 You won't find many pieces of equipment that work as hard or work in as tough conditions as a bulldozer. Dozers have a rough life. That makes preventive maintenance especially important. In fact, it's just about the only way we have to get a long, useful life out of the machine. And that's what this program is all about. Finding and correcting small problems before there's any serious damage. In this program, I'll cover daily checks and the startup and shutdown procedures. Okay, let's get started. Daily checks. The first thing you should do is take a general look at the machine. Look for any signs of leaks. If you find any, investigate. A leak is a sure sign that something's wrong. Look over the track pins for signs of unusual wear. And make sure the track frame is clean. Feel around the hydraulic lines. A leak here could cause serious trouble. So look over all the connections and the lines. Continue around the machine. Make sure everything's in good condition. Take a general look in the engine compartment. Check the hoses, lines, linkage, and wiring. Anything that could cause problems. Squeeze the dust cup to get rid of any build-up of dirt. You should check the engine oil every day. You never know when a diesel's going to start using oil. Keep the level between the full and the add marks on the dipstick. And if you have to add oil, be sure you add the right type. In general, just follow the preventive maintenance manual as you go along. That way you'll be sure to cover all the important points. Next, coolant. Adding coolant when it's needed is the easiest way to prevent overheating. So make sure the coolant stays above the radiator core. About an inch from the bottom of the filler neck. And don't forget to check the radiator grille. Any blockage to the grille can lead to problems too. Okay, now the other side of the engine. Again, check the belts, hoses, lines, linkage, and wiring. As you can see, these checks only take a few minutes. But by doing them, you'll really increase the chance of having a trouble-free day. Next, check the hydraulic oil level. And again, if you have to add any, be sure you use the right type. The wrong type of oil can do more harm than good. There are a few more levels to check. First, there are two sight glasses for the hydraulic system's return oil. If you can see oil through the glass, you have enough. Next, the final drive oil levels. There are two plugs on the rear of the dozer. All you have to do is remove the plug and feel inside. If you can feel oil, there's plenty in it. The last levels to check are in the batteries. And it's an easy check to forget. Another good reason to follow the manual. As long as you're there, make sure all the cables are tight and corrosion-free. Okay, now lubrication. First, get the three fittings for the clutch linkage and the brakes. There are three more fittings on each hydraulic ram. One on the top, one underneath, and one behind it. Be sure to wipe each fitting before you add grease. Forcing dirt into the fitting is almost as bad as not greasing it all. Be sure to grease the moldboard linkage. It takes a real beating. Actually, there's one more fitting to get on the hydraulic ram at the base. These fittings can get really dirty. You'll almost certainly have to scrape away the dirt before you add grease. And that's it for lubrication. But as long as you have the grease gun out, check the tracks for adjustment. It seems hard to believe, but you use the grease gun to adjust the tracks. All you have to do is loosen the plate covering the adjusting cylinder and add grease to the fitting. The more grease you add, the tighter the tracks get. Check with your supervisor the first couple of times you have to adjust the track. It can be tricky. A general rule to follow is to use less track tension when you're working in soft material like mud, sand, or snow. Okay, now you're ready to start up. Climb into the cab and put in the key. Fasten your seat belt. Put the neutral lock lever down. Press the starter button and let the engine idle for five minutes to warm up. The neutral lock lever is a handy safety device. When the lever is up, you can shift the transmission, but you can't start the engine. That way there's no risk of starting the engine while it's in gear. When the lever is down, you can start the engine, but you can't shift the transmission. While the engine's warming up, look over the gauges. They can tell you a lot about the machine's overall condition. Pay special attention to the air restriction indicator. If it's red in the center, shut down the machine and investigate. Don't run the dozer without a good supply of clean air. You're almost ready to go, but first raise and lower the blade and tilt it back and forth. Make sure everything's working smoothly. Of course, preventive maintenance doesn't stop here. It continues throughout the day. As you spend time on the dozer, you'll get a feel for the machine. You'll begin to notice unusual noises and vibrations. So follow your instincts. If you think something's wrong, stop and investigate. Okay, now shut down. At the end of the day, park the dozer on level ground. Put the neutral lock lever down and set the emergency brake. Be sure to lower the blade to the ground and let the engine cool down gradually. After the engine has cooled down, push the throttle lever forward and remove the key. Walk around the dozer one more time. Look for any damage that might have occurred during the day. As you can see, preventive maintenance is just as much a part of operation as turning a key or shifting gears. So keep your machine in good shape. After all, you're not a driver, you're an operator, and there's a big difference.