Caterpillar Haul Truck Steering Repairs with the Geographe STRIK

Australian mine sites place haul trucks under intense stress. Heat, dust, heavy loads and rough terrain all contribute to accelerated wear on key components, especially steering systems on Caterpillar 789 and 793 trucks.

Over time, worn bores and tapers cause ball studs to fit inconsistently, leading to reliability problems, unplanned downtime and increased maintenance intervention.

Geographe has developed a solution to help maintenance teams restore steering performance with confidence.

Introducing the Steering Taper Repair and Inspection Kit (STRIK)

Available from 2026, the Steering Taper Repair and Inspection Kit (STRIK) is a precision-engineered system designed to repair worn steering tapers directly on the truck.

The STRIK provides a controlled and repeatable method to reclaim taper surfaces, ensuring proper ball stud installation while reducing the risks associated with traditional repair methods such as hammering, thermal lancing or pressing sleeves.

When tapers are not properly restored, steering arms, knuckles and ball studs wear faster, often resulting in expensive component replacement. The STRIK addresses this problem while improving safety and efficiency.

Achieving Precision, Predictability, and Control with STRIK

Developed in collaboration with experienced mine site maintenance teams, the Steering Taper Repair and Inspection Kit (STRIK) introduces a fully standardised approach to steering taper reclamation.

Its key advantage is the ability to restore taper profiles in situ, on the truck, without removing steering components for off-site machining. This significantly reduces labour time, eliminates transport delays, and keeps assets operational for longer.

STRIK enables maintenance teams to safely reclaim worn tapers and confidently install either Caterpillar OEM ball studs or Geographe Enhanced Performance™ (EP) Ball Studs,  restoring OEM-level integrity to steering assemblies.

Geographe can also supply oversized EP Ball Studs, offering up to three times oversize, compatible with STRIK’s reaming capabilities. This allows worn components to be reclaimed rather than replaced, extending the usable life of critical steering hardware.

Image Caption: The STRIK replaces guesswork with engineering precision, allowing you to inspect wear, recondition damaged bores, and install oversized ball studs entirely,  guaranteeing a perfect interference fit, preventing catastrophic failures and extending asset life. 

Safer Maintenance, Improved Truck Performance

The STRIK replaces unpredictable repair practices with engineered processes that improve safety and reliability. Precision reaming, lapping and measurement ensure steering components are restored accurately, reducing the risk of premature failure.

Using the STRIK, in conjunction with Enhanced Performance Ball Studs, mine sites can:

• Reduce failures related to steering

• Extend the life of components

• Improve overall fleet reliability

• Create safer working conditions for maintenance teams

   

A Predictable Approach to Steering Maintenance

By engineering solutions around safety and repeatability, Geographe helps sites move from reactive repairs to planned, predictable maintenance. The result is measurable improvements in equipment reliability, reduced downtime, and enhanced compliance with safety standards.

With Geographe Specialised Tooling™, maintenance is safer, more predictable, and more effective. Mine sites can extend asset life, lower total maintenance costs, and protect the teams performing these critical tasks.

The STRIK will be available from 2026. Learn more or register your interest at geographe.com.au/strik.