Large machines and vehicles such as pickup trucks, Bobcat bulldozers, or John Deere tractors, among others, will need all of their mechanical components in good working order so that the machine can go a fine day’s work. The final drive motor is one such device in a vehicle that may need some maintenance, and a final drive motor for Caterpillar bulldozers or Bobcat final drive travel motors may sometimes break down or get clogged, and in this case, the machine’s owner can take the afflicted vehicle in to a repair shop or order new parts from the manufacturer, such as John Deere final drive motors for a broken-down tractor as one example. A final drive motor is key for a vehicle moving on the job, and if a final drive motor is giving off symptoms of distress, such as smoke, rattling, or strange sounds, this is a clear warning that a bulldozer or a tractor is in need for repairs soon. How much work are tractors and construction vehicle doing in the United States today? As in, what sort of work might be compromised by a faulty final drive motor?
A Hard Days Work
Final drive motors can be found in bulldozers, backhoes, and farm tractors and combines, and thus should be kept in good shape so that a vehicle does not stall or get stuck during a day’s work. This factors in to the larger industries of construction, farming, and the building and repair of the industrial vehicles that do this work. Back in 2009, for example, the revenue of machinery maintenance and heavy equipment repair services across the United States added up to around $29 billion, and this figure has probably grown ever since as the industries themselves grow and more construction firms are set up. In fact, the construction equipment industry is due to grow about 12% from 2016 until 2026, and the number of people employed by the construction equipment operation industry may grow alongside this figure. As of 2016, some 426,000 people worked with construction equipment operation, and that total will probably be much higher in 2016.
Excavators, for example, will certainly have final drive motors in them, and they need all their components working well so that the excavator can move its heavy body and get some work done. In today’s industry, excavators vary in size and may weigh anywhere from 3,790 pounds all the way to a mammoth 188,716 pounds, and their net rated power may range from 14.5 horsepower at the lower end all the way to 512 horsepower, and they may dig as deep as 32 feet. Tractors, too, are hard at work, driving around the fields all day, as are combines. This means that the final drive motors of such large vehicles will need regular care.
Final Drive Motor Maintenance
Any responsible vehicle owner will keep up with maintenance needs. For example, a general guideline is for any vehicle owner to check final drive gear oil once every 100 hours of operation, or after one month of work, whichever comes first. This oil should be changed about once per year. On top of this, there may be some clear symptoms of issues with a final drive motor, such as smoke, strange noises, rattling, or even the vehicle stalling. Should this happen, the bulldozer, tractor, or combine should be taken in for repairs at a specialized shop. These vehicles are awkward to drive on public roads even in good working order, but fortunately, trailers are often available to transport them. Many construction vehicles or farm vehicles are purchased as package deals; that is, the vehicle is bought alongside a trailer that can accommodate the vehicle’s size and weight. This can be very helpful, and whenever a tractor or bulldozer suffers a final drive issue or a punctured tire, it can be loaded onto such a trailer and towed with a truck to a nearby repair facility. This can make the price of a bundle deal worth it, and some retailers may even offer discounts for bundle deals, but this may vary.