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There aren’t any hard rules for when to replace your backhoe’s pins and bushings—every application is unique. The lifespan of these wear parts can vary widely from operation to operation and are impacted by how strictly maintenance protocols are adhered to. The only way to know when it’s time to replace your backhoe pins and bushings is to conduct a visual inspection.
What Are The Signs It’s Time To Replace Backhoe Pins And Bushings?
Any visible slack in the pivot point during operation, also know as backhoe slop, means it’s time to replace your pins and bushings. Take a close look at the pivot point to discern if the movement is in the static or dynamic part of the assembly.
If you are able to see any movement in what should be the static portion, you’ve waited too long to complete the maintenance and your repair is going to be more extensive.
What Are The Risks Of Waiting To Do The Repair?
If you wait to complete the replacement of pins and bushings until there is movement in the static components, the repair can no longer be completed in the field. In that scenario, the bores will have to be welded up and bored back to industry standard before new pins and bushings can be considered.
“Impact loading due to slack will increase fatigue and accelerate distress of all iron in the proximity of excessive wear,” says Jim Carver, New Products Engineer for Papé Machinery Construction & Forestry. “I can’t emphasize enough that repair before failure is always recommended.”
Many backhoe operators wait on this repair because they are still able to operate the equipment and get the job done with some backhoe slop. This is a costly mistake as the time it takes to complete the repair and the service cost is ultimately much greater if the repair gets put off.
Schedule Equipment Service
If you need to order pins and bushings or you’d like to schedule equipment service, contact your local John Deere dealer, Papé Machinery Construction & Forestry. Once you have the repair done, remember that the key to maximizing the life of your pins and bushings is keeping foreign material out of the joint by using the right quality and quantity of grease on your backhoe’s pivot points.
