How To Change The Oil In Your Excavator Final Drive

Removing the filler bung at this stage will introduce air into the gearbox which will help it drain quicker.

Once the gearbox is empty, refit the drain plug and remove the level plug in preparation for the refill.

TIP – If your final drive only has 2 filler ports (1 top and 1 bottom) rotate through 90* to ensure the gearbox is half full of oil.

As a general rule, a gearbox will only be half full of oil- always check the manufacturers specs.

Using either a gear pump or suitable dispenser, add your new gearbox oil to the specified level. Then refit the level plug and filler bung.

If the oil is particularly dirty, it’s recommended to fill the gearbox with flushing oil – run for a few minutes, then drain – to rid any contamination and sediment prior to final refill.

If your gearbox oil is heavily contaminated or contains a high level of metallic parts, this is an early sign of gearbox failure – contact your Local FDC Dealer for help.
If the oil level is low or no oil is left in the gearbox, this could be a sign of duo cone seal failure.

Alternatively, if the gearbox is brimmed with oil it could be a sign of a hydraulic fault on the machine – contact your local FDC Dealer for help.