Shop Talk Blog

Think final drive motors don’t need maintenance? Think again! While they’re built to last, ignoring routine care can lead to big problems down the road—like leaks, breakdowns, or even total failure. The good news? A little maintenance goes a long way in keeping your equipment running smoothly, saving you time and money.

In this post, we’re busting common myths about final drive motors and sharing simple tips to keep them in top shape. Let’s dive in and set the record straight!

Here are a few other blog posts that might interest you:

• Final Drive Motor Maintenance: Key Practices to Extend Equipment Life
• Catastrophic Failure: Why Gear Oil Maintenance is So Important
• Hydraulic System Health: Preventive Maintenance for Compact Equipment

1. Myth: Final Drive Motors Are Completely Maintenance-Free

Reality: While final drive motors are durable, they must be regularly maintained. Maintenance includes: 

• Checking and changing the gear oil
• Cleaning the undercarriage and around the final drive
• Fluid analysis

Besides the obvious benefits of maintenance, it also ensures the life of your final drive, enhances efficiency, and helps promote excellent performance. If you don’t want to be stranded with a compact machine that won’t move or have to pay costly repair or replacement costs for your final drive, maintain your final drive motors. Neglecting maintenance can lead to decreased machine performance, increased fuel consumption, and even total machine failure.

Hydraulic systems are powerful and complex,  which is why there is so much emphasis prioritizing safety during maintenance. Discover essential practices that ensure your safety and the longevity of you and your equipment.

An accident involving hydraulic fluid (or hydraulic equipment in general) can be serious (and sometimes fatal), so this Shop Talk Blog post deals with key safety practices. 

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

• Skid Steer Safety and Lift Arms
• Man Killed in Bobcat Skid Steer Loader Accident
• Unusual Excavator Accidents

When considering environmental sustainability, you don’t usually think of your older model skid steer loader. So many of these machines are well-made to the point that they can last for years and years. And many of us have machines that weren’t built for the environment. But did you know that you can still contribute to a green world with old machines?  This Shop Talk Blog post discusses how reman final drives can help you contribute to a greener world - regardless of the age of your machine.

Here are some related Shop Talk Blog posts:

• Final Drive Cores
• 10 Step Final Drive Reman Process
• Reman Bobcat T190 Final Drives

The choice of materials used in your final drive motor is extremely important. The engineers behind hydraulic motors don't randomly choose what type of steel or brass to use. So here is a quick introduction to one of the characteristics engineers consider: material hardness.

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

• Real-Life Bearing Failure
• Four Horrifying Final Drive Failures
• Why Metal Surface Finish Can Be Important for Final Drives

We’ve heard that some of our customers are having difficulty finding replacement Takeuchi TL8 final drive motors outside of the dealer. That’s why we’ve been remanufacturing so many lately. Learn more about the Takeuchi TL8 compact track loaders and the final drives we have in stock for them. 

Here are a few other Shop Talk Blog posts ...

• Takeuchi Trivia
• Reman Bobcat T190 Final Drive Motors
• Replacing the Drive Motors for a CTL

What does catastrophic failure caused by a lack of maintenance look like? Let’s look at an example: a totaled planetary on a John Deere 332 final drive.

Here are some other Shop Talk Blog posts that might be helpful:

• Guidelines to Final Drive Maintenance
• Gear Damage in a Final Drive
• Autopy Hy-Dash Final Drive

It always seems like final drives decide to fail at the worst possible moment, and when that happens, you usually have to make some quick decisions about a replacement. One of those options available to you would be reman (remanufactured) final drive motors, but used final drives are another. Which one is the best?

Discover the key differences between remanufactured and used final drive motors and why reman is a better option.

Here are some other Shop Talk Blog posts you might find interesting:

• Your Worst Nightmares About Final Drives Come to Life
• 6 Sure Ways to Sabotage Your Final Drive
• Unusual Excavator Accidents

Maintaining optimal hydraulic cleanliness is essential for maximizing system efficiency, minimizing wear and tear, and extending component life. Here are 20 industry best practices to keep your hydraulic systems running smoothly.

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

• Understanding ISO 4406: The Basics
• How to Achieve ISO 4406 Cleanliness Levels

It’s that time of year when Santa Claus is at his busiest -- along with his elves. And he owns a fleet of compact equipment critical to things running smoothly during the holidays. Let’s sneak a peek at what happens in the North Pole with Santa’s fleet and the elves responsible for it.

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