Views: 0 Author: Site Editor Publish Time: 22-10-2025 Origin: Site
Proper use of a hydraulic breaker will not damage the excavator, but improper operation or mismatched equipment may lead to structural damage, hydraulic system overheating, or premature component wear.
As a key attachment for excavators, the potential impact of hydraulic breaker use on the main machine depends primarily on the following factors, which are explained in detail below:
It is necessary to confirm the compatibility between the excavator model and the hydraulic breaker, including:
Hydraulic flow and pressure: The flow required by the hydraulic breaker should be within 80%-100% of the excavator’s main pump output range. For example, 20-ton excavators are typically compatible with hydraulic breakers with a flow rate of 120-180 L/min. Excessive flow will cause the hydraulic system to overheat, while insufficient flow will result in inadequate impact force.
Working weight matching: The weight of the hydraulic breaker (including the bracket) should not exceed 50% of the excavator’s rated lifting capacity. For instance, a 20-ton excavator can carry a hydraulic breaker of approximately 1 ton; overloading will cause deformation of the front structure.
Impact frequency control: Sustained high-frequency impact (exceeding the rated times per minute) will accelerate the wear of the hydraulic pump. It is recommended to adopt a "short-term high-frequency + interval" mode, such as impacting for no more than 30 seconds each time with a 10-second cooling interval.
Impact angle management: When impacting vertically, the reaction force is evenly transmitted through the arm; lateral impact (with an angle >15°) will cause fatigue cracking of the arm welds. A typical case involves a 36-ton excavator of a certain brand, where long-term lateral breaking led to the fracture of the boom crossbeam.
Avoiding empty impact: Empty impact (impacting without material) generates peak pressure (up to 1.5 times the rated system pressure), which is likely to damage the nitrogen chamber and piston. Ensure the hardness of the impact surface is at least Mohs hardness 5.
Hydraulic oil management: Check the oil cleanliness every 500 operating hours; the cleanliness should meet NAS1638 standard Grade ≤8. Excessive contamination will cause the directional valve to jam. In one case, oil contamination increased the hydraulic breaker’s action delay by 0.3 seconds and reduced the impact energy by 22%.
Drill rod replacement standard: Replace the drill rod immediately when its diameter is worn by more than 10% of its original size (e.g., a φ135mm drill rod worn down to <121.5mm). Failure to do so will cause uneven wear of the piston and lead to oil leakage.
Nitrogen pressure calibration: Check the nitrogen chamber pressure every 200 operating hours; the standard pressure is 60%-70% of the rated system pressure. Insufficient pressure will cause attenuation of impact energy, while excessive pressure may lead to seal bursting.
For high-frequency breaking conditions, the following modifications can be made:
Install a reinforced bucket rod (with material upgraded to NM400 wear-resistant steel). This increases costs by approximately 15% but extends the service life by 2-3 times.
Add a hydraulic oil cooler to stabilize the system temperature at 60-80℃ and prevent oil deterioration.
Use a bracket with a buffering function to reduce the transmission of impact force to the main machine.
Under the triple guarantees of proper equipment matching, compliant operation, and thorough maintenance, the use of a hydraulic breaker will not damage the excavator. It is recommended that users establish a "one machine, one file" management system to record operating hours, maintenance data, and fault history, and reduce overall costs through Preventive Maintenance Optimization (PMO).
