All construction companies make use of light and heavy-duty machines to carry out their works. The light-duty machines or equipment ranges from a grinder, cutter, etc. and the heavy-duty ranges from the excavators, hydraulic pumps, loaders, etc.
This article will help you in knowing how to maintain and replace the worn-out parts of your heavy-duty machines.
Most engineers, site managers, can sometimes be too busy to read maintenance manuals of some of these machines.
All you need to know about track tensions
Track tensions can most times be a challenge with your excavator. The post addresses the guidelines for adjusting your track tensions to give you the desired results. Below are what to look out for when you have a weak final drive.
- Your track is too loose.
When you have a track that is too loose, it is likely to detract. You should also know that loose track leads to the quick wash and tear of some parts on the tracks which includes, sprocket, pins and sometimes bushings. You should always make sure to get rid of the debris on your tracks before you tighten it, if you fail to remove the debris, you will end up with a loose track when the crawler begins to move.
- Do not overtighten your tracks.
An overtight track does a major thing to your final drive motor, which is to weaken it. This can be noticed more especially when going uphill or carrying a load with the crawler. What an overtight track does to the engine is that it increases the fuel consumption, which translates to excess fuel consumption with low output. Some parts such as the rollers and idlers can easily wear out prematurely. Too much negligence can sometimes lead to the tracks getting damaged.
How Do I Adjust My Track Tension?
The easiest way to know the right track tension for your crawler is by referring to the manual as track tensions differ from machine to machine. Although some tips are applicable to all types of machines, which is to always get rid of the debris in your tracks before you tighten or loosen them. The track tension should always be checked by the driver of the machine or site manager every 10-15 hours of usage. And the last tip is to always use tighten track tensions on rocky terrain and soft track tensions for muddy terrain.
Below are some of the most important construction equipment, their uses and how to maintain them.
- Crawler Excavators
Uses
The crawler excavators offer a high and versatile performance, which can be very useful in digging of trenches, road works, big holes or drainage systems, dredging, laying pipes, demolition, digging foundations and moving the earth. A crawler excavator is known to be very powerful, the reason being that it uses hydraulic power.
Pros of A Crawler Excavator
- The crawler excavator is very reliable,
- It has good fuel efficiency,
- It has an impressive cycle speed.
- It has good handling or control.
- Crawler excavator parts are readily available.
Cons of A Crawler Excavator
- They always come with a fairly high maintenance cost.
- They require a good expatriate to repair when faulty which might not be readily available in remote areas.
- A carrier is needed to take them to the site where it is being needed.
- Wheeled Excavators
The wheeled excavators can be very helpful with a whole lot of projects ranging on the road and off-road tasks. They are basically needed for on-road and off-road construction projects which include road constructions, drainage constructions, linkage or bridge constructions.
Pros of A Wheeled Excavator
- These wheeled excavators can travel for a distance of up to 17-25 miles per hour.
- They can move easily in urban and rural settlements.
- Because of the heavy-duty tires, the wheeled excavator can easily cross paved surfaces on job sites easily.
- The wheeled excavator is fuel-efficient.
- The spare parts of wheeled excavators are readily available.
Cons of A Wheeled Excavator
- Due to its bogginess, it can only be driven by an expert.
- It has a high cost of maintenance.
- The Wheel loaders
The wheel loader is a typical example of a beast in the metal body. It has increased performance, with a good fuel combustion engine. The wheel loaders can be very helpful in road, bridge, foundation and drainage constructions.
Pros Of A Wheel Loader
- It has an awesome fuel combustion rate,
- It provides comfortability for the driver
- The wheel loader has good mobility.
- All the spare parts are readily available.
Cons Of A Crawler Excavator
- It can’t be driven on all terrain.
- It has a high cost of maintenance.
Replacing worn-out parts in tractors, machines, or finding a replacement for an old machine can be a difficult task if you don’t know where to source for and buy these spare parts.
Some important parts of your machine can be a burden to you when you don’t know what and where to buy.
All you need to Know About your Hydraulic Pump.
The hydraulic pump is the heartbeat of every machine. Without the hydraulic pressure and flow, the machine comes to a stop. Your machine can be in a good shape, but without a good hydrostatic pump, it can’t function.
What Do You Need To Replace a Bad Hydraulic Pump?
- You need to know the maker of the pump you are replacing.
- You need to know the maker and a serial number of the machine.
- You should also pay attention to all the little details which include, the number of ports on the pump, the type of shaft the pump uses, the mounting flange, etc.
What next after Noting the Details of the Hydraulic Pump?
You should pay attention to the warranties carefully printed on the pack of the pump, if they are too good to be true, be rest assured that it is not a fair deal. Most pumps, spare part stores offer one/two years warranty.
Note that if the pump gets bad due to lack of maintenance, the warranty doesn’t cover that.