Removing Ball Studs for Caterpillar Haul Trucks | Geographe

Efficiency and safety of heavy machinery maintenance are paramount to every mine site operation. Caterpillar haul trucks often face the challenge of stubborn ball studs in their steering assemblies. These critical components can become seized due to harsh working conditions, leading to extended downtime, increased maintenance costs and productivity.

A Breakthrough in Mining Maintenance

To support miners globally, we designed the Ball Stud Removal Tool (BSRT) – a hydraulic pressing tool that has revolutionised the way ball studs can be removed during routine maintenance, streamlining processes and enhancing safety measures for maintenance crews across the world.

Initially used in Australia, the BSRT has quickly gained traction among prominent mining companies in the Americas. By mitigating safety risks during ball stud removal operations and reducing downtime during changeouts, Geographe's BSRT has proven to be a game-changer for maintenance practices.

The Key Benefits of the Ball Stud Removal Tool:

1. Improved Safety Measures: Geographe's BSRT eliminates the need for hammering, jacking, heating, and thermal lancing, improving safety for maintenance teams.
2. Enhanced Efficiency: by improving operational efficiency and minimising downtime, the BSRT significantly enhances productivity by reducing the time and effort required to remove ball studs.
3. Adaptability: designed to fit various Caterpillar haul truck fleets, including the 785, 789, and 793 trucks, with a variant for the 777-truck coming in 2024. Its adaptability ensures compatibility with a range of mining equipment.
4. Single-Operator Functionality: the BSRT is a portable, single-operator tool. Its ease of use enhances workflow and reduces the manpower required for maintenance tasks.
5. Convenient Storage and Handling: a waterproof and customised wheeled Pelican™ case ensures easy transportation and secure storage, even in challenging work environments.
6. No Electricity Required: the BSRT requires no electricity for full adaptability to each mine site’s circumstances, allowing for a hydraulic hand pump to be used in the field (supplied separately).

With over 100 Ball Stud Removal Tools present in mine site operations around the world, including Africa, Australia, North & South America, Southeast Asia, and New Zealand, our customers have saved thousands of labour hours, reduced downtime and, most importantly, provided safer working practices for their maintenance teams. Companies like BHP, Newcrest, Thiess Mongolia, and Peabody have embraced Geographe's BSRT, witnessing transformative improvements in their maintenance operations.

Read more about the BSRT in MINE Australia's March 2024 edition: https://mine.nridigital.com/mine_mar24/geographe