Typical scrapping case of swing reducer caused by oil shortage! Untreated oil seal leakage led to complete loss of lubricant. Gears and bearings ran dry and got destroyed. Daily inspection on oil level and leakage is critical for construction machinery.
We received an emergency repair request late at night. The machine suddenly stopped rotating during swing operation. We disassembled and inspected the swing reducer to identify the root cause.
Troubleshooting Procedures &Fault Phenomenon Confirmation
The machine lost power and failed to rotate normally halfway through swing work. We shut down the equipment and started disassembly inspection.
Preliminary Internal Inspection of Reducer
After opening the reducer housing, we found severe gear wear. The gear surfaces were worn smooth, and several gear teeth were broken. There was zero gear oil left inside the reducer cavity.
Condition Assessment of Reduction Assembly
This reducer adopts a two-stage reduction structure. Testing confirmed the first-stage reduction assembly was completely disabled. The entire reducer was beyond repair and had to be scrapped.
Detailed Inspection of Damaged Components
Excessive backlash appeared between gears; the small built-in bearings on gears were damaged and failed.
Root Cause of Oil Leakage LocatedAdd Your Heading Text Here
The vertical shaft position is designed to be filled with gear oil. Gear oil leaked continuously through the oil seal under the bearing.
Failure Mechanism Analysis
Aging oil seal → gradual loss of gear oil until dry running → gears and bearings operate without lubrication → severe dry friction generates large amounts of iron powder → permanent damage to the whole transmission assembly.
Conclusion & Maintenance Recommendations
Most equipment failures stem from neglected daily inspections. Oil seal leakage is a progressive fault. If leakage is detected in time during regular inspection and oil replenished, scrapping of the whole reducer can be avoided.
Regularly check the oil level of the swing reducer and watch for any oil seepage. Replace aging oil seals in advance to significantly cut high maintenance costs and prevent unexpected machine downtime.