Equipment 101 | Swing Reduction Unit Care to Reduce Excavator Warranty Claims
Excavators may be big, heavy machines, but it takes many moving parts for them to perform their work. In order to keep them running smoothly and on the job – and to prevent having to make a excavator warranty claim — a comprehensive preventive maintenance plan is essential. Something owners and operators rarely think about is the swing reduction unit or assembly (SRU).
Excavators in particular use a repetitive motion – both side-to-side and up-and-down – for digging and moving material. Because of that, the wear and tear on those parts is common but also commonly overlooked.
How It Works
The SRU consists of a hydraulic motor, a sun gear, planetary gears and a gear housing. It enables the upper house of the machine to swing the boom, the arm and attachment to different locations to dig and grade as necessary. It also works the hydraulics to allow digging in multiple places. This is a crucial part of any excavator and could be very costly to replace. Having an excavator warranty could save your company money down the road.
What Could Go Wrong?
Seals fail over time. Gears and bearings can fail. Not only could these parts fail and have to be replaced, the labor cost to remove and rebuild the SRU can add up quickly. Not to mention the downtime while your excavator is out of service or you’re waiting for a backup machine to arrive.
How to Prevent Problems
Daily pre-work visual inspection of hoses, seals, etc. is essential. Be sure the operator is also performing a daily check of fluid levels. Ensure your preventative maintenance services are done on time, and retain documentation of those services for your records. You’ll need this data for your own business planning, but also in the case of any future warranty claim. Both base warranties and extended warranties will require proof of maintenance as part of any claim adjustment.
Something Could Still Go Wrong
Even when all of the correct maintenance is handled properly, failures can still occur. That’s why your machine comes with an OEM warranty when new and why it’s so important to further protect your investment with an extended excavator warranty.
