telehandlers the once over
13 October 2000
Giving second-hand
By Mike Williams
TELESCOPIC loaders are often the hardest-working machines on the farm, and second-hand examples should be carefully checked to make sure they are not due for costly repairs.
Modern telehandlers are generally rugged and reliable, and the problems that are likely to bring big repair bills can often be identified during a careful inspection, says Ian Clements, a service fitter at Manns of Saxham, a Claas UK retail operation.
Mr Clements has been servicing and repairing telehandlers for years. He started with the JCB range, but later switched mainly to Teleporters after Claas bought the business and transferred production to Saxham, Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk.
He used a Teleporter 964 Plus to demonstrate the points to look for on a second-hand loader. The 964 was unusual because it was less than 12 months old and had fewer than 300 recorded hours. Mr Clements thought it had been returned from a hire contract.
His top priority in a pre-sales check is the safety equipment. The safe load indicator showing the weight limit at different boom extensions must be in good working order, the road lights and the tyres are checked, the brakes are tested and the safety switch that automatically cuts the transmission when the parking brake is engaged must also be working.
"It is easy to overlook the safety switch on the handbrake, but it is important," says Mr Clements. "It works electronically and it should be very sensitive with only a small amount of handbrake movement before the drive is disengaged. They are generally reliable, but if there is a problem it should not be difficult to sort out."
Checking the engine should be the next priority. Almost all leading telehandler manufacturers fit Perkins engines and if these are serviced and maintained properly, they should have a long working life with excellent reliability. Points to check include excessive amounts of smoke in the exhaust – probably caused by excessive oil consumption due to engine wear.
The dipstick and the radiator are obvious places to look for problems. If the oil on the dipstick is a milky colour, it may indicate that water is getting into the oil, possibly due to a faulty head gasket or – very rarely – something more serious such as an oil cooler fault or perforations in the block. If engine oil and cooling water are mixing, this is also likely to show up as an oil film in the radiator.
A design fault on the brackets attaching the exhaust stack on some early Teleporters caused a breakage problem and should be checked on older machines. This has been remedied by a modification on later versions, including the nearly-new 964 Plus.
Stall test
Transmission checks should include a stall test for torque converters. This involves engaging first gear with the engine at rated revs and the brakes on. If the transmission is working efficiently, the engine speed should drop rapidly, and if this does not happen there may be a wear problem, which could be expensive.
One of the important design improvements on modern telehandlers has been tidying up the hydraulic systems to reduce the risk of damage to the pipes. Checking the whole system is particularly important on older loaders, but even on later versions, the pipes and joints should be examined for damage and leaks.
The trend in hydraulic systems on loaders is away from mechanical controls as electronic systems operated by solenoids become more popular. Modern electronic systems are extremely reliable and rarely cause problems, and if a boom function is not working correctly, there is usually a mechanical control that can be used to check if there is an electronic system fault.
Boom problems are usually a result of misuse, and this is likely to show up as small cracks in the welding. The cracks will affect the paint finish, and fresh touch-up paint around the weld areas may be an attempt to cover up cracks.
Another obvious point to check is the wear pads between the inner and outer sections of the boom. These have a long working life and rarely need replacing, but if they are showing signs of wear, it is easy to compensate by adding shims.
"With some loaders, the hydraulic pipes run inside the outer section of the boom and are protected by the wear pads," says Mr Clements. "If the loader has been used with badly worn pads allowing a lot of movement between the inner and outer sections, the pipes could be damaged, but in my experience this would be exceptional.
"I think the general appearance of the loader can tell you a lot about the way it has been used. If the outside is clean and tidy with few signs of impact damage, and the cab interior looks cared-for, it is probably a good sign. Operators who use machines carefully are more likely to be careful about servicing. It doesnt always follow – but its a useful guideline." *
Check the welds for tell-tale cracks which could suggest expensive problems ahead.
A Class Teleporter
telehandlers the once over
(Left) Ian Clements puts safety checks a the top of the priority list.
(Left)Faults in the life arm operation may be due to a problem in one of the solenoids.
(Left) Ian Clements adjusts the fan belt on the Perkins engine.
(Above) Apart from needing a clean, the cab interior is in good condition.