Two machines can work the same hill and wear out completely differently, depending on whether the operator benches it or traverses it. Benching keeps the machine level and costs time; side-hill traversing saves time and loads one track, the swing bearing and the travel motors far beyond what a flat site asks of them. Guangzhou Shenyue Machinery Technology Co., Ltd. supplies fleets working terraces, embankments and mountain roads, and this is what actually changes in the parts list when a machine earns its living on a gradient.
Benching and traversing are not equivalent
Benching cuts the slope into steps so the machine always sits level, and its cost is time and fuel: more moves, more tracking, more operator hours. Side-hill traversing lets the machine walk along the face with one track low and one high, and its cost shows up later, in components. The load path in the second case passes down the low track, through the undercarriage into the ground, and the upper structure then swings against a machine that is tilted, which the slewing ring feels as a combination of axial load and tilt rather than pure rotation.
What a gradient does to each system
| System | What changes on a slope | What to specify |
|---|---|---|
| Undercarriage | One track carries most of the load; chains, rollers and idlers on that side wear faster | Matched-set chains and rollers, and equal track tension on both sides |
| Swing | The upper structure swings against a tilted machine, adding tilt load to a bearing designed mainly for axial load | Strict swing bearing greasing, and inspection at shorter hours |
| Travel | Continuous holding on a gradient loads the travel motor and its brake | Travel motor and reduction inspection on hours, not on failure |
| Lubrication | Oil sits away from the pickup in the sump, and cooling is worse at low machine speed | Check oil level on the level, and shorten engine oil service on long climbs |
The numbers our records quote for undercarriage and swing
| Item | Number quoted in our records |
|---|---|
| Idler shaft | VA32F2303402 |
| Arm bushing | LC12B02199P1 |
| Slewing ring | LC40F00027F1 |
| Swing reduction assembly | YN32W00025F1 / YN32W00022F2 / YN32W00019F1 |
| Travel motor, SK200-8 and SK210-8 | YN15V00037F1 / YN15V00037F2 / YN15V00037F3 (Nabtesco GM38VB) |
| Travel motor, SK200-10 and SK210-10 | YN15V00083F1 (Nabtesco GM38VC) |
The last two rows are the ones to keep apart. The GM38VB and GM38VC generations are not interchangeable, and a slope site is exactly where a wrong travel motor turns into a second failure within weeks, because the unit is working at its limit for long periods. Quote the number off the travel motor plate, never from the model badge.
Maintenance that should move on a slope site
Three intervals belong on a calendar rather than on a sticker. Track tension has to be checked with the machine on level ground and set equal on both sides, because an unequal pair eats the chains and turns one travel motor into the hardest working part of the machine. Swing bearing greasing has to be done on schedule and properly, since tilt load will find any grease channel that has been starved. And the travel motor and reduction oil should be sampled rather than simply topped up, because on a slope the unit runs hot and a change in oil condition is the earliest warning you will get.
Parts selection on a gradient site is therefore less about buying heavier components and more about not mixing generations. The undercarriage and cylinder parts are covered in the undercarriage and cylinders range, the swing bearing greasing interval is set out in our guide to slew ring and centre joint lubrication, and the working pattern of the undercarriage under load is described in our track frame and rollers guide. Bearing load information is published by SKF and machine information by Kobelco Construction Machinery.
Specifying for a hillside fleet
If you are buying for machines that will work gradients permanently, specify undercarriage in matched sets rather than one roller at a time, hold a travel motor of the correct generation on the shelf, and keep a full swing bearing greasing kit in the workshop rather than on the machine. Tell us the gradient and the duty when you ask for a quotation: Guangzhou Shenyue Machinery Technology Co., Ltd. quotes the generation-correct parts for the serial you give us, and a hillside site is the worst place to discover that a motor from the wrong generation was shipped. Send the machine serial and plate photographs through contact and the list comes back checked.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does working on slopes really wear out an undercarriage faster?
Yes, and unevenly. Side-hill traversing puts most of the machine's weight on the low track, so its chains, rollers and idlers wear noticeably faster than the other side's. The practical answer is matched-set undercarriage, equal track tension set on level ground, and shorter inspection intervals rather than heavier parts.
Which travel motor does my SK200-8 need?
The SK200-8 and SK210-8 use the Nabtesco GM38VB generation, and our records quote the assemblies as YN15V00037F1, YN15V00037F2 and YN15V00037F3. The SK200-10, SK210-10 and SK220XD-10 use the GM38VC generation with assembly YN15V00083F1. The two generations do not interchange, so read the number off the motor plate.
Why does the swing bearing matter more on a hillside?
Because a tilted machine changes the load on the bearing. Swinging against a gradient adds tilt to what is mainly an axial load, and a greasing channel that has been starved will show it. Our records quote the swing reduction assembly as YN32W00025F1 / YN32W00022F2 / YN32W00019F1 and the slewing ring as LC40F00027F1.
Can Shenyue advise on parts for a hillside fleet?
Yes. Guangzhou Shenyue Machinery Technology Co., Ltd. has supplied Kobelco parts since 2007 and exports to fleets working gradients, terraces and mountain roads, with 3,000+ part types on the shelf and 100,000+ part numbers available to order. Tell us the gradient, the duty and the serial, and the quotation will declare every line genuine, OEM or aftermarket.