When your excavator tracks are too tight or too loose, you risk excessive undercarriage wear. The undercarriage supports the entire weight of the excavator. A few small adjustments can go a long way to improving equipment performance and your bottom line.
Ensure your undercarriage can handle the job and minimize your operating costs by making excavator track inspections part of your regular maintenance program.
How to Tighten Excavator Tracks
If you have the tools and a safe environment to do the work yourself, you can learn how to adjust tracks on any size excavator. Always work on solid, level ground and follow all safety procedures involved when performing any maintenance or repairs.
In most cases, adjustments take four steps:
- Lift the track: Turn the cab perpendicular to the undercarriage and lower the boom. Dig the scoop in and use the boom to push the side of your excavator into the air — high enough for you to work on comfortably.
- Clean the track: Clean out any dirt and debris before starting the excavator track adjustment. This process will remove anything that could interfere with your track tension and make it easier to see what you are doing.
- Take your measurements: Measure how much your excavator tracks sag to see what you need to do. Use a tape measure and get an accurate measurement from the lowest point of your track to the track shoe’s upper face.
- Perform any adjustments: You can find out how tight your excavator tracks should be in your operator’s manual. If yours are out of spec, you’ll need to adjust your grease levels until the track tension fits your recommended parameters.
How Do You Grease Excavator Tracks?
To grease excavator tracks, remove the cover plate that shields your grease fitting and adjuster valve. If you want to increase tension, use your grease gun and add grease. To loosen excavator tracks, bleed the adjuster valve until you’re satisfied with the results.
Get Excavator Parts
If you need parts to complete your excavator track adjustment, another maintenance service or a repair, Prime Source has what you need. Our online parts store is home to a massive selection of aftermarket options for all makes and models. You can also visit us for in-person assistance from someone who knows about excavators.
Professional Excavator Track Adjustment and Replacement
Add more hours to your workday with trained experts taking care of your equipment. At Prime Source, our equipment services include all levels of maintenance and repairs to keep your equipment in peak condition, including adjusting, repairing and replacing excavator undercarriages of any size.
Our team can also tell you when it’s time to think about replacing your excavator undercarriage and tracks to avoid costly repairs down the line. Your equipment may be ready for replacement parts, components or a new undercarriage if you are hearing unusual noises, having operational difficulties or requiring frequent adjustments or repairs.
Schedule Excavator Track Adjustment
With any heavy equipment, you need to stay on top of your services to get the best performance and keep expenses to a minimum. At Prime Source, we make it easy to keep up with routine maintenance needs. We have all the parts you need with nationwide shipping and a fully equipped repair shop with trained technicians who can handle any service.
Schedule your excavator service online today, or call 704-597-0030 to get more information about our different undercarriage services.