At NAS, we are very fortunate to have Costas Cordonis, the industry’s foremost expert on sweeper truck equipment. He has agreed to share here with readers some critical knowledge about maintaining pavement sweeping trucks built by Schwarze, the world’s most famous manufacturer of this class of heavy equipment.
Costas Cordonis, Warranty & Training Administrator, Schwarze Industries
Costas Cordonis has represented Schwarze for over 37 years. He started with the company as Quality Control and Safety Manager. Additionally, when the company ships components in containers to buyers in foreign markets, he sometimes flies overseas and places the modulated sweeper trucks onto the awaiting chassis for the new customers.
Schwarze Training Academy
The Schwarze Training Academy opened in 2013. The facility’s classroom accommodates a maximum of 12 attendees. Costas explains, “The academy provides detailed technical training for mechanics and end users of the equipment. The training covers maintenance, troubleshooting, setting up the machines, etc. Customers who send their employees to the training include highway departments, cities, dealer technicians, and commercial operators.
People come to Huntsville for the classes, and I sometimes travel to their locations and conduct training onsite. It’s usually better for people to come here to the classroom sessions, if possible, for the advantage of hands-on displays presented on easily accessible pedestals, depending on what type of machine they’ve got.”
From regenerative air and parking lot sweepers to mechanical broom sweepers, whether you run a fleet of Schwarze A series or S series sweeper trucks, below are some essential tips from Costas Cordonis for protecting your investment in your equipment and keep your Schwarze sweeper truck performing ideally for many years to come.
Top Priority Tips for Maintaining Your Schwarze Sweeper Trucks From Costas Cordonis
Here are some important Schwarze sweeper truck maintenance tips from the industry’s top expert on the world’s leading commercial pavement sweeping trucks and components:
Regenerative Air and Parking Lot Sweepers Maintenance Tips
- Regularly check and adjust broom down pressures. Excessive down pressure can slow the brooms, raise hydraulic temperatures, and accelerate broom wear. Always fine-tune the down pressure and broom pattern based on curb conditions and material depth. This maintenance tip is especially crucial during the spring season.
- Maintain the hydraulic oil and filter in good condition. The sweeper’s hydraulic system can become contaminated from dusty conditions, water condensation, or failed hydraulic components. It is recommended to change the hydraulic oil and filter after the first 500 hours of operation, and then every 2,000 hours thereafter. It may, however, be necessary to maintain the changes more often when conditions are more severe.
- Worn or torn sweeping head flaps or misaligned side plates will cause poor vacuum and trailing. Inspect the sweeping head, adjust or replace the flaps to maintain optimum air flow and seal to the ground.
- Inspect and adjust the tension of the springs on the sweeping head on the air sweepers regularly. Tension on the head springs will reduce the weight of the sweeping head to the ground and minimize the wear of the carbide skid plates.
- It is very important to follow the greasing charts on the sweeper maintenance schedules. Grease your sweeper as directed, keeping in mind that over-greasing is as bad as not greasing at all.
- Keep a close eye on the auxiliary engine and propulsion engine air filters. Do not use high pressure air to clean clogged air filters. Use only nozzles with 10-15 PSI to eliminate filter damage. The best practice is to replace the filters.
- Beware of any abnormal vibration or unusual noise. Inspect the fan for wear or buildup in the blades. Any buildup on the fan blades or abnormal wear due to sandblasting will cause vibration to the power module and possible fan failure.
- If the hydraulic oil has a cloudy or milky residue at the tank’s side glass, that will be a sign of water contamination. The oil and filter will have to be replaced to avoid hydraulic component damage.
- Dirty hydraulic filters will cause back pressure and restriction to the flow. This condition will increase the temperature of the hydraulic oil and shut the system down. Make sure to check for contamination and change the oil and filter as soon as necessary.
- Prior to the winter months, it may be necessary to apply dielectric grease on electrical connectors, electrical plugs on the hydraulic valves, and valve coils to prevent corrosion. This maintenance tip is especially important in winter.
- During sweeping around or under trees, leaves and small twigs tend to accumulate in the engine compartment area. It is necessary to keep the area clean to avoid possible fires around the exhaust manifold area.
- Do not bypass any of the sensors or sending units on the sweeper or auxiliary engine. Bypassing sensors does not work anymore with the new electrical systems.
Mechanical Sweepers Maintenance Tips
- Inspect and adjust the pattern and speed of the main broom regularly. Doing so will eliminate debris carryover, trailing, and uneven wear of the broom (coning). The main broom pattern should be 4-6 inches across, and the broom speed should be 100-120 RPM’s.
- Check the adjustment and alignment of the conveyor belt or chain on the mechanical sweeper regularly. Misalignment or a loose belt will cause damage to the elevator housing and the belt. A misaligned or unadjusted chain will also cause damage to the elevator housing and the drive sprockets.
- Keep the conveyor always clean. Accumulation of twine, wire, rope and millings can build up in the elevator and the shafts. Such a buildup will damage the drive sprockets, stretch the conveyor chain or belt, and will cause the conveyor to run slow or stall and cause the hydraulics to run hot.
- Keep the main broom on your mechanical sweeper adjusted correctly behind the elevator to avoid wind row trailing and side plate damage. The main broom should be centered to the elevator housing with both skid plates having equal distance to the side of the main broom.
- Inspect and adjust the curb brooms pattern and down pressure correctly to assure a clean sweep path and prevent premature broom wear.
- Keep the belt elevator height from the sweeping surface adjusted to avoid abnormal wear to the belt flights.
Learn More About Your Schwarze Pavement Sweeper Truck
All Schwarze equipment owners are encouraged to attend the Schwarze Training Academy and enroll your team members to advance their education in best practices for operating and maintaining your sweeper trucks and their critical components.
For more information about Schwarze pavement sweeper trucks and components, or to inquire about attending the Schwarze Training Academy, call Schwarze Industries at (800) 879-7933, or you can contact Costas Cordonis directly at ccordonis@schwarze.com.