Blog / Maintenance
Greasing backhoes and excavators: why daily, and how to protect pins and bushes
Every joint in the boom, bucket and loader arm moves on a pin inside a bush. Grease keeps them apart and pushes out dust and sand. When grease runs low, it becomes metal on metal, and the play grows until the arm knocks and loses precision.
How often?
Most boom and bucket points need greasing every 10 operating hours, which means daily in normal work. When working in water, mud or heavy sand, grease more than once a day. Check your machine's manual for every point and its interval.
The right way
- Lower the boom and bucket to the ground and switch off the engine.
- Wipe the grease nipple before attaching the gun so you don't push sand in with the grease.
- Pump until old grease comes out of the joint edges and you see clean grease.
- If a nipple won't take grease, replace or clear it. Don't ignore it.
- Wipe off excess grease so it doesn't collect dust.
Signs that pins and bushes need replacing
- Clear play in the joint when you move the bucket with the engine off.
- A knocking sound with every movement.
- The bucket doesn't return to the same position, or digging is no longer precise.
- Grease comes out black with metal particles.
⚠️ Delaying bush replacement lets the pin wear into the bore in the arm itself, and then the repair becomes welding and line boring instead of a cheap part.
Tip
Two minutes of greasing every morning saves thousands of riyals. Always keep grease and a grease gun in the machine.
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