Heavy equipment GPS installation

Sealed and Matched: Geotab GO Rugged Installation for Heavy Equipment

Excavators, loaders, dozers, skid steers, and other heavy equipment on 12V or 24V. On-road vehicles take the GO9 or GO10.

See heavy equipment tracking

Geotab GO Rugged and its cable in front of the MyGeotab asset map of equipment, and a phone showing the same map

Geotab GO Rugged size and fit

What's in the Box

  • GO Rugged, configured, with its built-in cable
  • The sealed GO Rugged harness matched to the machine, or the sealed three-wire harness with its fuse for machines with no port
  • Size: 6.26 x 4.80 x 1.22 in (159 x 122 x 31 mm), 14 oz (396 g). A bit larger than a 4 x 6 photo print, about 1.2 in thick.
  • Cable: built in, 39 in (1 m), to its sealed harness.
  • Rated: IP68 and IP69K, on 12V or 24V equipment. Sealed against pressure-washing.
Geotab GO Rugged heavy equipment tracker seen from above, label up, with its mounting ears and built-in sealed cable

Choose Your GO Rugged Install Route

Easiest route

Sealed harness on the machine's diagnostic connector

Machines with a diagnostic connector. True engine hours and faults, straight from the machine.

Geotab line drawing of a round 9-pin diagnostic connector face with pins lettered A to J, the machine's data plug
  1. 1

    Find the machine's diagnostic connector and unclip it from its bracket.

Geotab drawing of the completed GO Rugged setup: sealed harness seated in the connector bracket, locked to the machine plug
  1. 2

    Seat the sealed GO Rugged harness in its place.

  1. 3

    Plug the machine's connector into the harness and lock the ring.

Geotab drawing of the GO Rugged cable connector clicking into the sealed harness plug, with the GO Rugged label shown inset
  1. 4

    Click the GO Rugged onto the harness and mount it label up, with a view of open sky.

  1. 5

    The status lights go solid as it finds cellular and GPS, and we confirm hours and position on your map.

Wired route

Sealed three-wire harness, for machines with no port

Smaller engines and older machines with no diagnostic connector.

  1. 1

    We confirm the right weatherproof wiring with you before it ships.

  2. 2

    Connect the three leads to the machine's battery and ignition. The fuse comes in the kit.

  3. 3

    Click the GO Rugged on and mount it label up. It auto-calibrates when powered.

  1. 4

    The status lights go solid, and we confirm it is reporting.

How You Know It Worked

  • Status lights solid: cellular and GPS found.
  • Lights still blinking: it is still finding cellular and GPS. Move the machine into the open, and setup finishes once it has signal.
  • No status lights: check that the sealed harness is seated and its locking ring is locked, then call us at (877) 771-2236.
  • Weak GPS: mount it label up with open sky above, away from metal panels.
  • Installed but not on the map: call (877) 771-2236 or email support@gpsfms.com with the serial number, and we confirm it is live with you.

If a machine is different

Geotab GO Rugged Installation on Every Machine

24V machines, machines with no port, odd connectors, and jobsites past coverage are still a job for your own crew.

What if the machine runs on 24V?

Your crew: Does the same install: seats the sealed harness, clicks on the GO Rugged, and the lights go solid.

How we help: GO Rugged installs on 12V and 24V, and we confirm the right weatherproof wiring before it ships.

What if the machine has no diagnostic connector?

Your crew: Connects the sealed three-wire harness to battery and ignition, fuse in the kit, and mounts it label up.

How we help: It reads ignition from voltage and movement, and we confirm it is reporting with you.

What if it is an older engine with no true ignition signal, or a machine with a ground disconnect switch?

Your crew: Connects the GO Rugged harness built for exactly that machine.

How we help: We match it at the desk, so run time still reaches your map, and we confirm engine hours with you.

What if the connector bracket is a different shape, or the make uses its own connector?

Your crew: Swaps in the kit's matching adapter by hand, with no special tools, then seats and locks the harness.

How we help: Machines with a make-specific connector get their matched sealed harness in the box.

What about a metal cab roof, pressure-washing, and weather?

Your crew: Mounts it outside on top of the cab, label up, with open sky above, on a solid part of the machine.

How we help: It is sealed to IP68 and IP69K, and its locking harness seals stand up to pressure-washing.

What about a jobsite past cellular coverage?

Your crew: Installs it the same way. Setup finishes once the machine reaches coverage.

How we help: It stores data until coverage returns, and a satellite add-on carries critical data past cellular.

Where does GO Rugged mount on a machine?

Outside, label up, on a solid part of the machine with open sky above, such as the top of the cab.

What comes in the box with GO Rugged?

GO Rugged, configured, plus its sealed harness or sealed three-wire harness, matched to the machine.

Does GO Rugged go on trucks or pickups?

No. GO Rugged is for heavy equipment, and trucks, pickups, and vans take the GO9 or GO10.

How do I know GO Rugged is installed?

The status lights go solid as it finds cellular and GPS, and we confirm hours and position on your map with you.

Other Install Guides

Install Help From a Real Person

We stay on the line until the device is reporting. New to Geotab: start with a free demo device.

Get My Free Demo Device Contact Us Today or call (877) 771-2236