8 Commonly Asked Questions About Ball Studs to Suit Caterpillar Haul Trucks

When it comes to mining innovation, Geographe's Ball Studs to suit CAT 789 & 793 haul trucks extend the lifespan of your fleet.

Designed with the utmost precision, Geographe's Ball Stud to suit CAT 789 & 793 align seamlessly with CAT part number 8X-9620, ensuring a perfect fit and uncompromising performance.

1 – What are the strength and fatigue properties of a Geographe 789/793 Ball Stud compared to that of an equivalent Caterpillar Ball Stud? 

When tested, Geographe Ball Studs were shown to have over twice the impact resistance of a Caterpillar 8X-9620 Ball Stud, so are tough and wear extremely well.

• OEM measured samples: 15-17 J (Izod)
• Geographe specification: 40 J (Izod)

2 – Is there a material difference when manufacturing the Geographe ball stud, in comparison to the OEM?

Yes, our material choice offers optimum toughness and impact resistance when coupled with our heat treatment specification in order to help create a superior stud.

3 – How does the Geographe ball stud design differ from the original OEM design in order to reduce the risk of cracking?

Geographe uses high tensile alloy steel that is heat-treated to a very tough, impact-resistant condition. The neck radius has been control shot-peened to provide a layer of compressive residual stress.

4 – What life span should we expect from a Geographe Ball Stud when used in CAT 789 and 793 trucks?

Geographe conducted a trial with a valued international client carrying out periodic inspections up to 18,000 hours.  Upon final inspection, the trial had been considered a success, and the components were utilised in accordance with scheduled maintenance practices.

The stud lifespan may vary depending on the conditions in which mining is taking place.

5 – What is the recommended Geographe inspection & maintenance strategy?

Geographe recommends inspecting the ball studs as per the Caterpillar OEM specifications.

6 – Do Geographe offer oversized versions of these studs?

Yes – we offer four oversized ball stud versions. The nominal diameter of the oversized versions are:

• Standard               Dia. 82.55mm
• 1^st Oversize          Dia. 83.34mm
• 2^nd Oversize        Dia. 84.14mm
• 3rd Oversize        Dia. 84.97mm
• 4th Oversize        Dia. 85.77mm

Oversized ball studs are usually made to order. Please contact us regarding manufacturing lead times.

7 – Can I purchase your 8X-9620 equivalent as part of a ball stud kit? 

Yes you can, the 789 and 793 Ball Stud Kits contain the following items :

1 x 11514372 (SNAP RING – 5T6667)
1 x 11491437 (BALL STUD CAP – 5T6503)
1 x 11476972 (RACE BEARING – 6V7959)
1 x 11513943 (BALL STUD COVER – 5T6809)
1 x 11477808 (BALL STUD – 8X9620EP)
1 x 11472913 (HI TENSILE NUT – 3J6899)

The complete Geographe Ball Stud Kit to suit Caterpillar 789 & 793 trucks can be seen here.

8 – Does Geographe offer a tool that can assist us when it’s time to remove these studs?

Yes – we have created tooling to suit standard Caterpillar 785, 789, and 793 Haul Trucks plus additional tooling to suit those Caterpillar 793 Haul Trucks fitted with Extended Life Brake Packs (ELBP).

Geographe ball stud design improvements include a material change, heat treatment plus lubrication, and machining tolerance enhancements which increase the lubrication spread by approximately 200%.

We are proud to have sold thousands of ball studs and ball stud kits to suit Caterpillar Haul Trucks to a wide variety of global customers for over 20 years.

Our range has been increased from CAT 789 and 793 haul trucks to include ball studs and ball stud kits to suit CAT 777 haul trucks, CAT 785 haul trucks and CAT 797 haul trucks.

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