Keeping Komatsu dump trucks up and running - Graco Inc.

The Graco Mining Kit was installed on 14 Komatsu dump trucks to provide efficient automatic lubrication in tough conditions.

On a mining site in Uzbekistan, 14 Komatsu HD465-7 rigid dump trucks work 24/7 in an extremely tough environment. A lubrication system is essential to keep the trucks up and running. These trucks were therefore factory-fitted with a competitive automatic lubrication system. 

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However, the system presented some major problems for the Uzbek mining site. The grease reservoir on each truck was so small that it had to be filled every day. As there was only one pneumatic grease pump on the site, the drivers had to queue up to fill their truck’s grease reservoir from the grease drum, thereby wasting precious time. Moreover, it was difficult to see when the reservoir was full as the level was not clearly indicated. This meant that the reservoir would frequently be over-filled, which was a waste of grease. The reservoir level needed to be indicated somehow, for example with a tape. Another problem was that the check valve in the pump element (the plunger) was made of a very fragile material and was often wearing out or failing.

If that wasn’t bad enough, the grease pump on the trucks were not sufficiently powerful to get grease to the most distant lubrication points. These points then had to be lubricated manually, which was again additional downtime – especially as these lubrication points were extremely difficult to access. It was also discovered that the grease zerks on the metering devices were uncapped and easily contaminated with dust and dirt. Finally, the system’s controller was located behind the driver in his cabin. Drivers found they could not easily see the status of the system or any error messages.

A temporary solution involved installing a number of hand pumps on site to speed up the refilling time. However, the drivers still needed to refill every day – the basic problem was that the grease reservoir on the truck was small. Ideally, the reservoir should have been large enough to provide for multiple days of lubrication without refilling.

The Graco solution

After discussing these continuing problems with the local Graco distributor, each of the 14 Komatsu HD465-7 rigid dump trucks were fitted with the Graco Mining Kit. Included in the kit is the Graco Compact Dyna-Star pump (incorporating a much larger 12-liter reservoir) with Auto-Fill Shut-Off (AFSO), pressure and level sensors; a Remote-Fill Manifold for fast refilling of the grease reservoir; GL-1 X injectors with extended warranty; and the GLC-X Controller with Bluetooth and data log.

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The work was carried out by Danila Samosyuk, Business Development Specialist at Graco, along with two technicians from the local Graco distributor. “It took the three of us around ten hours per truck to remove the old system and install the new Graco automatic lubrication system,” Danila recalls. 

The level and pressure sensors of the Compact Dyna-Star pump provide the exact level of grease inside the reservoir, making it easy to see when it needs to be refilled. Thanks to its AFSO feature, as soon as the tank is full, the indicating pin pops up and the filling port automatically closes. The controller indicates that the reservoir is now full.

The Remote-Fill Manifold is located at ground level, which makes the refilling process quick, safe and simple. The driver just connects it to the pump. From the manifold, hoses travel to the injectors and then onwards to each of the lube points on the truck.
 

Our return policy lasts 30 days. If 30 days have gone by since the delivery, unfortunately, we can’t offer you a refund or exchange. （We expanded the return window time from 25 days to 30 days on OCT. 12th, . Orders placed on and after OCT. 12th, are eligible for this new policy.）


To be eligible for a return, your item must be unused, not installed, clean and in the same condition that you received it. Shrink wrapping must not be broken. It must also be in the original packaging.


To complete your return, we require a receipt or proof of purchase.
Please do not send your purchase back to the manufacturer.



Steps of Returning Products to Fab Heavy Parts

1. Request returns in seconds at our return portal.

2. Fill in the address you left with the order & the order number to start the return. Note: a correct order number format starts with a # hashtag

3. Select the items you wish to return and choose the return reason and upload photos of the received package.

Then, Fab Heavy Parts receives your return request and starts to process your return request. We may contact you for more details.

Steps after the approval of your return request:

1. A Return label will be sent to you via . Print out the return label, place it on the parcel, and take it to the drop-off point. Make sure you properly pack the product for return if it’s returnable.
2. A refund of the original purchase price will be issued.
Any questions about returning products, please feel free to contact us at

If you are looking for more details, kindly visit Komatsu Dump Truck Parts.