Tips for extending the life of your Actisol equipment

A great deal of Actisol equipment dating from the 2000s, 90s, 80s and even 70s is still in operation at our customers’ facilities. But how? Our equipment is designed to last, but that’s not all. Regular maintenance and checks on certain points will ensure that your cracker has many more hectares on its clock ! Here’s our advice on how to maintain your equipment.

Regular checks, yes, but when?

Checking the condition of your machine is essential for its longevity. But you need to know when, to be most effective.

First hectares and periods of use

After the first few hours of operation, we strongly advise you to check and retighten all the screws and plugs, as well as the hydraulic connections. After all, the use of our equipment is unique to you. Plot, tractor, type of site… all factors that influence the behaviour of the standard assembly of workshop parts.

During periods of use, there are a number of points to keep an eye on at regular intervals:

Points	Advice	Intervals

Lubrication	Grease the entire tool	Every 8 hours of work

Rear rollers	Check general condition, bearings and fixings	Every 8 hours of work

Frame	Check general condition	Every 8 hours of work

Teeth	Check the bolts for tightness and wear of the following parts: Teflon rings on spring retainers, springs, tooth pins and pivots	Every 50 hours of work

Parts	Check the condition of all wear parts	Regularly depending on use

At the end of the season

After your work, the entire tool should be cleaned and dried so that it can be completely overhauled before storage. Don’t hesitate to grease wear parts to avoid any ‘sticking’ effect when resuming work.

The cleaning stage

The tool should be cleaned in an area where waste water can be collected. It is not recommended to clean the cylinders and bearings with a high-pressure cleaner or a direct jet, as this could damage the seals, which are not designed to be watertight in these conditions.

To protect the paintwork on your Actisol, make sure you do not high-pressure clean from a distance of less than 50 cm.

You can, however, clean your cracker during the season when conditions require it, in order to maintain its performance.

What about storage?

We recommend storing your Actisol in a well-ventilated room sheltered from the elements. The storage surface should be stable and perfectly horizontal. To protect your tool against rust, you can use easily biodegradable oils, such as rapeseed oil.

Pre-season checks

Before resuming work, check the general condition of your Actisol, which will have been in storage for a few weeks. Check that the bolts are tight, that the wearing parts are in good condition and grease the tool.

Problems, causes and remedies

Occasionally, you may run into problems on your construction sites. These well-known causes are sometimes the result of wear and tear or incorrect settings, and can be easily resolved :

Poor tool penetration: this problem can be due to 3 factors:

Worn parts in poor condition. In this case, simply replace the worn parts (often the square bars).
A linkage adjustment error. Refer to the tool start-up sheet to adjust your linkage.
The ground is too hard. Keep the roller in the high position to increase the penetration of the teeth.

Lack of stability when working: in this case, there are two possible options:

The working depth is too shallow. In this case, simply increase the working depth using the rear roller.
The mixing roller works too deep. Use the adjustment bars on the rear roller to reduce the working depth of the mixer.

Resolving these issues and paying close attention to the results of the tool’s work are key factors in ensuring that your equipment has a long service life.

You have all the keys in hand!

By applying these tips, you’ll maximise the life and profitability of your Actisol equipment. Don’t hesitate to consult our parts breakdowns, available directly from our website, to discover all the versatility of our crackers.