Brick machine repairs are part of running any brickyard. The vibrator motors, bearings, mould liners and tampers take a beating every day, and when they wear, the bricks come out oversize, crumbly or with broken corners long before the machine stops. Fixing it early keeps your bricks to size and your customers coming back. A mobile repairer or the machine supplier can rebuild moulds, replace motors and supply spares. Send one free, no-obligation request with the machine and the fault, and repairers near you quote you directly.
What wears out on a brick machine
- Vibrator motors run hot and shake themselves loose; their bearings and windings fail first.
- Bearings and bushes on wheels, levers and tamper guides.
- Mould liners and cavities wear wider with every drop, so bricks grow and lose their edges.
- Tamper heads wear thin or bend, giving uneven tops.
- Springs, pins and lifting gear on egg-laying machines.
- Hydraulics on presses and plants: seals, hoses and pumps.
Choosing a repairer and brick machine spares
Start by checking the bricks: oversize or out-of-square bricks point to the mould, weak or honeycombed bricks to the vibration, and stuck bricks to worn liners or a bent tamper. Then:
- Note the machine type, mould and power: manual, single or three phase electric, or engine.
- Ask the original supplier for parts first; they fit without guesswork.
- A good repairer can rebuild a mould or fit a matching vibrator motor when the maker is gone.
- Keep spare bearings and a spare motor if one breakdown stops the yard.
Running a machine safely and common mistakes
- Switch off and isolate the power before working near the mould or motor.
- Wash cement off the mould, tamper and slides at the end of every day.
- Grease bearings as the supplier says, and check motor bolts weekly.
- Do not keep running a motor that hums, runs hot or rattles.
- Do not weld up a worn mould without measuring it to size.
- Near the coast, salt and damp rust steel fast: wash, dry and paint it.
Buying used? Our second hand machines page lists what to check.
What brick machine repairs cost, and what to ask
Repairs are quoted per job, depending on the part, the machine, call-out distance and whether it is fixed on site or in a workshop. Ask:
- Can you come to the yard, and what is the call-out?
- Is the part new, rebuilt or second hand?
- Is there a warranty on the work?
- How long will the machine be down?
What to include in your request
- The machine type, mould and power
- What is wrong with the bricks
- The part you think has failed
- On-site repair or workshop
- Whether the machine is your only one
Brick Machine Repairs and Spares for different clients
- Homeowners: a homeowner fixing a small manual machine bought for one building project
- Builders and bricklaying contractors: a builder with a site brick machine needing a quick motor swap mid job
- Housing developers and complexes: an on-site block plant for a housing project kept running with planned servicing
- Brickyards and block yards: regular mould rebuilds, spare motors and bearings to keep a yard producing
- New brick-making businesses: a new brick maker learning which spares to keep before the first breakdown
- Farms and smallholdings: a farm brick machine brought back to life for a new round of building
- Municipalities, schools and public works: a municipal or community brick project getting its machine serviced and repaired
- Landscapers and paving teams: a paver maker getting worn paving moulds rebuilt to keep sizes true
Frequently asked questions
How much do brick machine repairs cost?
Repairs are quoted per job, because the price depends on the part, the machine, whether a repairer comes to your yard or you take it in, and how far they travel. A bearing swap is a small job; a rebuilt mould or a new vibrator motor costs more. Ask for parts and labour as separate lines.
Where can I buy brick machine spares?
Start with the supplier who sold the machine; they usually stock moulds, tampers, motors and bearings for their own models. Engineering workshops and motor rewinders can supply or rebuild many parts. Send one request with the machine, mould and part, and we pass it to independent repairers and spares suppliers who quote you directly.
Why are my bricks coming out oversize or weak?
Oversize or out-of-square bricks usually mean the mould cavities have worn wider. Weak, crumbly or honeycombed bricks often point to a tired vibrator motor or loose motor mounts, though a wet or poorly mixed batch does the same. Check the mix first, then measure the mould and test the vibration.
Can a vibrator motor for a brick machine be repaired?
Often, yes. A motor rewinder can replace bearings and seals or rewind the windings. If the casing is cracked or the shaft worn, a new motor may cost about the same. Match the voltage, phase, speed and force of the old motor, and check the mounting bolts line up.
Brick Machine Repairs and Spares by province and city
- Johannesburg
- Pretoria
- Centurion
- Midrand
- Sandton
- Randburg
- Roodepoort
- Krugersdorp
- Randfontein
- Germiston
- Boksburg
- Benoni
- Kempton Park
- Alberton
- Vanderbijlpark
- Vereeniging
- Durban
- Pinetown
- Pietermaritzburg
- Richards Bay
- Newcastle
- Ladysmith
- Gqeberha (Port Elizabeth)
- East London
- Kariega (Uitenhage)
- Mthatha
- Cape Town
- Bellville
- Paarl
- Stellenbosch
- George
- Worcester
- eMalahleni (Witbank)
- Middelburg
- Secunda
- Mbombela (Nelspruit)
- Rustenburg
- Brits
- Klerksdorp
- Potchefstroom
- Mahikeng
- Polokwane
- Tzaneen
- Kimberley
- Upington
- Bloemfontein
- Welkom
- Sasolburg