An excavator track undergoes a great deal of wear and tear. The tracks work on uneven terrain. This is why it’s so important to properly maintain the undercarriage. Also maintenance is necessary if you want to have the tracks working in right order. This not only helps the machine remain in top condition but also help elongate the life of the parts of an excavator like the sprocket, the idler and the chains.

All excavator tracks undergo wearing. The rollers carry the weight of the machine as it moves and digs into the ground. The idler helps to keep the track chain in proper alignment. However, using the machine wisely and ensuring its maintenance would help prolong the life of the excavator tracks.

In order to make sure the tracks remain in proper working order you need to be careful of the following

• If you notice the undercarriage is caked with dirt and debris, make use of a high pressure washer to wash away the dirt. During winters the water might freeze on the undercarriage and turn to snow. This constant melting and thawing of the ice on the undercarriage would cause unnecessary contracting and weaken the parts over time. It is important to place the excavator tracks in a smooth and dry place once the work is completed.
• Also make sure that the tracks aren’t always driven in the backward direction continuously driving the tracks back can make them lose traction and loosen the tracks over time. When moving in the right direction, excavator tracks work well and can be maintained easily.
• The digging should be carried over the idler and not on the sprocket. This also helps reduce the wear and tear.
• The machine should be equipped with the smallest shoe, this helps get the maximum amount of floatation. A shoe which is too large can cause the tracks to loosen over time. Also large shoes when used over sharp terrains can shorter the life of the excavator tracks.
• It’s also necessary to check the track tension on a daily basis. If it’s not possible to check it daily, you should make it a point to check it on a weekly basis and no less.
• When the conditions are soft and muddy you would need to slacken the tension a bit. For hard and rocky underground conditions the tracks should be tightened.
• Basically undercarriage inspection only involves checking the parts of the machine on a regular basis. Keeping the components of the undercarriage clean and maintaining proper tension.
• You can check for wear in the following ways. By checking the link height, the external brushing wear and the internal bushing wear.

It should be kept in mind that rubber tracks though workable are not as durable as steel tracks. If you plan to use the machine on a hard and rocky terrain, you would benefit from using steel tracks. Plus keeping the above mentioned points in mind would help keep excavator tracks up and running.