Two of the most common mistakes regarding maintenance of wheel loaders are not performing daily maintenance and not treating Tier 4 aftertreatment systems with care, according to Aaron Kleingartner, marketing manager for Doosan.
“Operators who overlook daily maintenance, such as properly greasing pins and checking bushings, are more likely to experience unplanned downtime,” Kleingartner says. “It’s also important to inspect ground-engaging attachments like buckets, and operators should replace teeth or cutting edges as needed.”
As for Tier 4, Kleingartner points to the sophistication of aftertreatment systems such as selective catalyst reduction.
“Wheel loader operators should avoid idling the machine,” he says. “Simply put, if the machine is not working, it is best to turn it off. Extended machine idling can be detrimental to the selective catalyst reduction components.
“Also, diesel exhaust fluid needs to be properly stored and handled with care to keep it free from contaminants, Kleingartner says. “If not taken care of properly, wheel loader managers may experience unplanned downtime and fall behind on project schedules.”
The flip side of daily maintenance and careful attention to aftertreatment care can be performing some maintenance tasks too often. John Deere’s product marketing manager for utility wheel loaders, Chris Cline, explains.
“One thing I’ve noticed is that many customers are changing their hydraulic fluids and oils more regularly than recommended. While this is not a bad thing, it does cost the customer a lot of unnecessary dollars over the life of the machine,” Cline says.
“My recommendation is to sample and test the fluids regularly and monitor their condition. This will help determine when the oil needs to be changed and it will also help potentially identify an imminent failure of a major component before it fails,” Cline says.
“This could save the customer a great deal of money by fixing the problem before it becomes catastrophic.”
