The undercarriage of tracked heavy equipment, such as crawler excavators, consists of numerous moving components that must be maintained to function properly. If the undercarriage is not routinely inspected and maintained, it may lead to downtime and lost money, as well as a potential decrease in the track’s lifespan.
By following these four undercarriage care tips, outlined by Doosan marketing manager Aaron Kleingartner, you can improve the performance and life of your crawler excavator’s steel track undercarriage when working in construction applications.
1) Keep the undercarriage clean
At the end of the workday, excavator operators should take time to remove dirt and other debris that may lead to undercarriage buildup. Regardless of the application, if the undercarriage is dirty, it needs to be cleaned. If the undercarriage is not routinely cleaned, it will lead to premature wear on components. This is especially true in colder climates.
“If operators neglect to clean the undercarriage and are working in a colder climate, the mud, dirt, and debris will freeze,” Kleingartner said. “Once that material freezes, it can start to rub on the bolts, loosen the guiding and seize up the rollers, leading to potential wear later on. Cleaning the undercarriage helps prevent unnecessary downtime.”
In addition, debris adds additional weight to the undercarriage, therefore reducing fuel economy. Use shovels and pressure washers to help clean the undercarriage.
Many manufacturers offer undercarriages that are designed for easier track carriage clean-out, which helps debris fall to the ground rather than getting packed in the undercarriage.
2) Routinely inspect the undercarriage
It is important to complete a full undercarriage inspection for excessive or uneven wear, as well as look for damaged or missing components. According to Kleingartner, if the machine is being used in harsh applications or other challenging conditions, the undercarriage may need to be inspected more frequently.
The following items should be inspected on a routine basis:
Drive motor
Drive sprockets
Main idlers and rollers
Rock guards
Track bolts
Track chains
Track shoes
Track tension
During a routine walk-around inspection, operators should check the tracks to see if any components look out of place. If so, this could indicate a loose trackpad or even a broken track pin. As well, they should inspect the rollers, idlers, and drives for oil leakage.
These oil leaks could indicate a failed seal that may lead to a major failure in the rollers, idlers, or the machine’s track drive motors.
Always follow your manufacturer’s operation and maintenance manual for proper undercarriage maintenance.
3) Follow basic practices
Certain construction job site tasks can create more wear on excavator tracks and undercarriages than other applications, so it is important that operators adhere to the manufacturer’s recommended operating procedures.
According to Kleingartner, some tips that can help minimize track and undercarriage wear include:
Make wider turns: Sharp turns or pivoting the machine can lead to accelerated wear and increase the potential for de-tracking.
Minimize time on slopes: Constant operation on a slope or hill in one direction can accelerate wear. However, many applications require slope or hillside work. So, when moving the machine up or down a hill, make sure the drive motor is in the correct position to reduce track wear. According to Kleingartner, the drive motor should be facing the back of the machine for easy maneuverability up a slope or hill.
Avoid harsh environments: Rough asphalt, concrete or other rough materials may cause damage to tracks.
Minimize unnecessary spinning: Train your operators to make less aggressive turns. Track spinning can lead to wear and decrease productivity.
Select the right shoe width: Choose the proper shoe width by considering the weight of the machine and application. For instance, narrower excavator shoes are better suited for hard soil and rocky conditions because they have better soil penetration and grip. Wide excavator shoes typically work well in soft underfoot conditions because they have more flotation with lower ground pressure.
Pick the correct grouser: Consider the application before choosing the number of grousers per shoe. A single or double grouser may work well when laying pipe, but may not work well in other applications. Typically, the higher number of grousers the track has, the more contact the track will have with the ground, the vibration is reduced, and the longer it will last when working in more abrasive conditions.
4) Maintain proper track tension
Incorrect track tension may lead to increased wear, so it is important to adhere to the proper tension. As a general rule, when your operators are working in soft, muddy conditions, it is recommended to run the tracks slightly looser.
“If steel tracks are too tight or too loose, it can quickly accelerate wear,” Kleingartner said. “A loose track could cause the tracks to de-track.”
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