers who are looking at the sticker price of a new Atlas Copco pump and thinking, "Can't I just get a Willow pump for half the price?"
And yes, you can. And sometimes it's the right call. But I've tracked this in our system. Over a 3-year period, our total cost on two Willow pumps (a dewatering and a trash pump) was $4,700. That was the purchase price plus repair parts and the cost of our mechanic's time fixing them. The comparable Atlas Copco pumps? Purchase was higher, but total cost over the same period was $5,100. The difference is narrower than you'd think.
Here's the catch: reliability matters when a failed pump stops a pour or floods a trench. The Willow pumps failed twice in that period. Each failure cost us about half a day of labor and materials. The Atlas Copco pumps? Zero failures in the same conditions. The cost of the failure downtime wasn't in my spreadsheet above. So the real cost of the Willow pump was higher.
Most buyers focus on per-unit pricing and completely miss the downtime risk. But for a non-critical application—like pumping out a retention pond on a slow schedule—a Willow pump might be perfectly adequate. Assess the risk.
5. What hidden costs should I expect when buying a used drill rig?
I'll be direct: buying used is a gamble. The risk can be reduced, but it never disappears.
The most common hidden cost I've seen is with the drill rods. A seller might show you a rig that looks great cosmetically—fresh paint, clean engine bay—but the rods can be worn. Checking rod diameter with a caliper is a non-negotiable part of the inspection. What most people don't realize is that worn rods accelerate wear on the drill head and the chuck. Replacing a full set of rods can cost thousands. A friend of mine bought a rig from a dealer who claimed the rods were "near new." Didn't verify. Turned out they were the original rods and had been re-tipped once. He was replacing them within six months. Hit 'confirm' and immediately thought, "Should I have paid for an independent inspection?" The answer was yes.
6. Is the Atlas Copco Industrial Technique division worth paying more for? (Electric tools, not air)
That's a different business line than the air tools. Their electric tools—torque wrenches, screwdrivers, drills used on assembly lines—are at the top end of the reliability charts, in my experience. But you pay for it.
I looked at it this way: for a production assembly line, a failure that stops the line costs you, say, $500 a minute. A $900 Atlas Copco tool might run for 5,000 hours without a failure. A $400 competitor tool might run for 2,500 hours. Your upfront savings of $500 are gone if you have just one line stoppage of a few minutes. For repair shops or low-volume work, the cheaper tool might be the better call.
7. Any final advice on getting the best deal?
Negotiate everything included in the package. Here are the two things most buyers forget to ask for:
- Training: Atlas Copco has good training programs. Ask the sales rep to include 2-3 hours of on-site training for your operators for free. It usually works.
- Spare parts kit: For a new machine, ask for a starter kit of common wear parts (filters, belts, seals). They cost the dealer very little but will save you a rush order and shipping costs later.
The first quote is not the final price. There's usually room to negotiate, especially once you've proven you're a reliable customer with potential for repeat business. But don't be a jerk about it. A good relationship with a local dealer is worth more than squeezing the last $50 out of a deal.
