Mobile Line Boring & Bore Repair Specialists
In-Situ Precision Machining for Heavy Plant & Marine Assets
When pivot points, linkage arms, or mounting pins wear out on heavy machinery, the standard industry fix often relies on inserting a weak sleeve or scrapping the component entirely. At Hickman Engineering, we provide a superior, long-lasting solution, restoring the parent metal in-situ. Our mobile line boring services cover the UK and Europe, eliminating the need to dismantle and transport massive equipment like cranes or excavators to a workshop.
What is Line Boring?
Line boring is a highly specialised precision machining process that restores worn bores in equipment like pivot points, linkage arms, and mounting pins back to the manufacturer’s exact specifications. When heavy machinery undergoes intense operational stress, these critical joints can elongate or wear down. Instead of outright replacing the expensive component, line boring recovers the tight tolerances required for the machinery to function perfectly. This essential maintenance ensures critical joints operate smoothly and safely, which drastically reduces future breakdowns, maximises equipment life, and protects your investment.
Parent Metal vs. Sleeve Inserts
At Hickman Engineering, we do not believe in building in weakness. Championed by our forward-thinking apprentice, Max Burton, who sourced our specialised mobile boring solution, our process ensures your component is returned to its exact original manufacturer dimensions without using weak sleeves.
Our Precision Repair Process
Our highly trained engineers follow a strict procedure to guarantee strength and reliability:
Assessment
We inspect the worn bore to determine the exact OEM tolerances required and install and align our portable boring equipment.
Coded Welding & Build Up
We utilise our expert Welding Services to weld the worn bore directly, reconstructing the bracket holes and building up the parent material without relying on weak sleeve inserts.
Precision Re-Boring
Using our portable CNC and machining equipment, we precision re-bore the holes back to their original dimensions, creating a robust repair that is as strong as the day it was made.
Sectors & Case Studies
Because we bring the workshop to you, we can perform precision Traditional Machining and line boring across multiple heavy industries:
We perform reactive line boring on vessel main ramps to ensure newly manufactured pins align perfectly, such as our emergency work on the Stena Foreteller, and maintain fork truck mast assemblies for ABP.
We restore worn bores and pivot pins on excavators, piling rigs, and articulated lorries directly on your site to minimise project delays.
We repair worn articulation points and linkages on combine harvesters and tractors, ensuring your harvests stay on schedule.
The 24/7 Flat Rate Promise
Downtime can be expensive, which is why we operate a continuous response service with a transparent pricing structure. We charge a flat rate regardless of the time or day, meaning a Tuesday afternoon costs the exact same as a Bank Holiday. If you are within 20 miles of our Immingham base, we guarantee a 90-minute response time.
Contact Hickman Engineering today to arrange an on-site visit.
