A bulldozer’s undercarriage parts withstand most of the wear and tear of the entire vehicle. This wear and tear can add up and lead to equipment failure and downtime without the proper inspection, maintenance, and repairs. Don’t let faulty equipment get in the way of your construction and landscaping jobs. Prevent downtime by inspecting your equipment’s undercarriage regularly. Follow this guide on how to measure your bulldozer’s undercarriage wear to get a better idea of your equipment’s condition.

Importance of Checking Your Bulldozer for Wear

As mentioned, it’s important for your equipment’s performance to regularly check its levels of wear. Inspecting your bulldozer with the proper tools and checklist helps you understand its current condition and schedule any needed repairs before the equipment malfunctions. If you can catch prominent levels of wear and tear early, you can prevent downtime and accidents that follow equipment failure. Downtime wastes valuable time on construction sites and can cost your business money in repairs and delays. Completing inspections and preventative repairs helps create a more efficient and safer industrial workspace.

What You’ll Need for Bulldozer Measurements

To perform the best inspection for wear and tear on your bulldozer, you’ll need a few simple tools. Pack your tool bag with an extra-long tape measure, a set of calipers, a straight edge (such as a yardstick or wood plank), a depth gauge, and other small measurement tools. These tools will help you measure specific parts and features of your dozer’s undercarriage. For example, a longer tape measure is necessary for reaching the track’s full length, while you’ll only need smaller calipers for measuring sprockets and rollers. You’ll need these to record your dozer’s current measurements and compare them with the recommendations in your user’s manual.

Start With a Visual Inspection

Before you begin measuring specific parts of your bulldozer, it’s important to start with a clean slate. Wash down your equipment’s undercarriage to provide a better view for your visual inspection. Once your equipment is clean and dry, look for signs of basic structural damage such as uneven parts or large cracks. Additionally, check for access moisture that could have come from a leak or faulty oil filter. When your equipment’s fluids leak out, it could cause additional damage. This is why fluid issues are important to repair right away.

Check Undercarriage Components for Wear

After completing your cursory inspection, use your measurement tools to help identify levels of wear on individual parts of the undercarriage. Measuring the current size and position of individual parts provides a better understanding of how much wear they have accumulated based on your operating hours. Here is a more detailed look into measuring some common individual parts.

Top and Bottom Rollers

The top and bottom rollers provide movement and clearance for the dozer’s tracks. Rollers reduce the pressure that the vehicle takes from contacting the ground. This means that the rollers can take a lot of pressure themselves, which leads to increased wear. When measuring an equipment’s rollers, use a set of calipers that will stay in place to record an accurate measurement. Hold the calipers on either side of the roller and use a straight edge ruler to find the measurement between each point.

Sprockets

A machine’s sprockets are one of the biggest indicators of its level of wear. These components are common in dozers and excavators and withstand tough conditions from operating the wheels. These usually show lateral wear and sharpened edges after lots of use. If you notice your gear rings becoming sharper, this could be a sign your sprockets are getting old. Use a small measure such as a caliper to record their current length and width and compare them with your manufacturer. You can also check the bushings that connect to the sprockets for flattened center areas. Again, use a caliper for an accurate bushing measurement.

Tracks and Tires

It’s easy to spot large areas of wear and tear on heavy equipment tires because they make up a large portion of the undercarriage. However, your equipment parts could be past saving if you notice large cracks or sagging tracks too late. This is why regular inspections and scheduled maintenance are so important.

You can record dips in the tracks by measuring the tread from the front roller to the back roller, and then measuring the length of the dip. This is where it helps to have a piece of flat material, such as a yardstick or piece of wood plank. Placing the flat surface across the track can help you better visualize how much your track is sagging. Some dips will be noticeable to the naked eye, but others can be more difficult to spot without this flat material for reference.

Cross-Reference Measurements With Your Manual

The final step in measuring your bulldozer’s wear patterns is to reference the manufacturer’s guide or user’s manual. You’ll find a complete list of recommended measurements for each part and recommended steps going forward. Some dozers even have a decal printed near the cabin that will reference measurements, fluids, and other handy charts.

Stay Ahead of Maintenance With Spare Parts

During your inspection and measuring session, you should schedule your machine for maintenance if you notice certain parts have experienced a heavy amount of wear or damage. However, you can stay ahead of your scheduled repairs by stocking your own replacement parts from Tractor Zone. We supply all the dozer undercarriage parts you might need during an inspection. Stock up on heavy equipment parts that see some of the most wear and tear and need frequent replacement, such as bolts and bushings.

Now that you know how to measure your dozer’s undercarriage wear, you’ll have a better idea of your equipment’s condition and when to schedule repairs. Completing regular inspections and maintenance is key to preserving your machinery and getting the most operating hours out of it. Remember that you can also get ahead of scheduled maintenance by stocking spare parts yourself from our selection at Tractor Zone. We carry all the spare parts your dozer needs from all the best brands. Browse the rest of our site to find your brand and model in our parts lineup today.