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I am trying to understand / interpret one recommendation I read on a Caterpillar website for maximizing excavator life:

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Never dig over final drive.

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Can anyone explain what this means? What's the "final drive" and what does digging over it mean?

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Todd Takala
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curious_cat
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1 Answers1

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The final drive is the planetary gear set and hydraulic motor that move the track. Not digging over it means not operating the arm over that area as it stresses the components unnecessarily - so to avoid this it means positioning the machine correctly before starting work or changing its position during work.

final drive

Todd Takala
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Solar Mike
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    An excavator has two sets of tracks. The final drives are planetary gear sets with hydraulic motors attached to rotate. Each final drive has sprocket segments bolted on the housing which engage the track bushings to move the track. Digging over the final drives can cause loaders to be applied to the roller bearings inside which reduce life if the excavator is rocking / tipping during operation. Digging over the track idlers on the opposite end of the track frame is advisable because the idlers use a pin and bushing instead of a roller bearing. The pin and bushing design carriers loads better – Todd Takala Nov 08 '17 at 01:21
  • None of our tracked machines had two sets of tracks - too expensive an investment. also not all excavators are tracked. – Solar Mike Nov 08 '17 at 03:28
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    Caterpillar excavators are tracked. Backhoes have rubber tires. I do work as an engineering manager at a Caterpillar distributor, and have been in the business for 20 years. Please see Caterpiillar's description of these machines. [backhoe](https://www.cat.com/en_US/products/new/equipment/backhoe-loaders.html). [excavator](https://www.cat.com/en_US/products/new/equipment/excavators.html) – Todd Takala Nov 08 '17 at 05:23
  • There are 2 sets of track assemblies of each tracked machine. Two sets of tracks, not 4. – Todd Takala Nov 08 '17 at 05:32
  • Please explain the text in the original post then – Solar Mike Nov 08 '17 at 05:45
  • A better description would have been “each machine has 1 pair of tracks” – Solar Mike Nov 08 '17 at 05:47
  • And what “loaders” are applied? – Solar Mike Nov 08 '17 at 05:48
  • @curious_cat , would you please clarifiy your orinal post, so we can best support your issue? We are being confused by the nomenclature. Do toy have an excavator or a backhoe? Tracks or tires? – Todd Takala Nov 08 '17 at 12:57
  • A set of tracks refers to one track link assembly. I apologize for using industry jargon. – Todd Takala Nov 08 '17 at 13:01
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    Can this all be summarised as: "Only **cut earth** in front of the idlers, **do not cut earth** behind the driven axles or to the sides of the tracks. Once the bucket is full, you can **empty the bucket** at any angle relative to the tracks."? –  Nov 09 '17 at 09:39
  • How about “for good practise see youtube... :)” – Solar Mike Nov 09 '17 at 13:37
  • @Wossname One may dig or dump with the bucket in any position; however, it is best practice to not dig over the final drives. Also, for backhoe loaders, the side outriggers shall be down to prevent damage to the wheels and differentials – Todd Takala Nov 09 '17 at 22:09