Landscape & Irrigation

March 2017

Landscape and Irrigation is read by decision makers throughout the landscape and irrigation markets — including contractors, landscape architects, professional grounds managers, and irrigation and water mgmt companies and reaches the entire spetrum.

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30 March 2017 Landscape and Irrigation www.landscapeirrigation.com TOOLS AND EQUIPMENT ■ BY MIKE HALE When using an earth drill to install fence posts, deck footings or landscaping, a well-maintained machine is key to ensuring productivity. Mechanical earth drills have many moving parts and some simple maintenance goes a long way toward keeping you up and running with every drill component in top-notch shape. Completing routine, preventative maintenance allows you to achieve the most uptime for your hole-digging projects and keeps your drills moving along. Preventative maintenance starts with checking wear parts. 1) Transmission/gearbox Check the transmission oil level every 30 days or after 40 hours of operation. Problem indicators: Inspect the transmission or gearbox immediately if it begins making unusual sounds or experiences extreme heat. An operator can detect extreme heat if they smell burnt oil or feels warmer than usual. Unusual sounds and heat are the first problem indicators, and, if ignored, the motor might start to lock up when in use. This could be a sign of low oil. If you spot oil leaks along the top of the transmission, around the bottom seal and the lower output shaft, check the fluid in the gearbox and change the oil if necessary. 2) Flexible drive shaft Examine, clean and grease the flexible drive shaft after every 50 hours of operation. Problem indicators: Replace the shaft housing if there are deep cuts or torn wire braids in the rubber casing. Replace the core of the flex shaft if you find broken wires, sharp kinks or if the motor runs and the gearbox will not turn. Doing so ensures the shaft will function properly. Also remember to use caution when applying grease — excessive grease can gum up in the flex shaft, reducing the shaft's life. Not enough grease can dry out the cable, which will break easily or generate enough heat to burn through the outer housing. If you hit too many hard objects, like rocks, it will result in helixing of the flex shaft. This damage can cause it to lock up or diminish performance. 3) Clutch Check the clutch every 30 days or when you lubricate the flexible drive shaft. Clean the shoes and drums and replace if any clutch padding is missing. Problem indicators: The clutch slipping or the drill jerking ALL PHOTOS PROVIDED BY LITTLE BEAVER INC. Check the transmission oil level every 30 days or after 40 hours of operation. The clutch slipping or the drill jerking while it's running is a problem indicator. Mechanical Earth Drill Maintenance Simple maintenance on mechanical earth drills goes a long way toward keeping operators up and running with every drill component in top-notch shape.

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