A couple of questions I received from members in the past week got me thinking about how people divide into two groups when it comes to information: those who are willing to pay for it, and those who are not.
The first member explains how he has just paid $10,000 for an old crawler tractor that needs works. He says: “…what about us hackers that buy an ancient piece of equipment and then need to incrementally fix it up on a shoestring?” He then proceeds to explain how he would like some ‘tips’ on how to service and maintain the hydraulics properly and how and where to buy replacement parts on the cheap.… continue reading »
Having the right filters in the right places is essential to the success of the contamination control effort. But it can be easily compromised by buying filters on price alone. Like any other aftermarket or non-genuine part, replacement filter elements vary in both quality and price. And there are two potential risks with installing ‘will fit’ filter elements.
I have for many years asserted that hydraulic fluid cleanliness is no longer THE most critical preventative maintenance issue. There are two reasons for this: the first is the word has been so widely preached over such a long period of time that even those who haven’t being paying attention got the message. And secondly, modern advances in filtration technology and their widespread adoption means that most hydraulic equipment begins life much better equipped for controlling contamination than it used to.