Hastings Deering has issued a safety bulletin (01-2019) highlighting the potential for fractures in grader wheel spindles on large motor graders. Mine operators with large motor graders are advised to refer to the Hastings Deering bulletin for further information in order to ensure that risks are minimised. A link with full links to the OEM documents is detailed at the end of this article.
Hastings Deering stated that fractures have occurred in front wheel spindles on Large Motor Graders used in mining applications.
The images below demonstrate damage from the two failure modes observed. If a front wheel spindle fractures, the front wheel assembly may separate from the machine resulting in loss of control by the operator. A failure of this nature has the potential to cause personal injury and/or property damage. The separated wheel also has the potential to impact property or personnel in its path.
Hastings Deering says it has provided advice and released publications to assist with the management of this potential issue. It says that “The front wheel spindles will fail in certain applications due to impact or overload conditions. The anticipated design life of the front wheel spindles is 24,000 hours. Actual life achieved will vary according to outside influences such as site conditions, machine operation, machine application, and optional attachments fitted to the specific machines.”
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