ROS saves the day by extending the Tractor Warranty!

Tractor-800x450
Date: 20.03.24
Providing long-lasting sealing efficiency, reducing downtime, and extending warranty of Lift arm shaft in Tractors.
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India, being primarily an agricultural-driven economy, places significant importance on agricultural machinery, particularly tractors. These machines have played a pivotal role in transforming India's agriculture, boosting productivity, and enabling efficient land cultivation. Tractors are no longer a status symbol but have become a necessity for farmers nationwide. However, with increased reliance on this equipment, any downtime can lead to significant losses in terms of both man-hours and crop yields. Therefore, farmers seek low-maintenance and reliable products, considering them as major investments.

 

To meet these demands, tractor manufacturers strive to make their equipment as robust as possible. Before tractors are deployed in the field, they undergo rigorous testing to ensure their performance in harsh environments. Each component is thoroughly tested before the final product is launched. Manufacturers invest heavily in selecting the right equipment and partnering with Tier 1 and 2 suppliers to ensure product reliability.

 

Despite these efforts, warranty issues can arise once tractors are released into the market. These issues not only impact the company's reputation but also lead to product recalls and additional maintenance costs. Trust on the Brand is crucial for farmers, and any such issues can significantly impact their purchasing decisions. 

 

One of the leading tractor manufacturers in India faced warranty issues with one of its latest models, particularly concerning the transmission section. According to warranty claims, it was discovered that mud was entering the transmission, particularly the rear lift arm shaft area, causing the tractor to stop. With further investigation customer realized that the O-ring in the shaft was causing the leakage and allowing the mud to enter the transmission system.

To address this issue, the manufacturer sought assistance from Trelleborg Sealing Solutions. Trelleborg's technical team in India collaborated with the manufacturer to analyze the problem thoroughly, engaging the customer’s design team to get an in-depth analysis of the shaft and tractor.


The shaft only has the oscillation motion, and the manufacturer was using an O-ring in the Lift arm shaft. After around 100~150hrs O-rings were wearing out and mud/slurry was entering the transmission causing damage to the lift cylinder and other transmission components. The seal was exposed to continuous oil splashes from inside and mud/slurry splashes from outside. To replace this O-ring, there were two bi-metallic bushes and other wear and tear parts that needed to be replaced. When the mud enters transmission, the cost of replacement is extremely high, the manufacturer needs to replace, the shaft, gear, bearings, and more components in the transmission.


Implementing Trelleborg's ROS solution, the manufacturer successfully eliminated warranty claims related to the transmission issue. The product's performance improved significantly, with no complaints even after one thousand hours of tractor operation

Solutions offered: Trelleborg studied the application and proposed to use a Rotary Oil Seal (ROS) "TRE" type design. To use the ROS, the housing/ bore design needed to be modified. The customer understood the requirement and was accommodative to update the design. ROS has a sprung lip and a dust lip. ROS is better as the oil side sprung lip ensures no oil leak. Dust lip scrapes of mud slurry efficiently as the application has splashes and only oscillates.

Rotary & Shaft Seals

Rotary seals and shaft seals are used in components with oscillating or rotating parts to keep lubrication fluids in while preventing ingress of mud and water. The seal demonstrates superior low-friction properties and provides excellent resistance to wear. They keep oil, and grease in the system, and prevent ingress of dust and dirt. The Rotary Solutions have been proven effective in various market segments, providing superior performance and durability.

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