Troubleshooting Noise and Vibration in a Final Drive

Do you have an excessive amount of noise and/or vibration coming from your final drive or track motor? Then here’s a few tips to help you track down the cause and find out what to do.

Track Motor Noise

There are two majors causes for a final drive that is making more noise than it should: either there isn’t enough oil in the gearbox, or the bearings and gears are wearing out.

Not enough oil can easily be fixed by regularly checking the gear oil levels and changing out the oil according to manufacturer recommendations. However, if you are having to top off the oil often, then there might be a leak. In that case, check for a leak behind the sprocket or a leak that is dripping onto the tracks. That kind of leak would indicate floating face seal that needs to be repaired. If the leak is coming from the cover or another part of the of the final drive, you really should send it in for professional inspection and repairs.

Bearings and gears have a finite life, which can be shortened through a lack of maintenance or abuse of the machine. If you have a ton of noise coming from your final drive and the oil level is acceptable, then you need to think about replacing the gears and bearings.

Track Motor Vibration

One of the primary causes of a final drive that is making too much noise is a loose sprocket. That is actually a simple fix: tighten or replace the sprocket bolts, and the problem should be solved.

If that doesn’t solve the problem, and the final drive tends to shudder while turning, then a more serious problem is indicated. This usually means that there are some serious issues inside your final drive or track motor that are going to require repair, or possibly an overhaul. There are two possible causes behind this kind of failure: first, the final drive and/or its components have reached the end of their life, or, secondly, the final drive hasn’t been maintained properly.

Conclusion

Some noise and vibration is to be expected in any type of heavy machinery, but excessive noise and excessive vibration should not be ignored.  It can be a sign of parts that need to be replaced right away.