Tips for Excavator Maintenance

Keeping up with excavator maintenance is the best way to ensure your equipment runs well for years and stays out of the service shop. You may not be able to prevent every possible issue, but you can certainly limit the number of times you’ve to visit a mechanic. At FMI Equipment, we not only like to connect our customers with the right equipment, but we also like to help them take the best care of it. Read on to learn how to perform DIY excavator maintenance steps to keep your machine in tip-top shape. For all your excavator needs, visit us at our dealership in Spokane Valley, Washington.

Consult the Owner's Manual

Every excavator has a recommended maintenance schedule for changing the engine oil, coolant, filters, and gearbox oil, among other things. The owner's manual will provide key insights on what specific tasks you'll need to do, the timeline for the tasks, and whether there are certain types of products you need to use. If you follow the recommended schedule, you’ll avoid any costly repairs or even complete failures, which can cost you time and money.

Visual Inspection

Before you can begin to work on your excavator, take a moment to give it a good once over while looking for any obvious problems. Examine the undercarriage closely. Look for loose bolts on the track and tighten them if necessary. Clear out debris from the undercarriage and adjust track tension if necessary to avoid excess wear. Inspect the sprocket and drive at the rear of the track for oil leaks and make sure all bolts are tight. The propel gearbox is often overlooked but is a vital component of machine performance. Gearbox oil should be changed at approximately 1,000-hour intervals, depending on the recommended maintenance schedule.

Swing Bearing and Gear Maintenance

The swing gear is often overlooked but is a vital component of machine performance. Both the bearing and the gear should have proper lubrication. Make sure the bearing is greased properly and inspect the swing gear to make sure enough grease is present and water or dirt hasn’t leaked into the compartment.

While performing these excavator maintenance steps, if you uncover the need for a repair that you can’t handle yourself, visit the service department at FMI Equipment in Spokane Valley, WA. We proudly serve those in Spokane, WA, and Coeur d'Alene, ID.