What are the key points for daily maintenance of horizontal directional drilling rigs?
Jul 10, 2026| I. Power System Maintenance
Daily check lubricating oil and coolant levels, and investigate for oil leaks and belt wear.
Drain water and sediment from the oil-water separator every 10 hours of operation/day to ensure fuel cleanliness.
Contact the manufacturer for inspection after the first 50 hours of operation. Change the engine oil every 250 hours thereafter. Measure the engine oil level after the engine has been stationary for 5 minutes and the equipment is level, ensuring the oil level is between "L" and "H" on the dipstick.
II. Hydraulic System Maintenance
Daily check the hydraulic oil level. When it is below 2/3 of the gauge, add L-HM46 anti-wear hydraulic oil (use L-HM32 if the ambient temperature is below 5℃).
Replace the return and replenishment oil filters every 250 hours. Change the hydraulic oil every 1000 hours. Daily check hydraulic hoses and joints for leaks and wear; replace damaged parts immediately.
Regularly clean the hydraulic oil cooler and oil tank breather valve, controlling the system oil temperature to not exceed 60℃ to prevent oil aging.
III. Power Head and Reducer Maintenance
Before and after every 20 hours of work/day, check the gear oil level and for leaks in the rotary gearbox.
Change the gear oil after the first 100 hours of work. Thereafter, change the oil every 1000 hours/year, filling to 2/3 of the oil level indicator to prevent overflow.
Check the reducer gear oil level every 10 hours of work to ensure adequate lubrication.
IV. Drilling Tool System Maintenance
Check the thread wear of the short connectors and protective short connectors every 10 hours of work/day. Replace immediately if the wear exceeds the limit.
After each construction operation, check the drill pipe thread wear. Before using new drill pipes, "grind new threads" (apply thread lubricant and tighten repeatedly 3 times). Before each use, apply thread lubricant to the threaded areas to prevent rust and reduce friction.
V. Cleaning, Tightening, and Safety Management
After each construction operation, clean the equipment surface of mud and dirt, paying special attention to cleaning the slide rails, power head, and radiator to prevent dust accumulation that could lead to poor heat dissipation or component corrosion.
Daily checks should be conducted on fasteners such as power head bolts and hose clamps for looseness, and any damaged parts should be tightened or replaced promptly.
Before each day's work, the effectiveness of safety devices such as safety valves, emergency power-off switches, and grounding wires should be checked. A maintenance log should be established to record data such as fluid changes and drill pipe usage frequency for future traceability and analysis.
