A gearbox is a fairly simple device, however, it often fails or ceases due to some common maintenance issues that can be easily avoided.
While the quality of the gearbox manufacturing plays an important role in the performance and lifespan of the device, it’s imperative that you take some measures, too, to ensure that you get the most of your gearboxes.
In this article, we have provided certain factors that you need to take care of to ensure you are able to avoid gearbox failure.
Don’t Let The Gearbox Run DryGearbox manufacturers ship gearboxes dry, primarily to reduce shipping costs as lubricant increases unit weight. Hence, the shipped gearbox comes with labels and tags that indicate that the gearbox is dry and must be filled with lube before any usage. However, these warnings are often ignored, which ultimately results in rapid unit failure.
In short, running a gearbox dry causes damage to the bronze worm gear very quickly. Once this has occurred, even adding lube won’t help as this damage is permanent and the gearbox will need to be replaced.
Hence, under no circumstances should you let a gearbox run dry.
Ensure Your Gearbox Is Lubricated WellThe importance of lubrication in a gearbox cannot be defined enough. Without a proper amount of lubrication in a gearbox, the failure of the device is inevitable. Hence, it’s imperative that you ensure your gearbox has a proper amount of lube, which is sure to ensure a longer and better unit life.
This is especially important when the gearbox has been sitting on the shelf in inventory, as there is no indication which orientation a gearbox has been mounted. Hence, the possibility of having too little lube is entirely plausible, and in fact, common.
You can make use of Oil Capacity Charts to analyze the lube available in your gearbox. You can find these charts easily online, or they are also included in installation manuals and catalogues.
Don’t Undermine The Importance of Seal MaintenanceArguably, seal maintenance is one of the most important aspects to take care of gearbox health and ensure strong performance. It is recommended to use pressure relief devices to reduce seal strain, along with eliminating the need for breather vents.
This is extremely important in wash down applications, wherein breather vents tend to allow wash down solutions and water inside the gearboxes. This ultimately causes the lubricant to breakdown, along with premature wear-and-tear, and will lead to unpredictable and untimely failure.
Moreover, seal maintenance also ensures prevention of lubricants from escaping, which extends the life of a gearbox. This is because like all liquids, the lubricant will also settle in the lowest space in the gearbox housing. Worn or low-quality seals will provide a path for leaks.
The biggest challenge in seal maintenance is that the necessity is extremely situational. The frequency and intensity depend on the usage.
In conclusion, like many mechanical devices, the gearbox is tolerant of some misuse, but to ensure you get long and efficient performance, you must take some precautions. IN addition to the factors mentioned above, it also helps if you choose a vendor who provides high-quality gear manufacturing in India like Premium Transmission. Contact us today for more information!
