Daily Maintenance Tasks
Proper inspection and maintenance will prolong the life of your equipment and minimize downtime for repairs. Some maintenance procedures are performed daily while others are less frequent.
Before performing maintenance procedures, remember to park the machine on a level surface to ensure that fluid levels are indicated correctly. Be sure to relieve hydraulic system pressure and lower all equipment to the ground. Finally, engage the parking brake and lock the transmission in neutral. At a minimum, daily maintenance tasks should include:
Grease:
The dozer has a number of grease points otherwise known as grease nipples. Exact locations vary by machine but generally include bearings, u-joints, linkages, hinges, pins, etc.
Using grease track tension is adjusted by cylinders in the track assembly.
Remember to wipe off grease nipples before use to prevent abrasive particles from entering during application.
Cleaning:
Remove any garbage from the cab. Look for and remove any accumulated debris from engine, pivot points, etc. Wipe up any excessive grease. Clean windows and mirrors.
Air Induction:
Proper air filtration is essential to protect the engine from dust and other contaminants. Even a small amount of dust can cause major damage or greatly reduce the service life of your engine. Your goal is to ensure that the filter, the housing, and the steel and flexible ('rubber') lines leading to the engine are in perfect condition, and that all connections are secure. The system must completely prevent contaminants from entering the engine.
Fuel System:
Operators are often expected to change fuel filters. The details of the process vary depending on the machine, but include the following points:
Engine Oil:
Hydraulic System:
Cooling System:
Battery and Electrical:
Proper inspection and maintenance will prolong the life of your equipment and minimize downtime for repairs. Some maintenance procedures are performed daily while others are less frequent.
Before performing maintenance procedures, remember to park the machine on a level surface to ensure that fluid levels are indicated correctly. Be sure to relieve hydraulic system pressure and lower all equipment to the ground. Finally, engage the parking brake and lock the transmission in neutral. At a minimum, daily maintenance tasks should include:
Grease:
The dozer has a number of grease points otherwise known as grease nipples. Exact locations vary by machine but generally include bearings, u-joints, linkages, hinges, pins, etc.
Using grease track tension is adjusted by cylinders in the track assembly.
- Apply 2-3 shots for small areas like fan bearings, small u-joints, linkages, hinges, etc.
- Use 8-10 shots for common pins and bushings
- 20 shots are common in situations where one nipple feeds a large area
Remember to wipe off grease nipples before use to prevent abrasive particles from entering during application.
Cleaning:
Remove any garbage from the cab. Look for and remove any accumulated debris from engine, pivot points, etc. Wipe up any excessive grease. Clean windows and mirrors.
Air Induction:
Proper air filtration is essential to protect the engine from dust and other contaminants. Even a small amount of dust can cause major damage or greatly reduce the service life of your engine. Your goal is to ensure that the filter, the housing, and the steel and flexible ('rubber') lines leading to the engine are in perfect condition, and that all connections are secure. The system must completely prevent contaminants from entering the engine.
Fuel System:
Operators are often expected to change fuel filters. The details of the process vary depending on the machine, but include the following points:
- Use a filter wrench to remove the spin-on type (counter clockwise to loosen threads).
- Lubricate the seal of the new filter.
- Clean the area and avoid contact of the filter with any thing that could be oily or dirty - the goal is to keep the filter mounting face completely free of contamination. Even a small amount of contamination can do serious damage to the injection pump and injectors.
- Carefully align the filter with the mounting threads, avoid cross threading, and spin on (clockwise to tighten). Tighten until the seal fully contacts the housing, and then continue to twist the filter by hand only another 3/4 of a turn. Do not over torque. A filter wrench is not necessary to achieve the correct torque.
- Loosen (don't remove) a bleed screw or fitting on the outlet circuit of the filter housing to allow air to escape.
- Operate the priming pump until clear fuel, without air bubbles, escapes from the bleed screw.
- Tighten the bleed screw or fitting carefully - these are fragile and will be easily broken by over tightening.
- Start the engine and inspect the filter and bleed screw or fitting for leaks.
- Note that using the priming pump as the only means of removing air helps to reduce the risk of contaminants. Some operators and mechanics choose to pre-fill the filter with fuel. Remember that the outer ring of the filter face has small holes leading to the outer section of the filter element, and the larger, center hole is the outlet port. Fuel poured into the center hole will leave the filter without going through the filter element - potentially causing contaminants to enter the injection pump.
Engine Oil:
- check that the engine oil level is in the safe operating range and top us as required
- remember to use the correct type and viscosity as advised by the manufacturer
- when checking the level or when adding oil, be careful to avoid contamination with dirt or water
Hydraulic System:
- check the hydraulic fluid reservoir and top up if necessary
- be careful to avoid contamination with dirt or water
Cooling System:
- Check the coolant level and make sure it is at the specified level - generally at least one inch over the core "fins"
- Never open the radiator cap on a hot engine - the system is pressurized when hot and will cause coolant to be rapidly expelled from the system resulting in injury
- Check the radiator and oil cooler if equipped for debris or dirt buildup blocking air flow
Battery and Electrical:
- check battery connections for tightness and corrosion
- clean or tighten as required
- note any loose or damaged wiring/connections, battery connections/corrosion
- check electrolyte fluid level and top up if necessary Note: The majority of modern batteries are maintenance free, sealed units so this will not be necessary. Check that any vents are clear of debris. Clean if needed. Carefully wipe any visible residue from the top of the battery. Accumulated fluids can cause a "trickle" power discharge.