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Dozer definition7/12/2023 There will be times during the day where an operator will be required to run in reverse. Side loading the machine and working on too steep of slopes. ![]() Operating excessively in reverse, especially at high speeds.Some of the most detrimental operating procedures that cause premature wear include: It can set up like concrete and prevent the rollers from spinning freely.” Basic Rule #2 - Eliminate or minimize procedures that cause excessive wear “It’s important to clean the tracks while the dirt is still moist because even in relatively good conditions, there can be buildup. “We want to encourage operators to remove debris at the end of the day,” says Chuck Murawski, product manager, dozers, Komatsu America Corp. To make it easier to keep the undercarriage clean, Komatsu America has added a bracket on the back of some of its dozer models to accommodate a shovel, which can be used to clear any dirt, mud, etc. “At the end of the day, the material needs to be cleaned off any undercarriage because it can settle, pack or freeze and cause added stress and wear to the undercarriage components.” “In soft conditions, mud gets picked up and dumped onto the top of the track,” says Tolomeo. This is particularly important in northern climates where material can freeze inside the track during the winter months.”ĭaily cleaning can also help protect seals. “At the end of a workday, operators should clean out any mud or debris from the undercarriage. “Keeping the undercarriage clean is a dirty but necessary job,” says Bauer. “If you know you are going to be operating in an environment where you have material that collects in the undercarriage throughout the course of the day, you might want a little more track sag at the beginning of the day so as the material packs in, it still maintains optimum tension.”īecause conditions can change throughout the course of the day, Bauer suggests checking track tension when the machine settles into any new working environment.Īccommodating for potential dirt buildup doesn’t negate the need to keep the tracks clean, however. “Evaluate jobsite conditions and the material you are running in,” says Oliver. Track tension can be affected by operating conditions - in particular, those where debris can get caught in the track and ultimately tighten the tension. “If a track is too loose, it can also create instability and potentially cause the tracks to derail,” adds Bauer. “A track that is too tight also robs the machine of its power as it actually takes more effort to turn the track.”Ĭonversely, too little tension causes the track to sag, creating too much slack and possible premature failure, explains Jonathan Tolomeo, product marketing manager, HST crawler dozers, Komatsu America Corp. “When the tracks are too tight, it creates added load on specific contact points, such as the bushing to the tooth at the sprocket, the chain link to the roller and the idler to the chain, all of which can accelerate component wear,” says John Bauer, brand marketing manager, Case Construction Equipment. Follow the guidelines since too much or too little tension can cause premature wear, as well as potential failure. Reference the operator’s manual for track tension recommendations and check tension at the beginning of each shift. “There is a direct correlation between track tension and track wear,” Oliver points out. That means it’s important to get back to the basics of how to maximize undercarriage life.” Basic Rule #1 - Maintain proper track tension ![]() We can no longer assume that one of the best operators will be running that dozer. ![]() That makes discussing the basics of undercarriage maintenance and dozer operation return to the top of the list when a machine is delivered to a customer. “However, over the last couple of decades, very good, skilled operators are harder to come by. “It used to be the most skilled operators on a jobsite ran dozers, motor graders and excavators because that’s where the expertise is most needed,” he continues. But what has changed is the ability to attract and retain skilled operators. “From an operator perspective, a lot of the talking points we discuss today are the same talking points we addressed years ago,” Oliver says. Revisiting the basics is especially timely given the changes that have taken place in the construction industry over the past number of years. “However, there are a lot of basics that hold true.” “There is no one solution to prolonging the life of an undercarriage,” says Mark Oliver, product marketing manager for crawler dozers/crawler loaders, John Deere. Having to replace it early because of premature wear can be both frustrating and expensive, especially considering that its price tag represents the greatest percentage of owning and operating costs for the machine over its lifetime. It’s costly enough to replace a dozer undercarriage when it has served a long, useful and expected life.
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