You’re wrapping up a long day when you notice something small, like sluggish travel speed, uneven tracks, or a dark spot under your machine. It’s easy to ignore, right? And doesn’t seem to be a big deal. It can wait a few days. But far too often, a few days turn into weeks and months, and minor issues turn into significant problems fast. And keep this in mind: Every minute of downtime, every drop of leaking fluid, and every bit of neglect quietly eats into your bottom line.
In this Shop Talk Blog post, we’re going to look at five ways your mini excavator might be draining your wallet and what you can do about it.
Here are a few Shop Talk Blog posts you might find interesting:
If you don’t keep the tracks on your compact excavator at the proper tension, there’s going to be some problems. If you keep them too tight, you’re going to see excessive wear on critical components like the sprockets and rollers -- and your final drive motors. On the other hand, if the tracks aren’t kept tight enough, the tracks are more likely to slip and risk derailing in the middle of a job.
Both situations -- too tight and not tight enough -- also reduce efficiency. Worn parts will cost thousands of dollars in repairs, and while efficiency losses might not be as costly, they will wear away at your bottom line.
And here’s the fix: Check the track tension weekly and adjust it per the manufacturer's specs. It’s a five-minute job that saves thousands.
Over time, your gear oil is going to age, and aging gear oil can’t lubricate properly because key additives that make it ideal for equipment degrade. This is inevitably going to accelerate wear on parts like gears and bearings on the planetary side of your final drive motor.
In fact, this wear is going to generate abrasive particles and slivers that are only going to make things worse. It’s like a nightmarish domino effect. Before you know it, your final drive motor is totaled, and a replacement is expensive.
We recommend changing the gear oil every 500 hours or at least once a year. And that gear oil should be changed out more often if you’re mini excavator is working in muddy or wet conditions. Think about this lubricant as an investment in the longevity and value of your compact excavator.
We dwell a lot on leaks because we know the havoc they can wreak on final drive motors. First, you start losing the lubrication your mini excavator's final drive needs to protect the metal surfaces inside. That means accelerated wear and the domino effect we just discussed. But there’s another side to leaks that might be even worse. If gear oil or hydraulic fluid can leak out, then contamination like dirt, sand, grit, and water can get in. And that just makes the domino effect even worse.
So remember this: A small leak doesn’t look urgent until pressure drops or the motor seizes. Leaking fluid increases contamination risk, reduces performance, and wastes hydraulic oil.
This fix is simple: catch leaks early by checking undercarriage and motor seals after every job, and address them as fast as possible.
Did you ever think about the issues that can develop when you let first build up around the undercarriage, tracks, and final drives? Caked-on mud is dangerous because it traps moisture, accelerates corrosion, and hides damage. In severe cases, it can also grind away at the seals on your final drive, leading to leaks and causing seals or bearings to wear out early.
The undercarriage of your heavy equipment can account for up to 50% of your O&O costs over the lifetime of your machine. Rinse off your compact excavator after muddy jobs and keep the drain holes clear to minimize the chances of this occurring.
It's always tempting to save money by purchasing bargain parts. But it’s only cheaper in the short term. These bargain parts usually come with poor tolerances or unverified specs. And mismatched parts can’t void warranties and even damage other components. In short, what seems like a good deal can lead to a complete final drive motor replacement for your mini-excavator.
That’s why we encourage our customers to always verify part compatibility by serial number and source parts from trusted suppliers or reman shops.
The problems we’ve discussed here don’t hit all at once; they creep in slowly. But the good news is that a few small maintenance habits can protect your investment, extend equipment life, and keep you on schedule. If your mini excavator's final drive is showing signs of wear or leaks, contact Texas Final Drive for expert help finding the right replacement or rebuilding solution.