WorldWide Drilling Resource

them as quickly as you can. a Hoses in locations which make them prone to damage. Replace them if they are damaged. a Hoses with broken wire braids and replace them immediately. a The most common cause of drill rig failure is contamination of the hydraulic oil. Change hydraulic filters as recommended by the manufac- turer. If the filter uses o-rings to seal the fitting, they will need to be re- placed occasionally. Remember to use o-rings specifically designed for hydraulic fittings. Engine - Check: a Engine oil and change according to the manufacturer’s instructions. a The radiator and hydraulic oil cooler to make sure they are clean and free of debris. a Change antifreeze if necessary. Most importantly, follow the recom- mendations of the rig manufacturer for all preventative maintenance. 19 WorldWide Drilling Resource ® MAY 2015 Maintenance Tips for HDD Rigs Compiled by Bonnie Love, Editor WorldWide Drilling Resource ® We thought it might be a good idea to go over some maintenance tips for HDD rigs. Our first tip is to keep the rig clean. Simply put, a clean rig just runs better. Rig maintenance begins with daily checks and inspections. Here are a few things to check: Drill Stem - Check: a Stem threads to make sure they are clear and adequately lubricat- ed.Threads should not be used dry. a The threads for wear. If you notice significant wear, remove the rod from the rotation and replace it. a For bent rods, they transfer addi- tional stress to adjacent rods in the drill string and increase the possibility of failure. Bent rods should not be used. a Lead rods which bear the highest amount of stress during drilling. Con- sider changing rod rotation by moving your lead rods to different locations in the drill string. a Check the drill string drive chuck for wear on a regular basis. The con- dition of the drive chuck can signifi- cantly affect the life of the drill string. Hydraulics - Check: a For leaks by conducting a walk around the rig, use a flashlight to check under the rig as well. a For nondripping leaks (moisture) around the hose crimp, or at the thread of the fitting. This could mean the hose will soon fail, so replace & ! $ # & # " ! $ # & # & " & ! " " & " $ # & & ! & " & & "! " ! & " " ! ! ! !% $ # "! ! Keep plastic caps on each end of drill pipes until it’s time to drill, and replace when drilling is complete. These caps protect the threads from collecting dirt and fine particles, which can lead to thread galling and cause the pipe to wear out twice as fast. Courtesy of KingslandDrill.com