Lubrication help

1. #1maddog2010-04-15 08:11

   To much grease will not hurt it, infact grease is what keeps them going strong. I'm not sure about your ring gear though, on my JCB it says to only grease every 200hrs. If it gets over greased it will blow out the seals. I grease{everything but ring gear} atleast every 8 hrs of running time. If in muddy wet{pond} stuff I grease every 4 or so.

2. #2daman2010-04-15 19:59

   I'll just add to maddogs post use a good grease,something moly fortified 5% aluminum complex base NOT lithium base,lithium wont stand up to washout pound out. i use Schaeffer's #238 on my stuff great grease stays where it's put last a long time.

3. #3papafarmer2010-04-16 10:38

   Thanks! I have a dozer that has lubrication requirements in the final drive, all rollers, etc. and so with the excavator, I'm afraid that I'll overlook a lube point and do some damage. This excavator is new to me, and if I had the lube guide or chart to refer to I could see to getting it lubed up if the previous owner (an unknown quantity) didn't get it done. Any idea where such a chart or guide might be had? The flippin' manual doesn't seem to be attainable.

4. #4papafarmer2010-04-16 10:41

   Thanks Daman; Like I told maddog, the lube points on the excavator are unknown to me; I can find the fittings that are obvious, but the rollers, final drive etc are new to me and I would hate to overlook some serious lubing and bust this fine old machine.

5. #5daman2010-04-16 11:21

   Sure understood thats why you ask.

6. #6strott2010-04-16 14:51

   From my experience of smaller mini's the only grease required on the undercarriage area is when tensioning the tracks, I believe the rollers e.t.c are all sealed - someone please correct me if i'm wrong!

7. #7maddog2010-04-17 08:28

   My rollers are also sealed. Papafarmer; I'm not sure where to find the chart you're looking for, maybe you could get a hold of a Hitachi dealer? :beatsme Sorry I can't be of more help.

8. #8littlejoe42010-04-18 22:40

   You should be able to get he maintanance manual from the dealer, they will charge you for it, I just got a cat 303 cr with no manual, cat dealership got it for me cost over 100 dollars for it though ( parts manual and O and M manual)

9. #9papafarmer2010-04-20 21:43

   Thanks! From what I gather you're right about the undercarriage grease requirements.

10. #10papafarmer2010-04-20 21:47

    Thanks! I guess I'll have to pay the dealer his pound of silver....eventually.

11. #11papafarmer2010-04-20 21:49

    I'm kinda new to excavators, have an older IH dozer that needed grease in the rollers and the final drive needed lube, etc, so I figured the Hitachi would be the same. Thanks for the input....

12. #12strott2010-04-21 15:44

    I know what you mean, I have tracked skip loading dumpers with basically the same size undercarriage as the micro excavators e.t.c and the dumpers need all the rocking rollers and drive sprockets greasing but the mini's dont need a drop of grease!! weird?? :beatsme

13. #13papafarmer2010-04-24 21:35

    Yes, it seems odd that with all the junk those tracks go through that they can go hour after hour without needing to be greased, but I'm no engineer...just a poor dirt farmer. Thanks for the input Strott..

14. #14strott2010-04-25 14:28

    I think dozers and tracked dumpers have rocking rollers whereas minis have fixed rollers - therefore you are actually greasing the 'rocking' joint as well as the rollers!!

15. #15papafarmer2010-04-26 22:16

    This site sure is an education! Glad I found it, and thanks again for your help. Someday I may know enough to answer instead of ask....