If you’ve spent any time around a drilling site, chances are you’ve heard field hands brag about the Gardner Denver P-series. The PZ9 in particular shows up again and again because it does exactly what operators need: it moves a lot of fluid, it holds pressure, and it keeps doing both long after lesser pumps have found their way to the scrap pile.

At Power Drive Supply we buy these pumps whenever we can because our customers ask for them by name. They’re familiar, easy to maintain, and—most importantly—good for the bottom line. Today let’s break down why picking up a used Gardner Denver PZ9 mud pump can be one of the smartest financial moves you make this year.

The Numbers That Matter

• Stroke length: 9 inches
• Rated horsepower: up to 750 HP
• Max pressure: north of 5,000 PSI when properly configured
• Service life: measured in decades if you keep up with valves and liners

Specs alone never tell the whole story, but they’re a good start. The big takeaway is that a PZ9 can handle anything from medium-depth exploration wells to high-volume water transfer. It’s a true multi-role workhorse, not a piece of “single-campaign” iron.

Used vs. New: Follow the Money

Price difference: Expect to pay 40–60 percent less for a well-maintained used unit. That discount frees cash for drilling fluid, additional pipe, or frankly anything else that keeps your crew turning to the right.

Depreciation curve: First owners eat the steepest depreciation during the initial two or three years. When you buy used, that curve has flattened out—yet the pump still has most of its service hours ahead of it.

Faster break-even: Lower capital outlay means the pump pays for itself sooner. On a busy program a refurbished PZ9 can cover its purchase cost in a single quarter.

What to Inspect Before You Sign

Buying used doesn’t mean rolling the dice. It means knowing where to look and asking the right questions.

1. Fluid end wear – Pop the covers and check liner walls, pistons, and valve seats. Smooth walls, minimal scoring, and tight tolerances are what you want.
2. Power end soundness – No cracks in the frame, no chips in the bull gear teeth, and all bearings running cool.
3. Maintenance logs – A thick binder of service records beats a seller’s handshake every day of the week.
4. Compatibility – Make sure the pinion ratio matches your prime mover and that your existing manifold will fit without a field welder spending two days cutting and re-fabricating.

When you shop with us, we hand you the inspection sheets, parts history, and high-resolution photos up front. If you’re local, come give the pump a look in person; if you’re halfway across the country, we’ll jump on a video call and put the camera anywhere you ask.

Why the PZ9 Keeps Winning Jobs

• Parts are everywhere. From West Texas to Western Australia you can find liners, pistons, and seal kits on a shelf.
• Mechanics know them. Your crew won’t waste a shift reading manuals; they’ll have the fluid end torn down and back together before coffee gets cold.
• Built like a tank. Thick steel, straightforward design, no fragile electronics to babysit.

In short, the PZ9 reduces downtime. Less downtime equals more footage drilled and more revenue earned. It really is that simple.

Real-World Example

A customer of ours in the Williston Basin swapped out a failing duplex pump for a used PZ9 we’d reconditioned. Result?

• Setup time: half a day, because the frame bolts lined up with his skid.
• Daily fluid output: jumped 18 percent.
• Unexpected maintenance in first six months: zero.

He told us the pump saved him close to $40,000 in rental fees and lost man-hours in the first quarter alone. That’s the kind of impact you can take to the bank—literally.

Why Buy From Power Drive Supply?

1. We own what we list. No phantom inventory, no broker shuffle. If it’s on the website, it’s in our yard.
2. Transparent pricing. You’ll see the cost, the freight estimate, and any options up front—no last-minute add-ons.
3. Logistics handled. Need it in the Delaware Basin next week? We line up the truck and the crane so you don’t have to chase drivers.
4. Support that answers. When you call about a packing case or liner swap, a human who’s spun wrenches on a mud pump will pick up the phone.

Making Your Move

If you’re serious about trimming capital expenses without sacrificing reliability, a used Gardner Denver PZ9 mud pump is a logical step forward. Give our team a shout, and we’ll schedule a walk-around—or better yet, bring your mechanic and turn a wrench or two. We’ll have coffee ready and the greasesheets on the table.

Your rig doesn’t slow down, and neither do we.

Ready to talk numbers? Call us at +1(406)417-3004 or hit the contact form to lock in current pricing before the next drilling rush clears our yard.