CAT® UNDERCARRIAGE PRODUCTS

Work it hard, make it last, fix it right.

Get the most from your undercarriage investment. Undercarriage represents an average 50% of your machine’s owning and operating costs, so it makes sense to invest in a system that will deliver the most value. We design and build our own undercarriage, giving us 100% quality control for a machine-specific product match and low O&O costs.

Maximize the life of your undercarriage.

Cat Undercarriage is designed to work and wear as a system to help make it last with correct operation and maintenance. Undercarriage maintenance costs can consume a large portion of your maintenance budget. It’s good to understand how it works so you can reduce wear and minimize costs.

Maintain optimum track tension

Tight tracks create excess stress throughout the undercarriage, increasing wear on bushings, sprockets, links, and idlers. Follow the tension-adjusting procedures in your machine’s owner’s manual or consult your Cat dealer.

Run the right shoe width for conditions

The extra flotation of the wide shoes used for muddy conditions can actually increase wear and strain on links, pins, and bushings when used in high impact conditions.

Prepare machines for underfoot conditions

You can equip the machine to handle the soil conditions of a specific environment. Use center-punched shoes and optimize guarding in muddy conditions to reduce packing and the increased tension and wear it causes. Use extreme service shoes and carrier rollers for abrasive conditions.

Monitor operator habits

How a machine is operated can impact undercarriage life and costs. These areas need special attention:

Dozers

Speed  High-speed operation, especially in reverse, means more wear on links, rollers, idlers, bushings, and sprockets. Avoid high speeds whenever possible.

Turning  Turning the machine constantly to one side increases wear to rail sides, rollers, and idler flanges. If operators cannot alternate turning directions, regularly check for wear on the turn side. Rotating tracks can help extend life.

Slipping Track  If track slips, decrease the load to prevent excessive non-productive movements.

Adjust to the Site  Track will last longer when you work downhill rather than uphill. Alternate sides when on hills. If a machine constantly works on crowns or in depressions, check for inside or outside track wear.

Excavators

Work location  You can place the least amount of strain on undercarriage and final drive components by following these rules:

• Never dig over final drive.
• Limit digging over the side of machine.
• Always dig over front idlers to reduce stress on the components.

Rubber Track

Points to Remember:

• Applications that require higher horsepower and torque will cause faster undercarriage wear.
• Abrasive materials (rock, gravel, debris) accelerate undercarriage wear.
• Aggressive operation, like counter-rotations, increases the rate of undercarriage wear.