ForConstructionPros.com

The material being milled aids in the wear of the conveyor system. Chunks and abrasive asphalt can tear the belt, Hood says. Another possibility is the asphalt wears down the steel wear plates on the bottom side of the conveyor. If this happens a contractor may end up having to replace the entire lower assembly instead of just the belt, Hood says.

Washing down the conveyor system at the end of each day is an essential maintenance task. This prevents any material from building up on the conveyor. "If you have buildup and you can't see the components, then you can't judge if they're about to fail or not or if they need replacement. If you don't clean it you lose production time and will spend more money on repairs," Schmidt says.

But the belts aren't the only wear parts in the conveyor systems. It is also important to keep an eye on the rollers. "They all have drive rollers, return rollers, carry rollers, and cleaner rollers," Schmidt says. A worn roller can be just as detrimental to a milling unit as a worn belt.

Contractors should inspect rollers for uneven wear just like with teeth. Flat spots on a roller are a sign that the roller hasn't been turning and is wearing unevenly, Schmidt points out. And an uneven roller can cause even more downtime to the milling unit.

Uneven rollers will create more vibration. This vibration causes the belt to bounce, taking it out of constant contact with the rollers. This bouncing is another way to wear down the belts.