Drive axle installed on Shanmon backhoe loader can change the speed and torque transmitted by the gearbox, so as to transfer the kinetic energy to the wheels and achieve the effect of deceleration and distance increase. Therefore, the drive axle is a key component of Shanmon backhoe loader. The working environment of backhoe loaders is relatively harsh, with large workloads and long working hours. In the process of construction operations, the drive axle may have some failures, which seriously affects the work efficiency. This paper mainly analyses the common failures of the drive axle, proposes troubleshooting methods, and briefly introduces daily axle maintenance. Let’s focus on solving the problem and actively ensure that the backhoe loader operates at peak efficiency.
Daily Maintenance
- Regularly cleaning the exterior of the drive axle and ensuring that the vents are clear are critical to the proper operation of the drive axle. Proper lubrication is critical because the gears in the drive axle are under tremendous stress. It is necessary to check and ensure the quantity and quality of lubricant on a regular basis and replenish or replace the lubricant as required.
- The half shaft flanges are responsible for transmitting a great deal of torque and therefore need to be checked regularly to ensure that the bolts are tight and to prevent them from loosening and causing failure. Both in winter and summer, the main transmission assembly must be disassembled and cleaned, the lubricant changed and the wheel bearings carefully maintained.
- After every 2,500 hours of operation, the backhoe loader’s drive axle bearings must be inspected and tested, and the planetary gears or needle bearings must be checked for damage. In addition, the mesh marks and clearances of the engine gears, the wear condition of the differential inner housing gears, and the mesh condition of the reducer and planetary gear pairs must be evaluated and adjusted.
Common Failure
1>The causes of the drive axle rattling are complicated, if the quality of the parts is not qualified, the main drive assembly is not properly adjusted and excessive wear and tear will make Shanmon backhoe loader rattling when working.
- If you hear strange noises coming from the main drivetrain, the gear lash may be incorrect. To fix this problem, disassemble the system and check the clearance. If the clearance is too large or too small, adjust it properly.
- If the bearings are making strange noises, it may be due to improper bearing clearance. Regardless of the amount of clearance, it will cause the noise. Therefore, disassemble the main drivetrain and adjust the clearance properly.
- If the differential makes noise, the planetary gear, its washers and roller bearings may be worn. Or the planetary gears and cross shafts are not rotating properly. Check these parts carefully and make the necessary adjustments and replacements.
2>The diagnosis of the drive axle overheating problem is very simple: after backhoe loader travels or works for a period of time, once you touch the axle shell with your hand, you will feel very hot, even unbearable, then you can think that the drive axle overheating problem has occurred.
- The main reasons for overheating of the drive axle are too little clearance between rolling bearings, too little meshing clearance between gears or lack of gear oil. In this case, we should first check for lack of gear oil. If there is enough oil, we need to disassemble the main drive, check and adjust the clearance between the bearings or the meshing clearance between the gears.
3>Gear oil seeps out of the bonding surface between the main driveline and axle housing or at the wheel side reducer during operation or parking.
- If oil leakage is found inside the rim reducer, it may be due to the damage of the skeleton oil seal or the o-ring of the drive axle, which should be replaced promptly.
- If oil leakage is found at the connection between the actuator and the housing, check the tightness of the fixing bolts and tighten or replace if necessary.
- If leakage occurs on the surface of the drive axle housing, it is generally due to casting defects in the housing itself and should be repaired by welding or replacement depending on the actual condition of the defect.
