Expander FAQ for machine owners, operators and repair companies
Your operation will likely see clear cost savings right from the start. Installation is quick and easy – without welding and line boring – reducing maintenance costs and machine downtime. Additionally, the Expander System is a permanent solution for lug wear, so there will be less reactive maintenance for failed pins and a more optimized life cycle cost of your machines.
No. We handle both large and small production orders. So, no matter if you are looking for just one, a few, or hundreds of replacement pivot pins, we have the capability to match your needs.
Expander pivot pin assemblies can usually be delivered within 48 hours of placing your order, thanks to our customized production and well-maintained stock of standard components. However, if you need to urgently repair a machine that’s down, we can put a rush on your order and send it express shipping for an additional fee.
We do not have a specific range of sizes. The Expander System is designed and produced based on what is needed and can be adapted for virtually all sizes. We’ve produced replacement pins with diameters that range from Ø8 millimeters (0.3 inches) to Ø460 mm (14.2 in), and as long as 2.40 meters (7.87 feet). Yet those are by no means the limits.
You can search our webshop by make and model to find a listing of the Expander System designed for your machine. If your machine isn’t listed, use one of our Expander Dimension Sheets to guide you in measuring the machine application and pins you want to replace. You can then send in the filled-out Dimension Sheet for a quote.
Standard hand tools for loosening and tightening nuts and bolts, and grease are usually all that’s needed. But just like with conventional replacement pins, additional tools can be helpful depending on the size and weight of the pin. See the installation and removal guide for your Expander System to learn more.
We can design your Expander System with features to aid in installation and removal. In addition, we also offer adapters for hydraulic or mechanical jacks and pullers. Expander Tooling, meanwhile, provides solutions like slide hammers for quickly and safely pushing or pulling especially large pins into place. Contact us or ask your Expander sales rep for more information.
A large taper on the Expander System’s axle guides and reduces the alignment fit required between machine parts, while its expanding sleeves allow for direct installation into worn, oversized, and even oval lug bores. Learn all about the ease of installing an Expander System.
As long as the pivot can be unloaded and supported safely after the original pin is removed, the Expander System can be installed anywhere, whether it’s a workshop or out in the field.
Yes. The Expander System’s through-bolt design allows it to be mounted and torqued from one side.
Yes. There may be some initial space between the sleeve and the lug bore, but the round sleeve will conform/deform to fit as the machine puts pressure on the pivot. The fasteners can then be re-tightened to further close the gap. Depending on wear and ovality, re-torquing may be needed for up to a week. Once the sleeves are fully settled, there will be no more movement.
Our standard sleeves can extend by up to 2 mm (0.07 in) beyond their original outer diameter. Lug bores worn more than 2 mm in diameter will need larger sleeves. It’s best to order sleeves with dimensions matching the maximum diameter of the worn lug bore. You can also order the Standard X-Kit with dual sleeves that extend to 4 mm, or the R-Kit with custom-sized sleeves.
For the Expander System to fully settle into a worn lug bore, ovality – the difference between a lug bore’s maximum and minimum diameters – must be less than 1.5 mm (0.06 in). Any lug bores with larger ovality must be made rounder before installation, using a grinder or line boring. If that increases maximum diameters by over 2 mm, larger sleeves or an X-Kit will be needed.
Yes. As long as the Expander System is not damaged, it can be removed and re-mounted. For large systems, we can design the expanding sleeves with flanges or threads so that a removal tool (such as a “bearing puller”, jackbolt, or slide hammer) can be used to make it easier to remove and better facilitate frequent dismounting.