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Contamination and cavitation lead to premature hydrostatic transmission failure. Addressing these problems can slash repair costs and downtime.

"When properly maintained, hydrostatic transmissions often outlive the other components in the system, or the entire machine itself, and may never require replacement," says Steve Zumbusch, manager, application and commercial engineering, Eaton Hydraulics Operation.

But you can't ignore proper service. "Like any transmission parts, hydrostatic transmission parts will eventually show signs of wear. Preventive maintenance can help make sure that catastrophic system failures do not occur," says Michael Gidaspow, product marketing manager, wheel loaders, Komatsu America Corp.

Oil analysis is an important part of this program. "When failures occur, it's typically an issue of contamination in the fluid or temperature affecting the fluid," says Zumbusch. "Studies have shown that up to 80% of pump failures can be attributed to contamination."

Cleanliness is to . . .
When servicing a hydrostatic system observe cleanliness at all times. "Any extra time cleaning will pay dividends by adding life to the components, as well as the overall life of the machine," says Dan Cahalan, technical support group, Volvo Construction Equipment.