Shop Talk Blog

Your CTL (Compact Track Loader) depends on the final drive motors to keep it running. When a final drive fails, costs include repair/replacement and expensive downtime. Extending the useful life of your final drives reduces downtime and repair costs, meaning a better profit margin and more productivity.

In this Shop Talk blog post, we’ll look at tips for extending the life of CTL final drives, focusing on maintenance and inspection, operating practices, and track tension and alignment.

Here are a few other Shop Talk blog posts you might find useful:

• CTL / MTL Undercarriage Basics
• Self Driving Track Loaders
• CTL Final Drives: 5 Signs They Need Service

In the previous Shop Talk Blog post Understanding ISO 4406: The Basics we went over why cleanliness codes are important to you then talked about what the ISO 4406 digit codes represent. This time we're looking at how to use ISO 4406 to set and achieve cleanliness goals for your hydraulic systems.

Your compact equipment and final drives depend on the smooth flow of hydraulic fluid to transmit power and control motion. However, the presence of contaminants in the hydraulic fluid can adversely affect not just system performance but its longevity as well. And that is where ISO 4406 comes into play.

In this Shop Talk Blog post, you’ll learn why cleanliness codes should be important to you, followed by what the ISO 4406 digit codes represent.

Here are a few other Shop Talk Blog posts you might find helpful ...

• Results of Hydraulic Contamination
• 8 Reasons Why You Shouldn't Ignore Your Hydraulic Motor
• Of Turkeys and Bobcats

Discover the detrimental effects of gear oil contamination on your final drive and learn how to prevent it. This comprehensive guide provides valuable insights into the various forms of contamination, their impact, and essential preventive measures.

Preventive maintenanceensures the longevity and efficient performance of the hydraulic systems that provide power and functionality to your compact equipment. This Shop Talk Blog post reviews a checklist of routine maintenance tasks to minimize wear and tear, leaks, and other common issues.

Here are a few other Shop Talk Blog posts you might find helpful:

• Hints for Inspecting a Used Compact Excavator
• Preventive Maintenance and Compact Equipment
• Skid Steer Maintenance Safety

Bolts are critical to keeping your final drive motor together and running. In this Shop Talk Blog post, we're going to look at bolt preload and how it works.

Here are a few other interesting Shop Talk Blog posts you might want to check out:

• Hydraulic Contamination Failure Categories
• Loctite and Final Drive Motors
• Zombies and Remote Control CTLs and SSLs

Are you excited about top-notch quality assurance? So are we! Dive in with us as we highlight the journey of how we make sure the final drives and hydraulic motors we repair and re-manufacture pass with flying colors!

Nabtesco is one of the most popular brands of travel motor. In this Shop Talk Blog post, we’ll look into the company and what types of final drive motors they manufacture.

Here are some Shop Talk Blog posts you might like:

• Nachi Wheel Motors
• Dynapac: Fast Facts
• Common Bobcat Final Drive Motor Issues

Mechanical fasteners join things together, whether bolts holding the hubs of your final drive motor together or a circlip used to keep the cover plate in place. In this Shop Talk Blog post, we’ll explore the different types of fasteners you may find in your final drive motor.

When hurrying to reassemble your final drive motor, it’s tempting to torque one bolt and move on to the next adjacent bolt. But that isn’t a wise choice. In this Shop Talk Blog post, we’ll discuss why the sequence in which you tighten bolts is important and then look at what can go wrong when you don’t.

Here are a few other Shop Talk Blog posts you might enjoy:

• Bolts, Torque, and Final Drives
• Loctite and Final Drive Motors

Bolts fall under the category of mechanical fasteners whose job is to hold things together. Bolts not only hold your final drive together, but they also hold your drive motor to your machine. We know they must be extremely strong, considering the massive pressure within your final drive. However, how you install and torque them can compromise their ability to hold things together.