The maintenance of wheeled excavators is crucial for extending the service life of the equipment and ensuring operational efficiency. Its maintenance needs to be carried out in different dimensions such as daily and regular maintenance, combined with the characteristics of core components like tires, chassis, and engines. The following are detailed maintenance points:
I. Daily Maintenance (Before and After Daily Operations)
Exterior and Basic Inspection
Clean up dirt, gravel, and other debris attached to the vehicle body to prevent components from being corroded or stuck. Pay special attention to small stones in the tire tread to avoid scratching the tires during driving.
Clean up dirt, gravel, and other debris attached to the vehicle body to prevent components from being corroded or stuck. Pay special attention to small stones in the tire tread to avoid scratching the tires during driving.
Check tire pressure: Wheeled excavators rely on tires for load-bearing and driving. It is necessary to confirm daily whether the tire pressure meets the manufacturer's standards (different models have different pressures, usually marked on the side of the tire). Insufficient tire pressure will lead to increased fuel consumption and accelerated tire wear, while excessive tire pressure may cause a blowout on bumpy roads.
Check tire wear: Inspect whether the tires have cracks, bulges, uneven wear, etc. If the tread depth is lower than the safety line (usually 1.6mm), replace them in time to avoid the risk of slipping or blowout.
Fluid Level Inspection
Check the levels and conditions of engine oil, coolant, hydraulic oil, and transmission oil. If the level is insufficient, replenish the same type of oil in a timely manner. If the oil is turbid, emulsified, or contains impurities, replace it immediately and check for leaks.
Check the levels and conditions of engine oil, coolant, hydraulic oil, and transmission oil. If the level is insufficient, replenish the same type of oil in a timely manner. If the oil is turbid, emulsified, or contains impurities, replace it immediately and check for leaks.
Check the fuel tank: Confirm the fuel quantity before daily operations to avoid engine shutdown due to lack of fuel. Regularly drain water and sediments from the bottom of the fuel tank (especially in humid environments) to prevent clogging of the fuel filter.
Functional Testing of Key Components
After starting the engine, let it idle for 3-5 minutes, observe whether the dashboard indicators are normal (such as oil pressure, water temperature, hydraulic system pressure, etc.), and start operations only if there are no abnormalities.
After starting the engine, let it idle for 3-5 minutes, observe whether the dashboard indicators are normal (such as oil pressure, water temperature, hydraulic system pressure, etc.), and start operations only if there are no abnormalities.
Test the hydraulic system: Operate actions such as the boom, bucket, and rotation, check for jamming, abnormal noise, or oil leakage. Ensure that the hydraulic pipelines are firmly connected and the seals are not aged or damaged.
Check the braking system: Including service brakes and parking brakes. Test the braking effect on a flat road. If the braking distance becomes longer or the vehicle deviates, check the wear of the brake pads and the brake fluid level.
II. Regular Maintenance (According to Operating Hours/Cycles)
- Engine Maintenance
Oil and filter replacement: Replace the engine oil every 200-300 hours according to the frequency of use (the cycle should be shortened in harsh environments such as dusty and high-temperature areas). At the same time, replace the oil filter to prevent impurities from entering the engine and wearing parts.
Air filter: Clean it every 50-100 hours (blow from the inside out with compressed air) and replace it every 500-800 hours. Especially in dusty environments, check it frequently to avoid insufficient air intake, which may lead to reduced engine power and increased fuel consumption.
Fuel filter: Replace it every 100-200 hours to prevent impurities in the fuel from clogging the fuel injectors and affecting engine performance.
- Hydraulic System Maintenance
Hydraulic oil and filters: Replace the hydraulic oil every 1000-1500 hours (adjust according to the oil test results). At the same time, replace the return oil filter and suction oil filter. Before replacement, thoroughly clean the hydraulic oil tank to avoid residual old oil contaminating the new oil.
Hydraulic pipelines and seals: Regularly check whether the pipelines are aged or cracked, whether the joints are loose, and whether the seals (such as O-rings) are leaking. Replace damaged parts in time to prevent insufficient system pressure due to hydraulic oil leakage.
- Chassis and Tire Maintenance
In-depth tire maintenance: Check the uniformity of tire wear every 300-500 hours. If there is uneven wear, adjust the wheel alignment (toe-in, camber) to avoid premature tire scrapping due to incorrect alignment. When inflating the tires, keep the air pressure of the tires on the same axle consistent to prevent deviation during driving.
Rims and bearings: Check whether the rims are deformed, whether the bolts are tight, and whether the bearings are making abnormal noises or loose every 1000 hours. Add grease if necessary to prevent bearing damage due to overheating.
Drive axle and transmission: Replace the transmission oil and drive axle gear oil every 1500-2000 hours. Check whether there are metal debris in the gear oil (if so, it may be gear wear, which requires disassembly and inspection).
- Maintenance of Other Components
Slewing mechanism: Check the lubrication of the slewing bearing every 500 hours, add special grease to ensure smooth rotation without jamming. Check whether the slewing motor is leaking oil and whether the gearbox oil level is normal.
Braking system: Check the thickness of the brake pads every 1000 hours (replace when worn to 1/3 of the original thickness). Replace the brake fluid every 2 years and perform exhaust treatment to avoid air entering the brake pipeline and affecting the braking effect.
Electrical system: Regularly clean the oxides on the battery electrodes and apply Vaseline to prevent corrosion. Check whether the lights, horn, instrument panel, etc., are working normally and whether the wire harness is damaged.
III. Maintenance Notes in Special Environments
Muddy/dusty environments: Thoroughly clean the chassis and tires after operation to prevent mud accumulation from blocking the heat dissipation holes. Increase the replacement frequency of air filters and hydraulic oil filters to avoid impurities entering the system.
High-temperature environments: Check the coolant level and the function of the cooling fan. Clean the dust and debris on the surface of the radiator to prevent the engine from overheating. Use high-temperature resistant hydraulic oil to avoid oil deterioration due to high temperatures.
Low-temperature environments: Preheat the engine before starting in winter (a glow plug or external heating equipment can be used). The hydraulic system should idle until the oil temperature rises above 20°C before operation. After shutdown, drain the coolant (if using ordinary coolant) or replace it with antifreeze to prevent the water tank from freezing and cracking.
Summary
The core of wheeled excavator maintenance is to balance the particularity of tires and the universality of mechanical systems. Pay attention to daily inspections of tires and basic functions, maintain key components such as the engine and hydraulic system regularly according to the cycle, and adjust maintenance strategies according to the environment. Only in this way can the failure rate be minimized and the cost performance of the equipment be improved.
