Aggregates Manager Digital Magazine
Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/103664
EQUIPMENT MANAGEMENT Tires Radial tires are commonly used on wheel loaders in mines and quarry operations for their durability and high bias properties that provide performance in all weather conditions. However, rough terrain can be extra punishing on tires over time if they have undetected leaks or are not properly inflated. Those responsible for equipment fleets should check their wheel loader's maintenance manual for the proper psi and inflate the tires accordingly. "In addition to the correct pressure, routine maintenance and inspection of tires would not be complete without a thorough visual inspection to make sure no sizeable chunks of tread are missing and that the bead line and the rim are intact," Ellis says. Brakes Routine daily maintenance and good pre- and post-use inspections are critical for maintaining your wheel loader. mised components as soon as possible. A wheel loader's attachments, such as buckets and pallet forks, are some of the most popular and hard-working tools in mining and quarry applications and deserve the same attention as the machine itself. Visual checks of these components should include hoses and tilt-and-lift cylinders to determine if wear is developing or damage has occurred. There are other items on bigger buckets that have a working life as well. The operator should look at the condition of wear plates and bolted-on cutting edges, as well as attachment pins, to make certain they fit snug and properly. One of the most important routine maintenance procedures required on a wheel loader is properly working brakes — at all times. Due to the nature of extracting an underground product, some mines and aggregate processing facilities have aggressive grades and often congested work spaces. For these reasons, operators must be able to stop their equipment and hold it with the machine's parking brake whenever necessary. MSHA Title 30 CFR 56.14101 states, "Self-propelled mobile equipment shall be equipped with a service brake system capable of stopping and holding the equipment with its typical load on the maximum grade it travels." The federal regulation, available online at http://www.msha. gov/30cfr/56.14101.htm, also provides a table for evaluating the performance of service brakes. Driveline Ellis states that wheel loaders may frequently travel through a wash pool typically found in larger concrete plants or quarries to remove slush or material buildup. "The driveline needs to be checked periodically to make sure there's no leaking at the seals and that axles are protected. It's better to take the time to catch a small failure before it becomes a catastrophic failure," Ellis adds. Fluids, oils, filters According to Shane Reardon, Doosan wheel loader product specialist, fluids such as engine oil and coolants are key elements to engine compartment maintenance. Reardon says equipment managers should complete fluid checks using dipsticks and sight glasses, and refer to their operator's manual for instructions on filling their machine with the appropriate fluid in the correct increments at the recommended intervals. He also suggests that maintenance technicians resist the urge to use non-OEM specified filters. "It's important to make sure you're getting the best filtration properties and monitoring the same quality performance over the course of recommended maintenance intervals," Reardon says. Advanced fluids The majority of new wheel loaders entering the market have been engineered with engine enhancements and/or after-treatment systems. They are designed to clean diesel engine exhaust and meet the EPA's emission standards for interim Tier 4 (iT4) engines. While each equipment manufacturer has a slightly different emission strategy, it's more important than ever to follow their guidelines for maintenance and service. Whether a manufacturer's diesel after-treatment system is a cooled exhaust gas recirculation (CEGR) or the selective catalyst reduction (SCR) technology — or a combination of the two — these new technologies require advanced fluids to avoid costly repairs. For instance, all machines using the AGGREGATES MANAGER January 2013 31