Managing Fluid Cleanliness

1.0 Introduction This Best Practice provides an overview of the importance of maintaining clean fluids and offers suggestions on how best to achieve that. Detailed information can be found in the specific Best Practice publications cited. Minimizing machine operating cost is critical to minimizing cost-per-ton. Aside from the cost of tires, fuel, and operator, about 70% of total machine operating cost is the life cycle costs of machine powertrain...

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Optimizing Component Removal & Installation Quality through Customer Certification

1.0 Introduction Proper Major Component Removal and Installation (R&I) practices are vitally important for component reliability and life. Mistakes made during component removal and installations are a leading cause of early hour failures or shortened life. To ensure that component removal and installation is performed following a well-defined process, many Caterpillar dealers have provided training, and in some cases, even “Certified” customers...

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Replace Fluid Hoses During Component R & I

1.0 Introduction When a major component is removed for a PCR rebuild, this is an ideal time to change all fluid line hoses in the major component compartment area. This is especially true for engine Removal and Installation (R&I) where hoses are very difficult to access with the engine in chassis. This practice prevents: - Hose failures, - Contamination, and - Loss of fluid and machine downtime to replace failed hoses. 2.0 Best Practice Description This...

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Bulk Fuel Filtration

1.0 Introduction Modern fuel systems use electronic unit injectors which deliver precise amounts of fuel at pressures up to 25,000 psi, and control injection timing to within thousandths of a second. Electronic unit injectors control the performance and fuel economy of the engine and are expensive to replace when worn. A rough estimate of injector replacement cost with parts and labor is approximately $1,000 per cylinder. And, of course, there’s...

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Large Mining Truck - Truck Overload Policy "10/10/20" (Revision #4)

Gross machine operating weights have been frequently misapplied on off-highway trucks in the market place. For example, maximum, which means, “not to exceed”, has been inappropriately used as the target. Regulatory and product support considerations have prompted some dealers and customers to request quantification of “acceptable” payloads on Caterpillar’s Mining Trucks. Technically, the correct answer is that any overload will adversely affect...

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