Looking to squeeze every last ounce of usefulness out of your heavy equipment purchases? Whether you’re busting through piles of dirt in the summer or pushing huge snowdrifts aside in the winter, your skid steer dozer blade goes through a lot. Attachments like the HitchDoc 6-Way Dozer Blade provide unmatched versatility and power, but you have to take care of them if you want them to keep performing like new.
Routine maintenance maximizes the lifespan of your blade, allows you to grade with laser accuracy, and keeps money in your pocket by avoiding unnecessary downtime. When you take care of your equipment, your equipment takes care of your business. Read on to learn how we can help you keep your skid steer dozer blade running better and longer than ever before with an easy-to-follow maintenance checklist.
1. Conduct Visual Inspections
It’s easier and cheaper to spot small problems before they turn into mechanical disasters. Visual inspections should be part of your daily operation, whether you’re prepping to use the attachment or returning it to storage.
Walk around the attachment and examine the rolled steel moldboard for signs of wear. Look for cracks, bends, or gouges that could compromise the blade’s structural integrity. Take extra care to inspect the universal quick-tach mount as well. Mounting plates should sit perfectly flat so the blade attaches effortlessly to your skid steer.
We recommend after you complete your visual inspection to start your dozer blade up and give it a quick spin to make sure everything runs correctly. This will help prevent breakdowns while you’re working.
If you discover damage during your inspection, repair it before using the equipment for another hard day in the field.
2. Replace the Cutting Edge
The cutting edge is your skid steer dozer blade’s point of contact with whatever surface it’s grading or plowing. It makes sense then, that you should pay close attention to your cutting edge’s condition.
Our dozer blades feature heavy-duty, abrasion-resistant steel cutting edges designed to withstand abuse. American steel can only take you so far, though. Inspect the cutting edge frequently, and look for uneven wear patterns or dulled edges. A lot of cutting edges are reversible. Once one side begins to wear down, simply unbolt it from the frame, flip it over, and bolt it back on. You’ve effectively doubled your blade’s cutting edge lifespan.
If your business regularly pushes snow off of decorative concrete, gravel, or pavers, upgrade your steel cutting edge to a rubber one. A rubber blade will protect both the ground surface and your cutting edge from unnecessary wear. Replace your cutting edge before it wears down into the moldboard; riding the moldboard across the ground wears both the edge and blade beyond repair.
3. Service the Electro-Hydraulic System
Innovative attachments like HitchDoc’s 6-Way Dozer Blade feature an electro-hydraulic system that allows operators to tilt the blade 10 degrees up or down and rotate it 30 degrees left or right without getting up from the cab.
To keep your blade tilting smoothly and without hesitation, you need to service the hydraulic system regularly. Inspect hydraulic hoses for worn spots, bulges, or leaks. Hydraulic leaks are bad for the environment and cause your blade to react sluggishly.
Hydraulic couplers should be checked daily as well. Wipe couplers clean with a rag before attaching them to your skid steer. You don’t want dirt and grit getting into your hydraulic lines. Contaminated hydraulic fluid will destroy your pumps and cylinders. Lastly, keep an eye on your skid steer’s hydraulic fluid levels and top off with the recommended fluid when needed.
4. Adjust and Lubricate
Friction is the enemy of heavy equipment. Moving parts need to be lubricated if they have any hope of operating smoothly.
Locate all grease zerks on the blade. These are located on pivot points and pivot cylinders. Apply new grease until you see a bead of fresh grease purge from the joint. Repeat this process every 10 hours to every 50 hours of operation, depending on how rough your job site is.
Now, adjust your skid shoes. HitchDoc’s blades come standard with adjustable depth guides. These allow you to manually set the height of your blade with the use of skid shoe spacers.
Adjust your skid shoes to match the terrain you’re working with. Proper skid shoe height will keep your cutting edge from digging too deeply into soft ground and cause excess wear.
Snow movers should check their trip springs and lockout bolts as well. These keep your blade and skid steer from taking damage if you hit something while plowing snow. Ensure springs are tensioned correctly and replace any damaged springs.
5. Clean and Store
Don’t ruin your expensive dozer blade by letting it dry and rust in its own grime. Make cleaning your equipment after use routine.
Spray down the entire blade with a high-pressure washer. Make sure to remove mud and debris from the moldboard, pivot points, and hydraulic components. When cleaning your blade after winter projects, make sure to remove salt and chemical ice breakers. Salt eats away at the undercarriage and blade overnight.
Once you’ve finished cleaning your blade, let it dry completely. Chipped paint or bare metal spots should be covered with rust-inhibiting spray paint to protect the metal from moisture.
When not in use, store your skid steer blade properly. If you have a shed or garage, keep your attachments indoors whenever possible. If you must store your blade outdoors, raise it up off the ground with wood blocks or pallets. Cover with a waterproof tarp to keep the elements at bay.
Wrap-Up
Maintenance doesn’t have to be a huge time investment, but it does have to be done regularly. Visual inspections, cutting edge maintenance, hydraulic service, lubrication, and proper cleaning will ensure your skid steer blade lasts you a long time.
Check out our lineup of heavy-duty, American made skid steer attachments at HitchDoc Outdoors and build your business the tools it needs to tackle any job.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: How does preventative maintenance help my skid steer dozer blade?
A: Proper maintenance ensures you get the longest life from your blade, enables laser accurate grading and eliminates expensive downtime.
Q: What should I be inspecting daily?
A: Visual inspections should be done daily to check for cracks, bends, or gouges in the rolled steel moldboard and that the universal quick-tach mount is sitting flat.
Q: How do I maintain or replace the cutting edge?
A: The abrasion-resistant steel cutting edge should be inspected frequently. Cutting edges can be reversed to DOUBLE the life of your cutting edge. Never let the edge wear down into the moldboard, replace as needed.
Q: How should I service the electro-hydraulic system?
A: Inspect hydraulic hoses often for damage or leaks and wipe hydraulic couplers clean daily before attaching to prevent fluid contamination.
Q: How should I clean and store my skid steer blade?
A: When cleaning your entire blade be sure to use a high-pressure washer and remove all salt. Blades should be stored indoors if possible. If stored outside, place blocks underneath to prevent mud and salt accumulation on the ground. Cover blade with waterproof tarp.