McLanahan Corporation’s Rotary Breaker Troubleshooting Guide offers several solutions for how to improve situations such as hot bearings and excessive noise.
Rotary Breaker Maintenance
What can I do if I am getting too much product in my refuse or too much refuse in my product stream?
If product is exiting the breaker drum with the refuse, adjust the lifters (angled toward the feed opening) to help retard the material flow and allow additional time in the cylinder. If refuse is passing through with the product, set the lifters in the advance position (angled toward the discharge end) to help advance material flow through the cylinder quicker.
How do I know when to replace / resurface the trunnion rollers?
If the trunnion rollers show minimal taper across the face and/or shallow circumferential grooves but no other visible damage, resurface the rollers if convenient.
If the rollers show minimal taper across the face, have mild to moderate shallow pitting and a dull finished, resurface them if convenient.
If a raised ridge is visible at the edge of the rollers and/or if they have a smooth surface but no other visible damage, resurface the rollers soon.
If the rollers show visible flats across the face, resurface them as soon as possible.
If the renewable tires slid across the face, replace the rollers immediately.
Why am I getting oversized product?
Most likely the breaker plate holes have worn and are allowing oversized product through.
How do you change the screen plates?
- Lock out electrical power at the source, and block between all trunnion rollers and their corresponding cylinder tires to prevent the cylinder from rotating.
- Remove the refuse chute, if necessary, to provide adequate clearance to slide the screen plates out the discharge end of the cylinder.
- Loosen the bolts and remove the screen plate(s) in the lower portion of the cylinder.
- Install the new screen plates using new bolts, lock washers and grip nuts. Tighten all bolts securely.
- Verify that all personnel are clear of the cylinder. Remove the blocks from between the trunnion rollers and cylinder tires and turn the cylinder by hand (or with the optional inching drive) until the next screen plate or series of screen plates is in the lower position.
- Replace the blocks between the trunnion rollers and cylinder tires, and repeat steps 3, 4 and 5 until all the worn screen plates have been replaced.
- Before reapplying power, verify that the machine is free of any obstructions. Clear all personnel from the machine and rotate the cylinder by hand to ensure that it turns freely.
Operational Best Practices
How can I lessen the impact of the feed on the breaker plates?
If possible, screen the feed to remove the fines prior to the Rotary Breaker. By doing so, the cushioning effect of the fines is eliminated, allowing the larger material to impact the breaker plates from the beginning.
How do I check cylinder alignment?
This is a very in-depth procedure. Please refer to the Installation, Operation and Maintenance Manual for guidance.
How do I lubricate the chain/cylinder tires?
Chain Oiler
A chain oiler is available for drive lubrication. The required lubrication information is located in the Lubrication and/or Lubrication System sections of the Installation, Operation and Maintenance manual.
Trunnion Rollers
Graphite blocks offer an alternative to oil lubrication in applications where it is not practical to use oil. Graphite block lubrication is not as prone as oil lubrication to hold dust or other airborne particles on the tire surface.
Please refer to the Installation, Operation and Maintenance Manual for the complete lubrication procedures and schedule.
Recommended Spare Parts List
McLANAHAN CORPORATION recommends that you keep certain Rotary Breaker replacement parts at your facility.
Part Name | Quantity |
| Graphite Scraper Block | 2 |
| Screen Plates | 5 |
| Trunnion Roller Assembly | 2 |
| Trust Roller Assembly | 2 |
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