If you operate with excavators, loaders, and other types of heavy equipment, you need to make sure their undercarriages are in good shape. Broken parts or a worn-down system put your entire vehicle at risk and can cause serious issues for you and your workers.

Therefore, it’s important to make undercarriage maintenance part of your routine. No matter what kind of work you do, you need your machines to be in good condition. Stay on top of inspections, repairs, and other routine care with our ultimate guide to undercarriage maintenance.

The Importance of a Good Maintenance Routine

Every type of industrial machine benefits from a quality maintenance routine. Whether you work in construction, mining, forestry, or another industry, you rely on your equipment to handle big jobs with power, safety, and efficiency. If your equipment’s undercarriage isn’t up to the task, you can’t get the job done.

Good undercarriage maintenance ensures safety, efficiency, cost-effectiveness, and performance. Neglecting your machine’s undercarriage can lead to serious damage that puts your employees, equipment, and materials at risk. Moreover, poor maintenance leads to higher repair costs and longer machine downtime when things go wrong.

A proper maintenance routine does more than protect your equipment. The more care and dedication you put into undercarriage maintenance, the smoother operations will be in the long run.

Inspect Undercarriages Daily

The first step in our guide to undercarriage maintenance is a daily inspection. Any time you operate your machine, you need to first check that everything is in working order.

Start with a visual inspection. Walk around the machine and remove any buildup of dirt or debris in and around the undercarriage. Next, look for obvious signs of damage; this might include dents in the exterior, bent track pads, worn parts, or leaks beneath the vehicle. Additionally, look for any sprockets with sharp points, as these are indicators that the part is worn down and ready for replacement.

Your operators spend more time around your machines than anybody else. Having workers perform a daily inspection makes it easier to catch issues—like uneven wear and tear—before they become complicated problems that cost your business a significant amount of time and money.

Operate With the Right Tracks

The type of tracks your equipment uses helps ensure better performance and safe operation. The conditions of your jobsite will determine which track materials are best for your machine.

Steel and rubber are the primary options for track materials. Steel tracks are stronger and more durable; they offer excellent traction and stability, making them ideal for larger machines, such as hydraulic excavators. However, steel tracks tear up the ground and can cause damage to your jobsite, especially if you’re working on more sensitive or finished surfaces like grass, turf, or concrete.

Rubber tracks, on the other hand, are a flexible yet tough option that provides excellent support and control. Rubber tracks offer a lighter footprint to help you work on more delicate jobsites without damaging the ground.

Choosing the right tracks for your equipment is a key part of responsible operation, which in turn keeps your entire machine in great condition while you’re on a jobsite.

Be Wary of Improper Track Tension

Your undercarriage maintenance routine should also include checking track tension. When tracks are too loose, your machine’s undercarriage undergoes unnecessary stress. On the other hand, tracks that are too tight create extra resistance and wear down undercarriage parts faster.

Checking track tension needs to be part of your regular undercarriage maintenance routine. Inspect your machine’s sag—the dip in the upper plane in the track—to make sure the track isn’t too loose or too tight. Refer to your equipment manual or manufacturer guidelines to determine the proper amount of sag for your machine.

Note that caked-on debris like mud, snow, or sand can increase resistance in your equipment’s undercarriage and affect track tension. If you’re working in messy conditions, take the time to check track tension more frequently, and clean off debris so you can preserve the undercarriage and continue to operate efficiently.

Clean Undercarriages Regularly

Regular cleaning is a simple yet essential part of routine maintenance. Built-up dirt increases wear and tear and leads to parts breaking down faster. Thorough cleaning routines protect your machine’s parts from unnecessary wear and tear and help the undercarriage and all of its components operate at maximum efficiency.

There are several tools and resources you can use to effectively clean your machine’s undercarriage. A power washer is useful for blasting debris away from undercarriage parts. For lighter cleaning jobs, you can simply hose down the undercarriage to remove debris. You can also use compressed air to remove dirt and debris from the undercarriage assembly. Alternatively, you can invest in specialty tools to clean the undercarriage. For example, a specially designed track spade makes it easy to remove rocks, dirt clumps, and other debris from your machine’s tracks.

Train Employees in Best Practices

Competent operation is essential for preventing unnecessary damage to your equipment. Knowledgeable, diligent employees are more likely to keep your machine safe and minimize equipment issues.

Train workers to understand and follow best practices surrounding operation, equipment inspection, damage reporting, and other key aspects of maintenance. When employees understand the importance of your maintenance routine, your entire team can work together to keep machines in pristine condition.

Remain Diligent With OEM Maintenance Schedules

The specifics of your maintenance routine will depend on the type of work you do and the equipment you’re using. Pay attention to the original equipment manufacturer’s suggestions for inspections, checkups, and other crucial maintenance tasks. Following these standard maintenance schedules requires a little effort now, but it can save you a lot of hassle later by avoiding major complications and repairs.

Keep Spare Parts on Hand

Even with the best maintenance routine, you can’t prevent every issue. However, keeping spare parts on hand allows you to perform repairs and replacements quickly. Instead of waiting for parts to ship or for service technicians to make their way to your location, you can grab what you need from your in-house inventory and get your machine back up and running with minimal downtime.

High-quality aftermarket parts make it easy to keep the heavy equipment replacement parts you need on hand. Make hassle-free repairs and replacements part of your maintenance routine when you purchase heavy equipment undercarriage parts from Tractor Zone. Let our experts guide you to the precise components you need when you contact Tractor Zone today.