There are a range of factor which contribute to wear and damage on your heavy machinery’s undercarriage parts. By being aware of causes of damage, you can maintain your equipment much more effectively, keep productivity high, reduce costs down the line and improve safety.

1. Improper Track Tension

Improper track tension is the leading cause of damage to your heavy machinery’s undercarriage parts. If track tension is too tight, you risk prematurely wearing out rollers and idlers and your tracks can tear; too loose, and manoeuvres on uneven ground can be dangerous. Monitoring and adjusting your undercarriage track tension is important and should be done intermittently throughout jobs and when changing terrain. Remember, softer and muddier ground generally requires slacker tracks, whereas rocky or harder ground needs tighter tracks.

2. Build-Up of Dirt and Debris

Allowing dirt and debris to build up can easily cause damage to undercarriage parts. Certain materials like clay or sand can increase track tension when solidified. Furthermore, rubber tracks can stretch or break entirely if too much dirt builds up, resulting in avoidable costs and downtime.

To avoid premature wear and breakage caused by dirt and debris, ensure that cleaning with a shovel is performed regularly throughout the day, and if possible make use of a pressure washer at the end of the day to remove dirt from harder to reach crevices in the undercarriage. This will also avoid materials drying or freezing on your undercarriage overnight, preventing a much more difficult task the next day. 

3. Improper Operation

Improper operation of heavy machinery can speed up damage and wear on undercarriage parts. This includes excessive reversing, high speeds, sharp turns and excessive slope work.

Reversing

Excessive reversing can wear out the sprockets and bushings on your undercarriage. Limit reversing, and where unavoidable, keeps speeds to a minimum to reduce the wear rate.

Speed

High speeds are another cause of undercarriage damage. Operators should take care to limit their speed in order to preserve bushings, pins and sprockets.

Turns

Sharp turns, like pivot turns and counter turns, increase wear and tear and can even lead to de-tracking of rubber tracks. Avoid sharp turns and make wider turns instead to preserve your tracks and reduce the likelihood of de-tracking and impact damage to the side wall.

Slopes

Driving heavy machinery on sloped terrain can accelerate undercarriage damage due to uneven pressure exertion. Limit the amount of time spent on slopes in favour of flat terrain, and work up and down slopes as opposed to side to side, since this evens out the pressure exerted on undercarriage parts. It is essential to provide a safe method of work with risk assessments on site.

4. Lack of Inspection

A lack of regular, scheduled inspections can lead to increased risks of damage to undercarriage parts. Without checking equipment regularly, it’s impossible to notice breaks, cracks and wear until it’s too late. This will lead to greater, more costly repairs down the line, as well as easily avoidable downtime and reduced productivity. Scheduling regular maintenance sessions, alongside frequent spot checks throughout the day, means that you can rest assured knowing that your heavy machinery’s undercarriage is in full working order.

For information on how Jaytrac can help you with your heavy machinery’s undercarriage parts, please don’t hesitate to call us on +44 (0) 1604 491 133 or email us at sales@jaytrac.co.uk. Alternatively, fill out our contact form with any queries you have.