1. Bucket Disassembly and Assembly

This is a routine job since attachments often need replacement. In different areas, everyone has their own tricks, but they usually involve a big hammer and crowbar. Here, I’ll share a technique to remove and install a bucket without hammers or pry bars (works on any brand). It’s as simple as putting an elephant in the refrigerator:

• Step 1: Operate the machine to position the arm vertically to the bucket so the bucket pin is under load.

• Step 2: Remove the bucket link pin and insert a smaller-diameter pin (any round, square, or hex steel bar of sufficient strength). Tip: this pin is smaller, so if you can’t remove it easily, well… you’ll be struggling for days—don’t be clumsy!

• Step 3: Operate the machine so the smaller pin lifts the bucket slightly off the ground. This frees the connection between the arm and the bucket, allowing the pin to rotate freely. You can step on the bucket to help make it free-turning, then remove the pin—no hammer or crowbar needed. (For larger machines, use a platform or dig a pit to make removal easier. For heavy pins you can’t carry, figure out another method.)

• Step 4: If you still can’t remove the bucket after doing this… then you’re a fool! (Just joking!) This method isn’t my invention, but I personally led a team to learn it.

This is how factories do it. If you don’t believe me, go and see!

Some may ask: what if the pin is worn with grooves? Well, think about it—can hammering or prying flatten out grooves? Of course not. This technique is what skilled operators rely on.

2. Heavy Component Handling

When disassembling components too heavy to lift manually, use lifting equipment, and always keep the parts aligned until they are fully separated. Only then move the detached part to the prepared resting spot.
Many people simply drop the part down and drag it around without regard for alignment, which damages mating surfaces. This reduces assembly accuracy during reinstallation, causing abnormal operation or even strange faults.

3. Marking for Reassembly

During disassembly, mark mating parts with reference marks that you (or anyone else) can understand. This prevents mistakes when reinstalling symmetric parts (a common error on Chinese-made machines), and avoids confusion when reinstalling pipelines (believe it or not, some people really struggle with pilot lines).

4. Safe Handling with Ropes

When disassembling heavy parts with lifting assistance, fasten one or more safety ropes to the component. Use these ropes to control horizontal movement. Never risk using your body to push or align the component—this is a recipe for accidents!

5. High-Pressure Gas and Fluid

Never test with your hands! Stay out of the spray zone. If a line suddenly ruptures, shut down the machine immediately, then move it to a safe area before proceeding with repairs.
(Note: some OEMs specify that high-pressure common rail pipes cannot be reused, and there’s good reason for that.)

6. Machine Operation Safety

When traveling, always observe the route. Never take risks—detour if necessary. In hazardous zones, always be alert for landslides. Accidents don’t happen instantly; they always have warning signs. Many accidents occur because operators ignore them.
Unless it’s a matter of life and death, never push the machine beyond its design limits.
These may sound like clichés, but they come from real lessons learned the hard way.

On Stuck Spool Valves

Sometimes, foreign matter jams the main control valve spool, making disassembly difficult. Installation is easier, but removal can be a big headache. Some people hammer it out—sure, the spool may come loose, but the valve body gets ruined. That’s a bigger problem than a stuck spool!

Here’s how to handle it:

1. Try to remove the foreign matter. Move the spool back and forth to dislodge it.

2. Use gravity—invert the valve body to let debris fall out.

3. Remove the spool in the opposite direction of where it’s stuck.

4. If none of the above works, apply a spiral extraction: rotate the spool while applying lateral force to work it out gradually. Do not pull it straight out.