What Measures Can Be Taken When Undercarriage Parts Wear Out

The undercarriage of excavator is a complex system. In addition to the four-wheel belt, it includes numerous components such as the track frame, tensioner, mounting bolts, and mounting brackets. Here, we explain the wear of undercarriage parts:

1. Wear of Track Assembly

 In a dry track link walking mechanism, unlike lubricated or sealed crawler tracks, the track assembly is not lubricated. This results in wear between the crawler pins and pin sleeves due to relative movement during operation. Although some wear between the pins and sleeves is normal, excessive wear lengthens the pitch of the crawler tracks, making them too loose. If this continues, the tracks may move sideways, causing wear on guide wheels, supporting rollers, sprockets, and driving gears, and further aggravating the wear of the pins and sleeves.

The wear of the track assembly is also evident in the reduction of the height of the crawler spurs due to ground contact and the reduction of the height of the crawler chain track segments due to contact with guide wheels and supporting rollers. Severe wear of the crawler shoes can result in a loss of traction for the bulldozer.

2. Wear of the Sprocket

 Sprocket teeth often wear at the root, front and rear sides, left and right sides, and top. When driving forward, wear occurs on the front side of the teeth as they lift the track pin bushing. Conversely, wear occurs on the rear side when driving backward. If the track is too loose and deflected, the teeth will impact the side of the track link, causing side wear on the sprocket teeth. Another form of sprocket wear is top wear, which happens when sticky materials fill the track and sprocket teeth, altering their meshing relationship. Forward driving leaves marks on the top of the back of the teeth on the drive side and on the pin bushing.

3. Wear of the Idler

The guide idler wears due to contact with the raceway surface of the chain track segment, while the guide wheel body protrusion wears due to contact with the side of the chain track segment. This wear manifests as a reduction in the width of the guide wheel body protrusion, the diameter of the guide wheel body raceway surface, and the diameter of the guide wheel body.

4. Wear of the Carrier Roller

The carrier roller wears due to contact with the raceway surface of the chain track segment. This wear is manifested as a reduction in the width of the carrier sprocket flange, the outer diameter of the carrier sprocket raceway surface, and the outer diameter of the carrier sprocket flange.

5. Wear of the Track Roller

Track roller wear, similar to that of sprockets and guide wheels, is caused by contact with the raceway surface of the chain track. The specific manifestations include reductions in the diameter of the outer flange, the raceway surface, the double-sided inner flange, and the width of both the double-sided inner flange and the outer flange.

Measures to Address Wear of Crawler Travel Mechanisms:

1. If early-stage wear is evident in the excavator travel mechanism, stop operations immediately to check the alignment of the guide wheel, sprocket, roller, drive wheel center, and the longitudinal center line of the travel frame.

2. To extend service life, swap the front and rear rollers, ensuring the positions of single and double rollers on the travel frame remain unchanged.

3. When parts of the travel mechanism are worn to their limit, consider repairing or replacing the guide wheel, sprocket, roller, drive wheel teeth, grouser, and chain link through surfacing welding.

4. If the track link pitch lengthens due to wear, reverse the chain link or replace it with a new one.

Aftermarket undercarriage parts for dozers and crawler excavators up to 800t in Origin Machinery, a good quality undercarriage product will help increase uptime and productivity while reducingoperating costs. Whether in mines or desert and Gobi areas, our undercarriage parts are fatigue-resistant, impact-resistant, and excellently sealed, contact us at sales@originmachinery.com for any your needs.