With the rapid development of infrastructure projects in China, the use of guardrail pile drivers has become increasingly common, and the awareness of maintenance for these machines has been established, where maintaining lubrication is of utmost importance. Some operators might think more lubricant is always better, which is a significant misconception. In reality, using lubricants comes with pressure, but there are some misunderstandings:

Misconception 1: More Lubricant Is Always Better. The role of lubricants is to reduce friction during the operation of the pile driver and ensure it runs smoothly. A lack of lubricant could lead to mechanical failures. Thus, during maintenance, lubricants are often added based on the principle of “more is better.” In fact, this approach can increase the resistance to the rotation of the crankshaft and the energy consumption of the oil becomes faster, potentially leading to bubbling, emulsification, and leakage. Therefore, during maintenance, each department should lubricate appropriately, and it is not advisable to over-lubricate.

Misconception 2: The Higher the Viscosity of the Lubricant, the Better. When choosing a lubricant, the specific conditions of the pile driver should be considered. High viscosity and high-priced lubricants are not necessarily suitable for every pile driver. If the viscosity is too high, the pumping capacity inside the oil pump will gradually decrease, reducing the flow rate and weakening lubrication. Moreover, the cooling and flushing performance will be worse, leading to pile driver malfunctions such as current hold shaft, and bricking.

Misconception 3: Lubricant Turning Black Indicates Degradation. Current lubricants have several additives to improve the lubrication performance of pile drivers. The addition of detergents to dispersants will cause the lubricant to turn black, which is a normal phenomenon. If you can't see it turning black, it means the oil has cracked. If cracked, it must be replaced to determine whether the lubricant has degraded. One should not only look at the surface but also analyze and thoroughly test the lubricant to develop the habit of changing the lubricant regularly.