Shop Talk Blog

When a final drive starts acting up, the instinct is to jump straight to "I need a new one." Sometimes that's true. Often it isn't. A weak charge pump, a clogged case drain filter, tracks set too tight, or a machine stuck in high-speed mode can all mimic final drive failure perfectly. And if you replace the drive without finding the real cause, you'll be back in the same spot in a few hundred hours, except now you're out the cost of a motor too.

This guide pulls together everything we've learned diagnosing final drives at Texas Final Drive. From the questions to ask before you even open a toolbox, to symptom-by-symptom troubleshooting, to the tests our techs actually run in the shop, you can find information here. Whether you're running a single skid steer or managing a fleet, the goal is the same: figure out what's really wrong before you spend a dollar fixing it.

Your Bobcat is down, one final drive is toast, and now you've got three quotes in front of you: OEM from the dealer, a new motor from a parts supplier, and a remanufactured one for a lot less. They can't all be the same, so what are you actually paying for?

Every one of those three options can get your machine back to work. But they're not interchangeable when it comes to lead time, cost, and what's actually backing you up if something goes wrong. Here's what's really different, and how to pick the right one without overpaying or getting burned.

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

• Finding the Right Final Drive for Your Skid Steer or Compact Track Loader
• Bobcat Final Drives: Leaking Seals and Crossrobbing
• Bobcat Final Drive Basics

What "OEM" Actually Means (and What It Costs You)

OEM means the part came from Bobcat's own supply chain, carrying the Bobcat part number and built to the exact factory spec for your machine. There's no guessing on fitment, and for a machine still under factory warranty, it's often the only option that keeps that warranty intact.

Here's the catch: final drive motors aren't a part your dealer keeps ten of on a shelf. They're a special-order item on most models, and you can be looking at days to weeks of downtime waiting on a backorder. You're also paying full dealer markup, which is typically the highest of the three options by a wide margin.

OEM makes the most sense when:

• The machine is still under Bobcat's factory warranty and you need to preserve it
• You're required to use OEM parts for a fleet compliance or resale reason
• Lead time isn't your biggest constraint

If you've ever popped the hood on a 100°F+ afternoon and felt heat radiating off your machine before you even touched it, you already know what we're about to explain. That same kind of heat can affect your final drive motors, too. According to Brendan Casey in Machinery Lubrication, overheating ranks second on the list of the most common problems with hydraulic equipment.

We’re going to talk about what's happening inside your final drive motor when it's this hot, and what you can do about it.

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

• Bobcat Final Drives: Leaking Seals and Crossrobbing

• 5 Gear Oil Mistakes That Can Kill Your Final Drive Motor

• Reman Final Drives in a Greener World

What Does Heat Do to a Final Drive Motor?

Here's the simple version of what's happening “under the hood”:hydraulic fluid is supposed to be thick enough to keep a protective film between all those moving metal parts inside your final drive (e.g., gears, bearings, the works). Think of it like the difference between spreading cold honey and warm honey. Cold honey holds its shape and coats things nicely. Warm honey runs thin and slides right off. Yourhydraulic fluid and gear oil do the same thing when the Texas heat gets into them: they thin out, and that protective film gets thinner right along with them.

Your drive motor just died and work has come to a grinding halt. You need a replacement quickly and have to submit some RFQs to different dealers. It may seem like a waste of valuable time, but the more info you can provide about the final drive that failed the faster you'll get that quote and the more accurate it will be.

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

• Identifying the Hydraulic Ports on Your Final Drive Motor
• Dual Speed and Single Speed Final Drives
• 5 Ways to Void Your Final Drive Warranty

You've reached the point that the final drive on your skid steer loader or compact track loader just has to be replaced. So what do you need to know before you order one?

Here are a few other Shop Talk blog posts that you might be interested in:

• Daily Maintenance for Skid Steer Loaders
• CTL/MTL Undercarriage Basics
• Final Drives: Why Not Just Buy Used?

Bosch Rexroth is a well-known company that, among other things, provides power and hydraulic solutions. Many of these solutions are for mobile equipment used by construction, agriculture, forestry, and more. In this Shop Talk blog post, we're going to delve into the Rexroth hydraulic motors and planetary drives used on machines like mini excavators and skid steer loaders.

Here are a few other Shop Talk Blog posts you might be interested in:

• Hints and Tips for Buying a Replacement Final Drive Motors
• Eaton JMV Series Track Drives
• Hard to Find Final Drives

Surface damage such as  scratches or pitting on key parts inside your final drive may not seem like a big deal, but you'd be surprised at the impact they can have on your drive motor's performance.

Here are a few other blog posts you might be interested in ...

• Damaged Final Drives: Brakes
• Damaged Final Drives: Radial Piston Motors
• Bobcat 331 Mini-Excavators

Sometimes the most economical option is not to replace your final drive with a new or non-OEM drive but to rebuild your existing drive. In this Shop Talk Blog post, we are going to talk about a recent JCB 190T final drive motor that we rebuilt here at the shop.

Here are a few other blog posts you might find of interest:

• How Much Do You Know about JCB?
• 5 Cool Facts about CTL and MTL Excavators
• Compact Track Loader Final Drives: 5 Signs They Need Service

You've got an older machine that the OEM doesn't support anymore and one of your final drive motors has gone out. What are your options? Find out!

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

• 10 Step Final Drive Reman Process
• What Are My Options for Replacing My Final Drive?
• Rebuilding a Rexroth Caterpillar Final Drive Motor

Did you know you can invalidate the warranty of your final drive motor if you make the mistake of dry starting it after you’ve just installed it? Read on to learn what a dry start it, how it can damage your motor, and how to keep it from happening to you.

Here are a few additional posts you might be interested in ...

• 5 Ways to Void Your Final Drive Warranty
• How to Check and Change Your Gear Oil
• Tips for Installing a Final Drive