Caterpillar’s new General Duty line now gives customers the option of general and heavy duty undercarriages.
The new undercarriage is designed for use in the Cat 320 Series B, C and D hydraulic excavators. According to Barloworld Equipment group product specialist Deon Delport, the general duty undercarriage is not a new design, but uses the same principle as the Sealed and Lubricated Track (SALT) system developed in 1974. The General Duty undercarriage provides a cost-effective alternative for machine owners who do not require the extra durability. “General Duty and Heavy Duty are not built to the same performance specifications, however, the quality and reliability are the same in the intended applications,” explains Delport.
The undercarriages are designed to be interchangeable, eliminating the need for retrofitting. “To help customers achieve maximum track life, Barloworld Equipment’s after-sales team provides a Custom Track Service (CTS) where we inspect, measure and report undercarriage wear. This enables customers to make informed decisions about service and maintenance,” says Delport.
Grease Lubricated Track (GLT): the advantage. With sealed track, internal pin and bushing wear begins immediately due to contact and friction between the two parts. In contrast, Caterpillar’s grease lubricated track (GLT) contains grease between the pin and bushing to eliminate the contact and friction wear elements. The end result is a significant increase in the internal wear life of the link assembly.
