Centrax stocks only the highest quality undercarriage and undercarriage components being sprockets, track rollers, idlers (including idler rebuilds), sprocket segments, link assemblies and hardware. We have witnessed to a lot of what goes on in the field of mining and construction and over the many decades of being in the industry and building a solid reputation for our expertise we strongly believe that prevention is better than cure.
Regular undercarriage maintenance is essential to extract the best performance and life span of your heavy earthmoving equipment. With consistent inspection, your guys on site can often notice a few of the first signs of wear and tear catching potential major issues early on.
Undercarriage maintenance benefits
1. Safety
Top of our list is your safety. Regular undercarriage inspection and maintenance allow you to fix issues early on before they become a major safety concern.
2. Minimal repairs
Maintenance can deter heavy spending on avoidable repairs and damaged components. Making sure that changing necessary fluids and cleaning the undercarriage regularly can help reduce the need for repairs.
3. Improved performance
Dirty and worn parts can negatively impact machine performance. If caught early and properly maintained, undercarriage performance improves.
4. Resale value
Well looked after undercarriage will keep your heavy machines resale value where it should be.
Our top six tips for undercarriage maintenance
1. Cleanliness goes a long way
At the end of each day having operators clean the undercarriage of their equipment goes a long way to avoiding or delaying unnecessary downtime. Dirt and debris should be removed as it can accelerate unnecessary wear on parts and components.
Loosening and removing caked mud which weighs a machine down, can improve fuel economy.
When working in colder times of the year mud and debris can freeze causing the following problems:
- Rubbed bolts
- Loose guiding
- Seized rollers
2. Consistent undercarriage inspections
Get operators to inspect the undercarriage regularly. Excessive or uneven wear can be spotted early. Operators or owners must look for damaged or missing components and if the tracks have moved out of place.
Look out for any fluid leaks as this could mean a failed seal or roller.
Routinely address the following parts and components:
- Drive motor
- Main idlers
- Rollers
- Drive sprockets
- Track chain
- Track bolts
- Track tension
- Track shoes
- Rock guards
3. Stick to the basics
To keep your machines running smoothly stick to the basics:
- Take wide turns
- Minimize time on sloped surfaces
- Avoid harsh environments
- Minimize spinning
- Use correct shoe widths
- Pick the right grouser
- Adhere to proper digging techniques
4. Use grease wisely
Keeping undercarriage well-oiled allows for smoother operation of parts. Make sure to keep grease points lubricated at least according to the machine manufacturers standards.
Depending on the environment, your operator may need to grease the undercarriage once a day, or even a few times a day, to keep dirt out and reduce the build-up of debris.
Pro Tip:
Apply lubricant at the end of the workday instead of before. Oil is better received when parts are warm so doing this at the start of the day can be less effective as parts and components are cold.
5. Maintain correct track tension
Correct track tension helps to avoid unnecessary wear and tear. If the tracks are too loose, you may notice increased wear or slippage. When too tight, the tension can blow out bushings.
Tension is also environment dependent e.g. a machine works best with looser tracks in soft or muddy conditions.
6. Replace worn undercarriage parts
The best preventative measure an owner can do to save money on heavy earthmoving equipment is to replace worn or broken parts as soon as they are noticed. This of course can reduce the risk of major damage leading to excessive repair costs.
If you need help with your undercarriage
If you need assistance in undercarriage inspections, replacement of parts, idler rebuilds or new parts and components we have been in the industry since 1974 and have both the expertise and quality to keep your machine running at optimal performance.