A BEGINNER’S GUIDE TO MOTOR GRADER MAINTENANCE

When you have just purchased your new motor grader in Dubai, you would need to maintain it the right way to get the desired results from it. Motor graders are like the workhorse in almost any industrial setup. To get the optimal performance from the motor grader, you would need to put a good deal of effort into maintenance. In this article, we have listed some of the things that you should do to maintain your motor grader the right way.

First Things First :

If you want to make motor grader maintenance easy, then you should start taking measures even before you buy one! One of the most effective things that you can do would be to buy a motor grader from an authorized distributor.

This will help in two ways, one you can be sure that you are getting a genuine, branded motor grader that has all the genuine parts fitted inside of it. This would make things easier for you as you would be getting a better performance from the machine. Secondly, if you have any issues with the machine, you can simply walk into the nearest dealership branch and get it fixed as they offer you robust after-sales support and that takes care of many things.

Looking after the blade or the moldboard :

The blade and the moldboard are those parts of the motor grader that are in constant touch with the surface that you are looking to prepare. This makes it necessary that you maintain the blade to get the right level of performance from the motor grader.

Different manufacturers would have different recommendations about how often you should check the blade. You would need to follow what your manufacturer says. At the same point of time, the frequency of checking the blade would also depend on the surface that you are preparing. For example, smooth sandy soils would have less of a detrimental impact on the blade compared to rocky and coarse soils. In most cases, you would need to check your blade for every 25 to 50 hours of operation. In some cases, like when your motor grader is made to work continuously at a stretch or you are preparing a coarse soil, then you would have to check the board more frequently. Sometimes even daily.

If the blade is too damaged and you do not replace it on time, then it might do some serious damage to the moldboard as well. In some cases, you might need to replace the entire moldboard assembly, which can burn a hole in your pocket! Therefore, you should check the edges of the blade as well as the bolts that hold them in place, to ensure that the blade is in perfect working condition. Whenever you see any signs of significant damage, replace it immediately.

When Should You Replace Your Blade of Your Motor Grader?

Usually, a motor grader performs optimally when it has 3.5 centimeters of useable space exposed on the cutting edge. Now, if this edge gets worn down, your grader won’t work as it should do. It can also wear right into the moldboard, which may then have to be replaced.

Therefore, when you see that the blade has worn out to that extent, or going to, you would need to get the services of a professional and get the blade replaced in the right way.

Blade slide and turntable : 

The blade and the moldboard are not the only important parts of the motor grader. There are other important components as well. Another important thing that you need to think about is the blade slide. The component allows the moldboard to move on a swivel track. Therefore, it is quite important to check your blade slide and then take appropriate actions.

The glides, which are located on four different points, are easy and quick to replace. The only thing that you would need to do is replace all of them simultaneously. You will also need to understand that the brushings in the slide cannot give too much play. If you observe that the movement of the slide is too loose, the clevis pins keeping it in place should be replaced.

Scarifiers :

Scarifiers help to reduce the workload of the moldboard, especially when it comes to rough grading or cutouts. The “teeth” of the scarifier should not wear down to the point of reaching the scarifier shank, or pocket. If you do observe that, you would have to replace the shank, which would be a lot more expensive than replacing a few teeth.

Air Filters :

Like your everyday car, air filters of your motor grader would play a big role in the performance of your motor grader. Since your motor grader would be operating in dirt conditions for a significant time, the air filters can easily get clogged. Now, when it does, the combustion in the engine becomes less efficient. This leads to your machine guzzling up more fuel than normal. Therefore, you would need to check your air filter at regular intervals and if it is getting dirty and clogged, you should get it cleaned at the earliest.

Apart from the parts that we have talked about above, you would also need to check other parts, which include the tires, the operator cabin, and the likes. Remember, it is only through rigorous inspections, you can ensure that you get the optimal performance from the system.

There are many brands of motor graders available in the market. Since the UAE and other economies in the Middle East are one of the fastest-growing in the world, businesses can benefit from varying kinds of models from an array of brands.

One of the best brands out there is SEM – a Chinese brand that has been making motor graders and other heavy equipment for over four decades. The brand is owned by the leading machinery manufacturer, Caterpillar. Hence, you can be assured of the quality and technology that Caterpillar uses in its other machines. Performance is never an issue with SEM Machines, at the same time, the products are incredibly affordable. This means that you would get a truly world-class product at amazingly affordable prices, a win-win situation for you.

Now, if the question you have is – where can you get SEM branded products in the Gulf region? The answer is Al-Bahar.

Al-Bahar is one of the most experienced names in the heavy equipment in the region, with a history of 8 decades of excellence in service. Not only are they the sole distributor of Cat® and SEM machines in the UAE, but they also hold the sole distribution rights for SEM machines in other Gulf Countries including Kuwait, Bahrain, Oman, and Qatar. If you are in any of these countries and you want to get the best products at the best prices, then you can always get in touch with Al-Bahar.

Not only do we offer you a wide range of heavy equipment at affordable prices, but we also offer you robust aftersales support services that would ensure that you could operate your motor grader with confidence over a sustained period. You can also go for our CSA (Customer Support Agreement) and get assured servicing that would ensure that you get the desired level of performance from your motor grader, day in and day out. No matter what the services you might need, our team of experts would always be there, to assist you in whichever way you need. For more information, visit our website – www.albahar-sem.com