Aggregates Manager

March 2014

Aggregates Manager Digital Magazine

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13 AGGREGATES MANAGER March 2014 F act: approximately 20 percent of the purchase price and 50 percent of the maintenance cost of a dozer sits in its undercarriage. at's a lot of money tied to one component. Of all tracked machines, a dozer undercarriage experiences more force, abrasion, and resistance than any other piece of equipment. Keeping that undercarriage in good working order will go a long way toward reduc- ing maintenance costs and optimizing your working hours. In this article, we will cover tips on how to prevent and minimize undercarriage wear, maximize undercarriage life, and lower owning and operating costs. We'll follow that up with e Dozer Health Check- list. As with all equipment, it's o en the small stuff that can trip you up. Daily maintenance and upkeep is critical to overall machine health. Follow these important steps to ensure overall machine health — and see how new technologies can help you keep track of your service demands. e undercarriage and the operator e undercarriage of a dozer is built on a system of moving components: rollers, idlers, tracks, and other parts. What many don't know is that how the ma- chine is operated plays a critical role in the health of the undercarriage. Important operating tips include: • Make wider turns. Counter-rotation, or pivot turns, causes accelerated wear. Make wider more gradual turns, such as Y-turns, when possible. • Work up and down on slopes. Constant operation on a slope or hill in one direction can accelerate wear Daily walkarounds, preventive maintenance, and a focus on the health of its undercarriage will drive a dozer's performance. by John Bauer and Brad Stemper Continuous turning on the same side can cause asymmetrical wear and accelerated wear. Make every effort to balance the direction of turns throughout the day. If it's not possible, check for wear more often.

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