Founding Member #07Hydrovac Truck Repair is a mobile repair service based in Lansford that works on hydrovac, vacuum and hydro excavation trucks at customer yards and job sites. Founded by a certified diesel mechanic, it offers free estimates and 24/7 availability across Pennsylvania and neighboring states.
In their own words.
When your hydrovac truck breaks down at 2 PM on a Tuesday in the middle of a critical excavation, you don't need a sales pitch. You need a certified diesel mechanic who can diagnose the problem over the phone, show up fast with the right parts, and get your truck back to work. That's exactly what we built Hydrovac Repair to do.
Here's the reality: Most shops see a hydrovac truck and see complexity. They see specialized systems they don't fully understand. They see liability. We see a PD blower that needs bearing replacement. A high-pressure water pump with worn seals. A hydraulic boom with contaminated fluid. These aren't mysteries to us—they're Tuesday afternoon.
Our founder, Nick Zimmerman, has been turning wrenches on heavy diesel equipment for over 25 years. Not behind a desk. Not managing other people's work. Actually diagnosing, repairing, and rebuilding these machines. When you call us, you're talking directly to someone who's replaced hundreds of blower bearings, rebuilt countless water pumps, and traced more electrical gremlins than we can count.
We started Hydrovac Repair because we kept seeing the same problem: Companies with $500,000 trucks sitting idle for weeks waiting for dealer appointments. Projects delayed. Crews sent home. Contracts at risk. All because the traditional repair model is broken.
Dealers are slammed. They've got weeks-long backlogs. When they finally get to your truck, they need days just to diagnose it. Then more time to order parts. Then more time to actually fix it. By the time you get your truck back, you've burned through weeks of downtime.
We knew there was a better way. Bring the expertise to the truck. Diagnose on-site. Fix it where it sits. No towing. No waiting. No excuses.
We're not generalists who occasionally work on vacuum trucks. This is what we do. Every day. We know every system:
Vacuum Systems: Those positive displacement blowers that create your suction? We rebuild them. Align rotors. Replace bearings. Fix the vacuum relief valves that keep blowing. We know exactly what CFM you need for proper excavation and how to get it.
Water Systems: High-pressure pumps running at 3,000+ PSI aren't forgiving. One bad seal and you're dead in the water. We rebuild these pumps on-site. Replace boiler components. Fix frozen lines. Repair hose reels that won't retract. Install proper winterization so you don't crack a pump housing at 15°F.
Diesel Engines: Cummins. CAT. Detroit. PACCAR. Mack. Volvo. We're certified on all of them. DPF problems? DEF system faults? Turbo failures? Injector issues? We diagnose with OEM software, not guesswork.
Hydraulics: Your boom won't extend? Outriggers won't deploy? We fabricate hydraulic hoses on-site. Replace cylinders. Fix control valves. Clean contaminated systems. No more waiting three days for a custom hose.
Electrical: From simple blown fuses to complex CAN bus communication errors, we trace and fix electrical problems. We carry the actual wiring diagrams. We have the right connectors. We can read the fault codes that actually matter.
Our mobile units are fully equipped repair shops on wheels. We carry common parts. Diagnostic computers for every major engine brand. Hydraulic hose fabrication equipment. Welding capability. When we show up, we're ready to work.
This isn't some guy with a toolbox in a pickup truck. This is professional-grade mobile repair with the tools and parts to actually fix your problem, not just diagnose it and leave.
Breakdowns don't follow business hours. Neither do we. Middle of the night? Weekend? Holiday? If your truck is down and costing you money, we're available. Our 24/7 emergency line connects you directly to a mechanic, not an answering service.
We cover a 300-mile radius from Lansford, Pennsylvania. That includes:
Pennsylvania: All of eastern PA, from Scranton down to Philadelphia. Lehigh Valley. Berks County. The Poconos. If you're running hydrovac trucks in PA, we can reach you.
New Jersey: The entire state. Newark. Jersey City. Trenton. Shore points. North Jersey industrial corridors. South Jersey construction sites.
New York: All five boroughs of NYC. Westchester. Long Island. Hudson Valley up to Albany. We know what it takes to run hydrovac in New York—the permits, the pressure, the pace.
Maryland: Baltimore. Annapolis. Frederick. The DC suburbs. Eastern Shore. Military bases. Port facilities.
Delaware: Wilmington. Dover. The beaches. Refinery row. Chemical plants. All three counties.
Washington DC: The District. Arlington. Alexandria. Federal facilities. Downtown excavation projects where one wrong move makes headlines.
Not a receptionist. Not a service writer. An actual mechanic who can help diagnose your problem over the phone. We'll ask the right questions. Listen to your engine over the phone if needed. Tell you if it's safe to keep running or if you need to shut down immediately.
For emergency calls within our primary service area, we target sub-2-hour response times. We're not always going to hit that—traffic is real, weather happens—but that's our goal. For scheduled service, we work around your operational schedule.
We diagnose with actual OEM tools, not generic code readers. We use quality parts that meet manufacturer specs. We test everything before we leave. If we can't fix it on-site—maybe you need a complete engine rebuild—we'll get you running enough to move the truck and arrange proper repairs.
Last week: Municipal truck with vacuum blower bearing failure. Diagnosed over the phone. Arrived with replacement bearings. Rebuilt on-site. Back in service same day.
Two weeks ago: Contractor's water pump lost pressure mid-excavation. Traced to worn seal assembly. Rebuilt pump in the field. Tested at full pressure. No tow required.
Last month: Hydraulic boom wouldn't rotate. Found contaminated fluid had damaged the rotation motor. Flushed system, rebuilt motor, replaced filters. Fixed where it sat.
Yesterday: Engine overheating under load. Diagnosed failed water pump. Replaced pump, flushed cooling system, tested under load. Four-hour turnaround.
This morning: PTO won't engage. Adjusted linkage, replaced worn clutch pack. Tested under full vacuum load. Two hours start to finish.
Municipalities: Your public works crews can't wait three weeks for repairs. Your residents expect services. Your budgets demand efficiency. We keep your trucks running and your costs controlled.
Utility Contractors: You're working around live gas lines. Active water mains. Buried electrical. You need equipment that works right every time. We maintain that reliability.
Construction Companies: Your hydrovac isn't just equipment—it's critical path. When it's down, your whole project stops. We get that urgency.
Federal Facilities: Military bases. Federal buildings. Secure facilities. We have the experience and professionalism these sites require.
Smart operators don't wait for breakdowns. Our maintenance programs include:
Scheduled inspections every 250-500 hours
Fluid analysis to catch problems early
Wear item replacement before failure
Seasonal prep and winterization
Priority emergency response
Detailed service records for compliance
These aren't generic quick-lube services. This is thorough, system-by-system inspection and maintenance by people who actually understand hydrovac equipment.
We charge a fair rate for expert service. We're not the cheapest option—we're the one that actually fixes your problem. When you factor in no towing costs, minimal downtime, and repairs done right the first time, we're actually the most economical choice.
We back our work with a 90-day warranty. We use quality parts. We document everything. We answer our phones. We show up when we say we will. We fix what we say we'll fix.
Your hydrovac truck represents a massive investment. When it breaks, you need someone who treats that urgency with the respect it deserves. Someone who knows these machines inside and out. Someone who can diagnose quickly, repair correctly, and get you back to making money instead of losing it.
That's what we do. Every day. For contractors across PA, NJ, NY, MD, DE, and DC who are tired of dealership delays and general repair shops that don't understand hydrovac systems.
When your truck goes down and you need it fixed right—not eventually, not maybe, but right—you call us.
Direct Line: 272-296-9637
We're not here to impress you with corporate speak. We're here to fix your truck and get you back to work. Fast. Right. Today.
We're thrilled to announce the launch of our brand new website at hydrovactruckrepair.com! After 25+ years as a certified diesel mechanic, we've officially opened Hydrovac Truck Repair to bring our expertise directly to …
Dec 19This may not be a complete list. Contact the business directly to learn about all services and products they offer.
Hydrovac Truck Repair is a mobile repair operation based in Lansford, Pennsylvania, specializing in hydrovac, vacuum and hydro excavation trucks. Rather than operating as a traditional fixed-location shop where customers bring equipment in, the company sends fully equipped service units to customer yards and active job sites, performing diagnostics and repairs on location. The business was founded by Nick Zimmerman, a certified diesel mechanic with more than 25 years of experience working on heavy trucks and specialized vacuum excavation equipment.
The company can be reached at 272-296-9637. Its listed NAICS classifications are 811111, 811310, 811118 and 238910, reflecting work that spans general automotive repair, commercial and industrial machinery maintenance, and site preparation equipment service.
The operation was built around a specific problem in the vacuum excavation industry: dealer repair backlogs. Hydrovac and vacuum trucks are specialized machines, and wait times at dealerships commonly run two to four weeks. For a utility contractor or municipal crew, a sidelined truck can mean idle labor, missed deadlines and rescheduled projects. Hydrovac Truck Repair was organized as a mobile alternative, bringing shop-level capability to the equipment instead of the other way around.
Mobile service units travel within roughly a 300-mile radius of Lansford, covering Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York, Maryland, Delaware and Washington, DC. The company reports 24/7 availability, including nights, weekends and holidays, with an average emergency arrival time of under two hours for critical breakdowns. Service trucks carry commonly needed parts and fluids so that many repairs can be completed on the first visit. Emergency rates are communicated before work begins, and estimates are free.
Because repairs happen where the truck sits, customers avoid towing fees, flatbed charges and transport permits, which for a loaded hydrovac can represent a substantial portion of total repair cost. The company reports more than 1,000 trucks repaired and backs its work with a 90-day warranty.
A hydrovac is effectively several machines sharing one chassis: a diesel truck, a high-pressure water system, a vacuum and debris handling system, a hydraulic boom and an electrical control network. Hydrovac Truck Repair covers all of them.
Brands serviced include Vactor, Guzzler, Vac-Con, Super Products, GapVax, Westech and Vacall. Common complaints the shop addresses include loss of suction, tank door leaks, hydraulic lift failures and water pressure loss at the wand.
Beyond breakdown repair, the company runs preventive maintenance programs built around OEM-recommended service intervals. These cover fluids and filters, hydraulic hose inspection, pump and blower servicing, safety system testing and multi-point inspections. Seasonal winterization is offered to protect water systems from freeze damage during Northeast winters, which also helps preserve manufacturer warranty coverage and DOT compliance.
Fleet maintenance programs are available for municipalities, utilities, contractors and industrial operators running anywhere from two units to twenty or more. These agreements include priority scheduling, emergency response, scheduled preventive service, fleet-wide service records usable for compliance reporting and capital planning, a single point of contact and volume pricing for larger fleets.
Hydrovac Truck Repair also works on used and wrecked vacuum trucks. Refurbishment begins with an inspection and a written estimate broken out by system, so owners can see what frame and air brake work, blower rebuild or exchange, water pump and boiler service, debris tank repair, boom hydraulics, harness repair and DOT inspection items will each cost. Collision damage assessments are prepared in a format insurance adjusters can use, and completed repairs carry the same 90-day warranty.
For buyers considering a used hydrovac, the company performs independent pre-purchase inspections. A typical evaluation includes a blower vacuum test and check for bearing play, water pump pressure measured at the wand, debris tank and door seal condition, boom cylinder drift under load, hydraulic pressure readings, engine fault codes and oil analysis, air brake condition and a review of DOT paperwork. The inspection concludes with a written list of needed repairs and rough cost figures, giving a buyer leverage and a realistic picture of near-term expenses.
Parts sourcing is handled as a standalone service as well. The company locates OEM, aftermarket and rebuilt components across major brands, including discontinued gaskets, obsolete blower models and rebuilt exchange units, and can arrange custom-cut gaskets when a part is no longer produced. The goal is to keep a parts search from turning a short repair into a long one.
Although hydrovac and vacuum trucks are the core focus, the shop also handles conventional diesel mechanic work within the same 300-mile service area. That includes diesel pickups such as Ford Power Stroke, GM Duramax and Ram Cummins, passenger diesels from Mercedes, BMW and the Volkswagen and Audi TDI lines, and heavy equipment including excavators, loaders, dozers and skid steers. Box trucks, buses, generators and farm equipment from manufacturers such as John Deere and Kubota are also serviced.
Hydrovac Truck Repair operates out of Lansford, PA 18232, with service dispatched across the mid-Atlantic and Northeast corridor. Customers seeking emergency response, scheduled maintenance, a fleet agreement or a pre-purchase inspection can call 272-296-9637. Estimates are provided at no charge, and repairs are covered by a 90-day warranty.
2025
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