In this Shop Talk Blog post, we are going to look at three skid steer loader trends that stand out as we go into the new year. As we looked over the data, we were most impressed by three things: focus on operator comfort and productivity, self-driving skid steer loaders, and solid tires.
Jim Strong
Recent Posts
When a final drive has been pulled from a active machine, it is going to be a mess -- caked over with dirt or clay, smeared with gear oil and maybe the aftermath of a hydraulic leak, perhaps rusty in a few spots, and definitely in need of a good cleaning before it is opened up. In this Shop Talk Blog post, our topic is cleaning up that final drive inside and out. This should especially be of interest to hydraulics shops that may see quite a few final drives passing through their shop for maintenance on a regular basis.
Experts estimate that up to 50% of your maintenance costs and 20% of your CTL / MTL original cost comes from the undercarriage alone. Obviously, the undercarriage is important - but what exactly is it? Hint: the final drive is a part of it! In this Shop Talk Blog post, we are going to discuss the term undercarriage as it applies to compact track loaders and multi-terrain loaders, including what parts are included in the undercarriage and what purposes they serve.
Although hydraulic filters are not a common topic, they are an important part of your hydraulic system. Failure to use them correctly can impact every component of your machine, right down to your final drive motors. In this Shop Talk Blog post, we are going to talk about some important things to remember about filters in a hydraulic system.
We know that final drive motors aren’t cheap, and any downtime with your machine is costly. You want to get your replacement final drive installed as quickly and painlessly as possible, and avoid future problems that might come as a result of a poor installation. Here are some tips for installing a final drive with just those goals in mind.
With all the flooding that took place in the Houston area this year (as well as many other places around the world), flood damage is at the forefront of many people's minds. With that in mind, here are some general guidelines to help with assessing your equipment after it has been subjected to flood waters.
The Kubota KX71-3 is a powerful compact excavator with a reputation for reliability. Find out what we discovered when we “autopsied” a final drive taken from a Kubota KX71-3 -- you might be surprised at what took down this final drive motor!
Before we wrap up 2017, we at Texas Final Drive wanted to let you know (or to remind you, if you already knew!) about something that will save you a lot of money if you’re looking to purchase new or used equipment before the end of the year. Yes, this includes final drives!
Not all movie stars are flesh and blood -- some are made of metal! In this Shop Talk Blog post, we take a lighthearted look at the use of construction equipment in films, from the silent movies all the way up to Alien: Covenant.
In this Shop Talk Blog post, we are going to debunk four dangerous myths about undercarriage maintenance for compact track loaders and multi-terrain loaders. These myths include when to replace undercarriage parts, how often the undercarriage should be cleaned, the importance of daily walkarounds, and track tension.
