The best GPS trackers for construction equipment aren't one device. The right tracking devices for construction rental equipment depend on the equipment. A pickup with an easy-to-reach wiring harness has different needs than a flatbed trailer that sits unpowered at a remote jobsite.
This guide walks through the five Trackhawk devices, what each one is built for, and how to tell if the one on your equipment isn't the right match. If you're not sure what you have, the last two sections show you how to check.
What matters most is how the equipment is powered, how it's used, and what you need the tracker to do. A hardwired unit suits a machine with reliable power. A trailer with no power source needs a battery. Equipment you want to be able to disable remotely needs a kill switch.
At Trackhawk GPS, All the five devices we offer use 4G LTE, work with the Trackhawk iOS and Android apps and web platform, and need an active subscription.
Here's a starting point:
For pickups, vans, and other enclosed motorized vehicles when you want to be able to shut the vehicle's starter remotely.
TH75 Waterproof Kill Switch Tracker
VL04 OBDII Plug & Play Tracker
Not sure which one fits a larger machine? Check with our team before ordering. It's easier to confirm up front than to swap a device later.
Hardwired heavy equipment tracking devices draw power from the machine, so you don't have to think about charging or battery swaps. They also report more often, which gives you a closer view of where equipment is and when it moves. Two Trackhawk devices work this way.
|
VL03 |
TH75 |
|
|---|---|---|
|
Best fit |
Enclosed motorized vehicles like pickups and vans where you need a kill switch capability |
Motorized construction equipment, ATVs, UTVs, tractors or any powered equipment where you need a water resistant kill switch tracker |
|
Kill switch |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Installation |
Wiring harness and relay |
Captive wiring harness and relay |
|
Backup battery |
4 to 6 hours |
8 to 12 hours |
|
Reports (stationary / moving) |
Every 10 min / every 30 sec |
Every 20 min / every 30 sec |
|
Operating temp |
-4°F to 158°F |
-22°F to 176°F |
A few things to know about hardwired devices:
• The backup battery is for emergencies. It keeps the device reporting for a few hours if the machine's power is cut. It isn't meant to run for days.
• You'll get an alert if power is lost. Every device added to a Trackhawk account gets a Device Power Disconnected alert automatically. It fires when a device loses external power, whether an OBD unit is unplugged or a hardwired unit has its power cut, and a Power Restored notice follows when power comes back.
• The VL04 isn't built for exposed equipment. Its IP41 rating makes it a better match for vehicles than for machines that sit in rain, mud, or dust. For those, the TH75 or a battery-powered device is a better fit.
The VL04 plugs into a vehicle's OBD port. There's no wiring and no tools, so you can be tracking in minutes, and you can move it to another vehicle just as easily.
For construction fleets, that mostly means the pickups, service trucks, and vans that support the equipment, since many machines don't have a standard OBD port.
• It reports the most often. Every 1 minute when stationary and every 10 seconds when moving, the fastest of the five devices.
• It has a short backup battery. 1 to 2 hours, and it activates when the device is unplugged. A Device Power Disconnected alert fires at the same time.
• It adds vehicle data. Tow alerts, vehicle battery voltage, and harsh braking and acceleration events.
• It has live vehicle diagnostics. It shows fuel level, engine temperature, RPM, and mileage, and sends an alert with the fault code when the check engine light comes on. Fuel level and mileage data depend on the vehicle.
• It's built for vehicles, not exposed machinery. Its IP41 rating makes it a better match for vehicle interiors than for machines that sit in rain, mud, or dust.
• It doesn't have a kill switch. And because it plugs in, anyone who finds it can unplug it, which is why the power alert matters.
Battery-powered devices work anywhere, which is why they suit equipment with no engine, no ignition, or no power source you can tap into. If you need a GPS tracking device for construction equipment that doesn't have wiring to connect to, this is where to look. Two Trackhawk devices fit.
|
TH07 Trailer Tracker |
TH-MAG Magnetic Tracker |
|
|---|---|---|
|
Best fit |
Trailers, non-motorized equipment, valuables where you don't necessarily need real-time tracking |
Golf carts, landscaping and other small equipment where you need extremely simple installation |
|
Power |
2 AA lithium batteries you can replace yourself |
Built-in battery, USB rechargeable |
|
Battery life |
Up to 8+ years with limited movement. About 24 months at an average of 2 hours of movement a day |
Up to 4 weeks per full charge |
|
Installation |
Wire-free. Fasten with screws, bolts, cable ties, rivets, or magnet adapters |
Built-in magnet. Attach to any metal surface |
|
Reports |
Every 12 hrs when stationary. When moving, a position fix every 2 to 3 min, uploaded every 15 min. Recovery mode: every 30 sec |
Every 24 hrs when stationary. Every 10 min when moving |
|
Real-time tracking |
In recovery mode |
While in motion |
|
Network coverage |
AT&T and T-Mobile |
All networks |
|
Operating temp |
-22°F to 140°F |
-4°F to 158°F |
|
Move between assets |
Yes |
Yes |
Battery-powered devices trade update frequency for battery life. They report less often so the battery lasts, which is why the numbers above are so different from the hardwired devices. If you need a closer look at movement, the TH07's reporting interval can be customized to your needs.
They also keep reporting when equipment is turned off, which makes them a good choice for powered-down equipment you still want to keep an eye on.
A trailer has no engine, no ignition, and nothing to wire a tracker into. That changes what the tracker can tell you and how you set it up.
• Installation is simple. The TH07 is wire-free. You place it on the trailer and secure it with screws, bolts, cable ties, rivets, or a magnet adapter.
• Location and movement are the signals. Without an ignition, you're watching for the trailer to move or leave an area, so movement alerts and geofences do most of the work.
• It sleeps when the trailer is parked. The TH07 conserves power while stationary and reports more often when it moves. That's how it reaches multi-year battery life.
• Recovery mode speeds things up. In recovery mode the TH07 reports every 30 seconds, and live tracking is available. That's the setting you want if a trailer goes missing.
• Check your coverage. The TH07 roams on AT&T and T-Mobile only. If a site has weak coverage on those networks, you may see gaps.
For a GPS tracking device for rental equipment like trailers, that mix of long battery life and simple installation is why most of them end up on the TH07.
A kill switch lets you disable equipment remotely. It's installed with a wiring harness and a relay, and it can be automated so it triggers based on alerts or when equipment leaves a boundary.
|
KILL SWITCH IS AVAILABLE ON • VL03 Kill Switch Tracker, for enclosed motorized vehicles • TH75 Waterproof Kill Switch Tracker, for small construction equipment, ATVs, UTVs, tractors, and boats |
The VL04, TH07, and TH-MAG don't have a kill switch. If it's on your must-have list, those three won't work.
When the kill switch is engaged or released, you get a Kill Switch State Change alert, so you always know what state a machine is in.
If a tracker isn't doing what you expected, the device itself may be the reason. These are the most common signs and what to look at first:
|
What you're seeing |
Possible cause |
What to try |
|---|---|---|
|
Gaps in location or a weak signal |
The TH07 only roams on AT&T and T-Mobile, so coverage at some sites may be limited. A device mounted somewhere with poor sky view can also struggle. |
Check where the device is mounted first. If gaps continue at one site, contact Support. |
|
Short battery life |
The TH07's 24-month figure assumes about 2 hours of movement a day, so a trailer that moves more will use batteries faster. The TH-MAG needs a recharge about every 4 weeks. |
Review how much the equipment moves and how often the device reports. If it can't be recharged regularly, a different device may fit better. |
|
Missed or late movement |
Battery-powered devices report infrequently when stationary (every 12 hours on the TH07, every 24 on the TH-MAG). |
If you need tighter detail, ask about a custom reporting interval or a hardwired device that reports every 30 seconds while moving. |
|
Frequent power alerts |
An OBDII unit that works loose, or a hardwired unit with a connection that keeps failing. |
Check the connection. Device Power Disconnected alerts will tell you when it happens. |
|
Device damaged by water, dust, or heat |
The device's protection rating doesn't match where the equipment works. The VL04 is IP41. The TH07 tops out at 140°F. |
Move up to a higher rating: TH75 (IP67) or TH07 (IP68), and check the temperature range. |
|
You need to disable equipment remotely |
The device doesn't have a kill switch. |
Only the VL03 and TH75 do. |
1. Look at the device. The model (VL03, TH75, VL04, TH07, or TH-MAG) and IMEI are normally printed on the device itself.
2. Find it in the platform. On Live Tracking, you can search for any device by its IMEI, not just its name.
3. Compare it to the tables above. Check its power type, protection rating, and reporting rate against how the equipment is actually used.
4. If it's the wrong fit, ask about switching. Contact Support, and tell them what equipment it's on and what isn't working.
The TH07 and TH-MAG are both designed to move from one asset to another, so for those two, reassigning a tracker can be as simple as relocating the device.
There isn't one best GPS tracker for construction equipment. There's the one that fits how a machine is powered, where it works, and what you need to know about it.
Start with power. A machine with reliable power can use a hardwired tracker, and if you want the option to disable it remotely, that means a kill switch. Trailers and equipment with no power source need a battery. From there, think about how often you need updates, and what the device has to survive on site.
If you're not sure which device fits a particular machine, tell us what you're tracking and where it works, and we'll help you choose. Book a free demo and we'll go through your equipment with you.
Already a customer and not sure what's installed? Send Support the device's IMEI and the equipment type.