Causes of hydraulic motor breakdowns

Hydraulic motors are one of the most popular types of hydraulic equipment. The units are quite expensive, but you can’t do without them when performing various tasks. They are widely used to drive machines and mechanisms, attachments, and additional equipment. And it’s very disappointing when units fail ahead of time. It’s one thing if natural wear and tear occurs, and quite another when a fairly new hydraulic motor breaks down at the most unexpected moment. You can avoid purchasing a new unit and get by with relatively low repair costs if you identify the fault in a timely manner and fix it as quickly as possible. And this can be done if you carefully monitor the operation of the equipment and understand what points you should pay special attention to. Let's look at this in more detail.

The most common breakdowns of hydraulic motors and their causes

During the operation of hydraulic motors, the following types of breakdowns most often occur:

1. Slow rotation of the drive mechanism.
2. Malfunctions at low speeds.
3. Uneven shaft rotation or no rotation at all.
4. Increased heating.
5. Leaks of working fluid.

Let's look at each of them in more detail.

Slow rotation of the drive mechanism

Have you noticed that the drive shaft has begun to rotate much slower than usual? There may be several reasons for this phenomenon. The most common is damage or wear to the elements of the piston group, distribution unit, and seals. The problem can also be caused by an increase in pressure in the output pipe or defects in surfaces directly involved in the transmission of torque.

To accurately determine the cause of the breakdown and eliminate it, it is necessary to disassemble the hydraulic motor to determine the wear of the elements. Those that cannot be restored are replaced. The seals also change.

Malfunctions at low speeds

Does the hydraulic motor show instability when operating at low speeds? Its elements or seals may be excessively worn. It is also worth disassembling the unit in order to check for any roughness or scuffing on the surface of the parts involved in transmitting torque. It is also recommended to check the drain line flow. It will indicate the presence or absence of a problem.

Uneven shaft rotation or no rotation at all

This manifestation can have several problems at once:

1. Presence of air in the hydraulic system.
2. Instability of oil supply to the hydraulic motor.
3. Low or, conversely, high inlet flow pressures.
4. Incorrect selection of unit size or incompetent task of working volume (relevant for adjustable models).
5. Unprofessional installation resulting in misalignment of the shafts and the actuator.

To eliminate the problem, you need to clearly understand what is causing it. So, in some cases it will be enough to remove air from the circuit by draining the oil, replacing the seals and filling in new working fluid. In other situations, it will be necessary to eliminate distortions and runouts at the joints, and adjust the pressure in the safety valve. But if the problem is hidden in the incorrect selection of the unit, then there is only one way out - replace it with a new one with the correct working volume.

Increased heating

Increased heating of the hydraulic motor can be caused by errors made when setting up the cooling system, or the use of hydraulic oil of inappropriate viscosity. Also, the possibility of increased wear or destruction of unit components cannot be ruled out. In such a situation, the efficiency of the cooling system is initially checked. Next, you may need to replace the oil, damaged or worn components. The cardinal solution is to replace the unit with a new one.

Working fluid leaks

Oil in the hydraulic motor may leak through worn seals, poorly tightened fasteners, or damage to the housing. Also, the cause of such a breakdown may be excessive wear of the cuff or shaft neck. The solution directly depends on the type of violation. It may be necessary to replace seals, tighten fasteners, and inspect the surface for cracks. If these measures do not give the desired result, you should disassemble the hydraulic motor and troubleshoot the components.

Can't handle the breakdowns yourself? Contact the Hydrolider service center specialists for help. If it turns out that the hydraulic motor cannot be repaired, we recommend choosing a new unit from the Hydroleader online store catalog.