Undercarriage Maintenance

The moving components of the undercarriage are wear-items, meaning they are expected to wear over time in the process of doing their job. The bottom rollers carry the weight of the machine while it is traveling and digging. The front idler holds the track chain in proper alignment while the machine is traveling and acts as a shock absorber and chain tensioner.   

How to maintenance the undercarriage parts?   

1)Proper maintenance starts with a daily inspection or as soon as the machine returns. Use a track spade to clean the dirt from the top rollers and around the sprockets and idlers. The cleaning serves two purposes: to remove material that might freeze or dry overnight and cause components to be stuck in the first movement the next day, and to allow a visual inspection for loose, worn or missing components.   

2)A walk-around inspection is also in order. Track tension should be noted. There should be some slack in the chain, but not too much. Consult the operators manual for proper specification. If the chain is too tight it will wear all components at an excessive rate. If the track is too loose, it may come off while turning or on uneven ground.   

3)Check rollers, idlers and final drives for oil leakage.Rollers and idlers can be re-sealed if the outer shell has significant life left, but usually if the leak has gone on too long, there will be internal damage. It's more cost-effective to replace the component.   

4)Check for track wear. Tracks wear in three areas; link height, external bushing wear and internal pin/bushing wear,Link height is measured from the pad to the top of the link that contacts the roller. The roller surface of the link is heat-treated to improve durability, but a seized roller can quickly grind off this hardened surface and weaken the chain. Measuring the link height gives an indication of this wear.      

Good routine maintenance keeps the overall cost of ownership down.It extends the life of the wearing parts of the machine, such as sprocket, idler, chain and pads. It also stops vibration in the machine and damaging movement if these wear items are looked after well.