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.

2. Myth: A Leaking Final Drive Motor Means It’s Beyond Repair

Reality: Leaks don’t always signal that a final drive motor needs replacement. Often, the issue is due to worn seals, overfilled fluid, or other repairable problems. Taking the time to diagnose the source ASAP cause can save unnecessary repair expenses. 

Some people think leaks are just part of owning equipment, but hydraulic fluid and gear oil leaks can be highly problematic for your final drive motors. Keep an eye out for leaks, such as puddles of oil under the machine or visible oil on the motor housing, and keep in mind that the more fluid there is, the more likely it is that the leak is on the hydraulic side of your final drive. Most leaks are as simple as replacing a seal or gasket.

3. Myth: Hydraulic Contamination Is Rare and Not a Big Concern

Reality: Contamination is one of the leading causes of hydraulic motor failure. Dirt, water, or metal particles in the hydraulic fluid can damage components, reduce efficiency, and shorten the motor’s lifespan. Proper filtration and regular fluid changes are crucial.

In fact, we can’t emphasize this enough. If either the hydraulic fluid or gear oil in your drive motor ends up contaminated, it will create worse problems. Contamination issues either lead to further problems (e.g., air in the fluid and cavitation) or generate more contamination (e.g., more metal slivers and particles because abrasive contaminants are present).

Another source of problems with contamination is the case drain filter that is prevalent in Bobcat machines. The case drain is a low-pressure line from your final drive motor to the hydraulic reservoir. When that filter gets clogged, pressures will build up to the point that your final drive motor ends up totaled. Replace the case drain filter when you replace the other hydraulic filters on your machine.

4. Myth: If the Final Drive Motor Works, It Doesn’t Need Inspection

Reality: Just because the motor seems to be working fine doesn’t mean there aren’t underlying issues. Routine inspections can help catch problems like wear, leaks, or contamination early, preventing costly downtime and breakdowns. Basically, if you wait until something breaks to inspect it, it is way too late. 

Check for signs of leaks, regularly check the gear oil levels, and notice any changes in your final drives’ performance. Just because it works today doesn’t mean it will work tomorrow.

Conclusion

Your final drives are critical to your work and the performance of your machines. We promote regular maintenance to help you keep your final drive motors running. If something goes wrong, remember that we’ve got your back with reman services and an extensive inventory of final drives ready to ship (including reman and aftermarket). If you need help with your final drive, contact us today -- we’ve got your back.