Heavy equipment can be complicated to say the least. With hundreds of parts working together in order to allow them to do the job they were built to do, it can get complicated when something breaks down. With Caterpillar equipment, finding the Cat part that is malfunctioning not only takes skill, but it also entails having a Cat replacement part on-hand in order to remedy the situation.
Wagner Equipment Co is a Caterpillar dealer with locations spread throughout Colorado, New Mexico, and west Texas. Our expert team works diligently to help our customers find the new, used, or rental heavy equipment that they need, find the Cat spare part, and offer the best field service technicians to help. We also offer fluid analysis and machine control systems through our partner, SITECH Rocky Mountain, so that you can maximize your efficiencies and your productivity while on the job. Below, we’ll take a look at another essential spare Cat part to have on-hand: the final drive. Reach out to one of our Cat dealers to get started today!
What is a Final Drive?
The final drive of a piece of heavy equipment is crucial for its power. The final drive is part of the drivetrain. The drivetrain includes many different Cat parts, including gears, bearings, friction materials, transmission, torque converters, drive shafts, differentials, final drive, and the brakes. The drivetrain’s job is to move the power from the Cat machine’s engine via the transmission to the wheels or tracks in order to control the amount of torque, or trusting force.
The final drive in the drivetrain helps to transfer power to the wheels or the tracks (whichever the machine is using) to help reduce speed and increase torque. The final drive in a Cat machine must withstand high torque, heavy loads, and constant direction shifts and gear changes. Caterpillar has designed their drive trains to meet these demands in order to deliver the best performance for customers. To learn more, ask a Wagner service technician today.
FOUR TYPES OF FINAL DRIVES USED IN CAT® MACHINES:
- Bull Gear Single Reduction
- Bull Gear Double Reduction
- Planetary Single Reduction
- Planetary Double Reduction
The reduction gears tell the number of steps needed to reduce speed and arrange the gears to do so. A single reduction gear uses only one pair of gears that are driven by the input shaft to drive a large (bull) gear. In a double reduction gear you’ll have an intermediate (first reduction) gear that is connected by a shaft to a pinion to drive the bull gear (second reduction).
CAT FINAL DRIVE PARTS TO HAVE ON-HAND
Housing
Housing part of the final drive provides the housing for the pinion shaft that then works on the planetary carrier in the drive system. The job of the housing is to protect all of these crucial smaller parts of the final drive. Check out our 418-7196: Housing for your heavy equipment or our 432-8477: Housing for help with braking today.
Input Gear or Pinion
This spur gear is one of the most common types of gear you will find for your heavy equipment needs. It helps to convert rotational motion into linear so that the heavy machinery will move forward, and it helps to make it easier to steer. The pinion consists of a cylinder or disk that features metal teeth. The pinion helps to maximize system performance and increase the machine’s lifespan by ensuring the mating gears are not rubbing against one another. Our 491-4627: Gear-Input works with pipelayer and track-type tractors. Browse today!
Spring Brakes
Spring brakes, like the name implies, help with braking of your Cat machinery. They work in conjunction with air pressure, so that when the air pressure is released, the springs put on the brakes. Having this spare Cat part on-hand helps with easy replacement both in the field or in the shop. We offer our 466-1132 Kit-Spring (Brake) in order to ensure you have everything you need in case you need this Cat part in a pince.
Planetary Group
The planetary group in your drivetrain helps to transmit the power from the engine to the sprockets and wheels so that you will slow down and the gears will reduce. Our 449-9187: Planetary Group is made for use with Cat pavers. Our 385-8860 Carrier-Planet is a cast iron planetary carrier that connects two gears and then rotates one around the other.
Gear-Crankshaft
All engines have gears, and Cat’s crankshaft gears help to drive the timing belt so that your engine is operating at peak capacity and performance. The crankshaft is responsible for moving the pistons in an engine inside the cylinder. This moves the intake and exhaust valves, which allows the fuel and air in and out so that the right mix is achieved for the right amount of power. Our 472-8426: Gear-Crankshaft is made from hardened steel spur gear with 80 teeth and a locating dowel slot.
CHOOSE OUR CAT SPARE PARTS AT WAGNER EQUIPMENT TODAY
Inevitably, machines break down. This can be from use, the elements, improper care or maintenance, or a whole host of other causes. This means that when you are on a construction job site or you need your Ag equipment to function, it’s important to have spare Cat parts on-hand for when something breaks down. Wagner Equipment Co offers Genuine Cat parts for your needs. We offer these both online and at each of our Cat dealers, which all have a Cat Parts Store. In addition, we offer refurbished parts (Reman), as well as our Wagner Parts Exchange where you can swap out your old parts for Reman parts. We understand that if you don’t have a Cat part, your entire production can shut down until the piece of equipment is fixed, costing you untold dollars in revenue.
Besides Cat parts, Wagner also offers new, used, and rental heavy equipment. Heavy equipment helps you get the job done exceedingly fast with more efficiency and less work. This saves in labor costs and the toll heavy labor can take on the body. In addition, we offer machine control systems from our partner, SITECH Rocky Mountain, that can help you improve your construction and landscaping jobs, mining and forestry projects, and much more.
Our mission is to keep you moving and improving your corner of the world. Whether that is via our Cat parts store, our service and maintenance programs, our top-notch customer service associates, or just the incredible durability and scope of our heavy machinery. We offer Cat financing so you can use your heavy equipment now to begin to pay for itself, and we offer reliable power systems that keep you moving 24 hours a day. With the most advanced work tools and Cat attachments, you can make your heavy equipment extremely versatile and perfect for most of your construction, demolition, landscaping, mining, and other jobs.
Wagner Equipment Co puts the customer at the forefront of everything we do. Our core values help guide us so that we don’t get off track. These include teamwork, excellence, accountability, safety, integrity, and communication. Caterpillar remains on the forefront of heavy equipment innovation and technology. Partner with a Caterpillar dealer at one of our Colorado, New Mexico, or far west Texas locations to experience the best today!
