Southeastern Equipment’s technicians are trained to identify undercarriage problems before major repairs are required. By measuring the thickness of the undercarriage components, our technicians can predict how long your undercarriage will last before replacements are needed. During preventive maintenance service, we include undercarriage evaluations at no charge.
Undercarriage Maintenance Tips
Extend the life of your undercarriage by following a few simple rules.
Create a Planned Maintenance Schedule
Routine inspections can help identify how much life is left in your undercarriage. It is recommended that you set a benchmark to measure the undercarriage, bushings, and rollers. Rotate the components 180 degrees if they have been reduced to 85% of their original diameter. By gauging wear over time, you can determine the life expectancy of the undercarriage.
Check the Jobsite and Plan Appropriately
Before work gets started, check the ground conditions and terrain on your jobsite. Firmness, terrain variety, and slope are all important factors. Determine what kind of tracks are more appropriate for the conditions and discuss the plan with your operators.
Properly Train Operators
Properly trained and informed operators will follow best practices that minimize wear and tear on the equipment. Make sure that your operators are properly trained and understand signs of potential problems and how to obtain the best performance from the equipment.
Avoid Sharp Turns
Counter rotation, or pivot turns, can cause unnecessary wear and tear to the undercarriage. Instruct your operators to make wider, more gradual turns whenever possible.
Operate from Flat Surfaces
Try to operate on flat surfaces wherever possible. Avoid traveling on terrain that is uneven or has obstructions. Because constantly operating in one direction on hills can accelerate wear on the undercarriage, spend as little time as possible working on slopes. If it is necessary, try to work up and down the slope to minimize wear.
Avoid Digging over the Sprocket
Digging over the sprocket can cause bushings to crack or break by putting additional stress on the track shoes and the track link assembly. Operators should dig over the front idlers to properly transfer the vertical load and avoid damage.
Utilize Telematics
Machine telematics can provide critical maintenance and operating data on undercarriage wear and tear. Pay close attention to the machine operating hours to schedule undercarriage maintenance on time and avoid repairs and downtime.