 Your motor grader plays an important role in any construction or road maintenance activity. And if not properly maintained, the equipment may break down and work could stop completely. Because the equipment is used in many different road maintenance projects, the only person who can perform daily maintenance functions is you, the operator. Each agency has its own specific maintenance activities, and each equipment manufacturer has its recommended procedures. It is your responsibility to be sure that none of these special requirements are overlooked. This videotape will show the general methods and procedures for operator daily maintenance on motor graders. But more important, it tells you why these procedures are necessary. By using a check-off list, the operator can divide his checks into four groups of activities. These activities are the pre-start check, the warm-up check, the daily operating check, and the shutdown check. If during these activities problems are discovered, follow your local guidelines to determine corrective procedures. Follow along as our operator begins the first activity. The first activity consists of the pre-start check. This is a walk-around inspection for damaged or worn parts and fluid leaks. It also includes checking the equipment's fluid levels and air filter system. Starting with the tires, inspect their air pressure. Maintaining the correct tire pressure helps provide maximum tire service life. Also look at your tires for excessive wear, cuts, and sidewall damage. If any problems are discovered, report them to your supervisor. If your motor grader is fitted with directional tread tires, the operator must make sure that they are mounted correctly. With the operator standing at the front of the motor grader, the four rear tires should be mounted with the point of the tread pointing toward the ground. Tires mounted in this manner will provide maximum traction when blading material. However, on the front steering axle, the tires should be mounted with the point of the tread pointing upward. This reduces wear and provides better steering ability for the grader. Now that we have inspected the tires, we can move to the motor grader attachments. Check the mold board to make sure that there are no loose nuts or bolts. Also inspect the cutting edges and end bits for wear. If the cutting edges and end bits are worn to the mold board, report it to your supervisor so he can arrange to have them reversed or replaced. The scarifier should be inspected for broken or worn teeth. If a replacement is needed, follow your local guidelines. As part of the pre-start check, you should look for any fluid leaks. Fluid leaks will affect the safe operation of your equipment. Often leakage can be found by looking on the ground under the motor grader. If you see any wet spots or stains, look above the spot to locate the source of the leak. Brake fluid leaks may be found by looking at or feeling the inside of the wheels. Look for hydraulic oil leaks at the circle attachment, scarifier and steering cylinders. Hydraulic leaks are most often found at the cylinders, rod seals or at the hose connections. While you're at the circle attachment, take time to inspect the circle top face and the slide shift bar. If you're working under extremely dirty conditions, they will need to be cleaned daily with diesel fuel and lubricated as specified by the manufacturer. Once a thorough inspection of the hydraulic system has been completed, you can continue checking for leaks in the engine compartment. In the engine compartment, oil and fuel leaks may occur around the filter bowl seals or at the hose connections. Feel the bottom of the filter bowls for oil or fuel leaks. Radiator leaks may be caused by loose hose connections or a damaged radiator. We have inspected the motor grater for leaks. Now we must see if the fluids are at the correct operating levels. The engine oil must be at the proper level on the dipstick. If the oil is below the proper level, do not run the engine until the proper type and amount of oil is added. The fan will control the temperature of the engine. Proper operation of the fan depends on the fan belts. Hand test the fan belts for tautness and examine the belts for wear. Now look at the coolant level. Be sure that the fluid in the radiator is at the level required for your particular machine as specified by your supervisor. Add more coolant if needed. Never remove the radiator pressure cap while the engine is hot. The cap is designed to maintain pressure in the cooling system. This pressure, if released by removing the cap, could cause serious injury to you. Once you have finished with the engine's cooling system, you can check the engine's air filter system. Begin with an inspection of the pre-cleaner bowl. If dust or other material have accumulated in the bowl, clean it. Dump out the dirt and wipe with a clean rag. Be careful if the pre-cleaner is plastic as it can crack or break if you hit it against a hard surface. Daily cleaning of the pre-filter will greatly reduce clogging of the air filter elements. This indicator warns you when to clean or replace the dry type air cleaner element of your air cleaner. Dry type air cleaner elements should either be replaced with a new element or a serviced element that has been vacuum cleaned and inspected by specialized shop equipment. If a replacement element is not available, the operator should clean the old element in the following manner. To clean a dusty element, remove it. Tap the element with the palm of your hand. Do not pound it on a hard surface. It could damage the element. If tapping does not remove dust, use compressed air if available. Direct the air up and down the pleats, blowing from inside to outside. The element can be checked to see if it is clean by placing a light bulb inside and viewing the penetration of light through the pleated paper of the element. If a light bulb is not available, hold the element toward the sun and view the penetration of sunlight passing through the pleated paper from the outside of the element to the inside. Reinstall the element, making sure that the housing is correctly sealed. This will ensure proper air filtration through the system. Never operate the engine without the element in place, as this can cause extensive engine damage. Important additional inspections are at the battery. A word of caution. All batteries give off explosive gas. There should be no open flame or smoking permitted around the battery. Follow your local safety guidelines when working with batteries. If needed, fill each cell to just above the top of the battery plates and separators with clean distilled water. Never fill the cell to the top or allow the fluid to drop below the top of the battery plate and separators. Before you leave, make sure that the battery is securely fastened. Check the battery cables, clamps and connections for tautness and corrosion. Next, we will need to drain condensation and sediment from the fuel tank. To do this, a drain cock is provided at the bottom of the fuel tank. Open the drain until all condensation and sediment have been removed. Never perform this while smoking or with an open flame in the area. Draining this sediment helps keep the fuel clean and prevents clogging of components. Sediment like this, if not removed from the system, can cause serious engine damage. Now, look at the hydraulic fluid level. A dipstick or site gauge is provided for this inspection. In this case, it is a site gauge. Hydraulic fluid is necessary for the operation and control of the motor grater and the attachments. As with engine oil, hydraulic fluid must be the proper type and amount. Now for your last pre-start check. Record your engine hour meter reading. The hour is registered will determine when you need to notify your supervisor that the motor grater periodic maintenance is needed. Before we go on to the next set of checks, this is a good time to stop the videotape and review the inspection steps up to this point. In the last segment, we finished our pre-start check. Now we can go on to the second activity, the equipment warm-up check. The equipment warm-up check is carried out in the parking area. It helps ensure that the motor grater will perform as it should during daily use. Before starting the engine, be sure to see that all control levers are in the neutral position. The parking brake is on and that all attachments are grounded. Now, start your engine. Let the engine warm-up for 5 to 10 minutes, even in hot weather. This allows the oil pressure to build up and lubricate all moving parts in the engine while the coolant begins to circulate and heat the engine to its operating temperature. If your equipment uses air pressure, this warm-up allows the air compressor to build up pressure in the air tank. Listen to your engine. If you hear anything unusual, shut the equipment down and call your supervisor. The paddle gauges provide information about the equipment operation. Look at these gauges to make sure they are operating in their normal ranges. Does the amp meter read on the positive side? Is the oil pressure in the safe zone? Is the fuel tank gauge functioning? Is the tank full? Is the temperature gauge reading in the safety zone? If applicable, does the air pressure gauge or warning light indicate safe operating pressure? If your grader is equipped with additional gauges, these should also be checked to verify their operation. Before making any additional checks, be sure that any people are a safe distance from the machine. Lift the attachments from the grounded position. Once these attachments are raised, you can check their operation. Lift the mold board up and turn the circle. Check the side shift and the blade tilt. Now, test the scarifier. Notice that the scarifier was left in the raised position. This protects the asphalt pavement from damage. Does the scarifier raise smoothly? Do all the control levers function properly? An additional part of the hydraulic system is the steering. Does it have a smooth and even movement in response to your controls? It should. For the last warm-up check, you should test the brakes before starting out. Release the parking brake. Put the motor grader in motion. Then apply the foot brake. Your brakes should feel solid. If they do not hold, or if they need to be pumped, shut down your equipment and notify your supervisor immediately. All these pre-start and warm-up checks are critical to safe and efficient equipment operation. Do not leave the parking area until the list has been completed. Once this has been done, you are ready to begin work. The third operator maintenance activity, the daily operating check, is carried out while the grader is working. During daily operations, you should monitor your equipment's performance. Specifically, listen for unusual noises. Read your gauges. And be aware of changes in the performance of your equipment. We can look at these individually. Listen for unusual engine and equipment noises. These noises warn us of problems that could damage the motor grader. Look at your gauges during operations. They indicate changes in equipment operation. If any gauge reads in the danger zone, shut down and inspect the system. Notify your supervisor. Be aware of changes in your equipment's performance. Report any changes. The fourth and last daily maintenance activity is the shutdown check. The shutdown check helps prepare your grader for the following workday. If your agency provides a fueling station, pull in there first and fill your fuel tank. This minimizes water compensation. When doing this, be sure all fueling equipment is clean. This prevents contaminants from entering the fuel tank. Since these are flammable liquids, do not smoke or have an open flame in the area. Your facility may provide an area to clean your vehicle. If so, pull into this area next. Clean away dirt or material from the machine that is built up during the workday. After cleaning, find a level area to park your equipment. Set the parking brake. Lower all hydraulic attachments until their full weight rests on the ground. This secures your equipment and prevents injury to anyone tampering with the machine while it is parked. Now, let the engine idle for approximately five minutes before shutting down. This reduces the pressures in your working systems that can cause leaks or damage. After the engine has been turned off, record the hour meter reading. This is important for keeping a record of your equipment's periodic preventive maintenance. Now, using a grease gun, grease the mechanical joints. Proper lubrication extends the operating life of your motor greater. Follow your equipment's guidelines for proper lubrication procedures. One way to make it easier for you to identify the daily lubrication points is to have them marked. If your water pump is equipped with a grease fitting, do not forget to grease the water pump shaft. That completes the detailed description of the four major daily operator maintenance activities. Now, let us review each group of activities once more. The first activity is the pre-start check. This is a walk around inspection looking for damaged or worn parts such as the attachments and tires. It also includes checking for fluid leaks of the hydraulic, cooling, engine and brake systems. The engine's air filter system is inspected. The fluid levels, oil, coolant and hydraulic are checked for proper levels. And finally, dirt and condensation are drained from the fuel tank. The second activity is the equipment warm-up check. This is made from inside the cab while the engine is warming up. Listen for unusual engine noises. Be sure to read the gauges and test the hydraulic system and brakes before leaving the parking area. The third activity is the daily operating check. The operating check during the workday includes listening for unusual noises, frequently reading gauges and being aware of changes in the equipment's performance. The fourth and last activity is the shutdown check. Fill the fuel tank. Clean away dirt and debris. Park the machine on a level surface and set the parking brake. Rest all hydraulic system attachments on the ground. Idol the engine for approximately five minutes prior to shutdown. Record your hour meter reading and grease all mechanical joints. This videotape has included general maintenance procedures. Your agency may require that you modify certain activities. There also may be additional safety inspection points. If so, follow your local operator guidelines. This concludes the videotape on motor grader operator daily maintenance. Following these procedures will help ensure that your motor grader is properly maintained and stays in good working condition.