4 Tips to Get More from Your Motor Grader Blade

The blade is one of the most, if not the most, important component of a motor grader. So, if you want to get the desired level of performance from your machine, then you would need to use your grader blade in a way that you extract the maximum efficiency from it. At Al-Bahar, we offer a wide range of SEM motor graders that come with a variety of blades. In the following post, we would take a look at some of the tips that you need to keep in mind when you want to get the maximum efficiency from your grader blade.

Why Should You Keep Your Blade Sharp?

As said before, the performance of the motor grader primarily depends on the blade. And the performance of the blade, depends on how sharp the blade is. You should realize that the blade is the most expensive part to replace. So, you would need to ensure that the grader blade is sharp enough to deliver a high level of performance over a sustained period of time.

If your blade is worn out, then that can create a lot of issues. When you are looking to cut a material with a badly worn out blade, it can result in excessive shock, which would put the other components under stress. This would reduce the lifespan of the components and the machine in general. So, you would need to invest a lot more on repairs.

You will also need more horsepower to move a worn out glade through each cut, resulting in higher fuel costs. This would shoot up the operational costs.

So if you want to avoid all that, you need to keep the blades of your motor grader blade sharp. Let’s take a look at some of the ways in which you can do just that.

Positioning the Blade in the Right Way

You might want to keep the mouldboard pitched forward so that the cutting edge is clearly visible. This would prematurely blunt the edge and that would make cutting and trimming more challenging.

Therefore, it is recommended that you keep the top of the blade just slightly forward of the cutting edge. You will need to pitch the blade forward only when it’s necessary to make a cut.

You should change the blade angles periodically. When you keep the mouldboard forward, the wear would be just along the front of the cutting edge. If you periodically tilt back while carrying, mixing, spreading and combing material, which would even wear across the edge, making it sharper.

You can scarify or rip the surface that can also help by keeping the blade sharp. Preventing the cutting edge from becoming rounded along just one side. When you are grading curbs, it is important that you make the switch between the left and right side of the blade. Ideally, you must aim to use the entire length of the mouldboard, preventing the uneven wear only on the outer sides of the leading edge.

Operating it in the Right Way

As an operator, you should not rush things. Working your motor grader in a slow and smooth way is the best way to avoid wear and tear of your grader. In most cases, the speed should be between 10 kilometres to 16 kilometres per hour.

You need to avoid any jerky motions. This would help you to minimize stress on the blade and prevent shock loads as that can damage not only the blade but other parts of the machine. This would also make the motor grader more fuel competent.

Follow the Correct Procedure

When you are hiring a professional motor grader operator, you should look for one who is experienced. An expert operator can significantly reduce the wear and tear by following the proper procedures. For example, if you want to keep the mouldboard sharp, then you need to keep the mouldboard’s position correct and use the appropriate speed, avoid any jerky movements.

Replace the Blade When Necessary

You should remember that even the most expert of operators, the edge of the motor grader is designed to necessary. The wear and tear is natural and they need to be replaced eventually. The blade should be inspected, and if you detect the signs of any major wear and tear. You would replace it if you see signs of signs of bending or you see some missing bolts.

SEM is a Chinese brand that is wholly owned by Caterpillar. Al-Bahar is the only distributor of SEM products in UAE, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain & Oman. So, if you are looking to get SEM motor grader in Dubai, get in touch with our team and get new or used graders or even get a motor grader for rent in UAE, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar & Bahrain.