Longer lifespanAutomatic lubrication permanently protects moving parts and reduces wear - fewer repairs.Learn more
Reduced maintenance costsSignificantly less manual maintenance – saves time, costs and prevents unnecessary downtime.Learn more
Universally applicableFor trucks, tractors, wheel loaders, excavators & more - suitable for brands and vehicle types in construction & agriculture.Learn more
Express service & Europe-wide assemblyInstallation, maintenance and advice from our team – in Düsseldorf, throughout Germany and Europe.Learn more
Regulations and what they mean
On construction and agricultural machinery, bearings rarely fail because the wrong lubricant was chosen. They fail because dirt gets in and because points get skipped in daily use. Automatic lubrication addresses both directly — that is its real argument.
| Load | Consequence for the design |
|---|---|
| dust, mud, water | seals need counter-pressure from inside; small amounts often instead of large amounts rarely |
| temperature swings | the lowest start-up temperature counts, not the operating temperature |
| vibration | fittings and line routing are a topic of their own; chafing is the commonest cause of leaks |
| on-board power | 12 or 24 V DC; the power draw decides operation at standstill |
| changing operators | manual schedules are not kept reliably |
The mechanism many do not know
A pin bearing on an excavator is not hermetically sealed. If a small amount of grease is fed regularly, a slight positive pressure stands at the seal gap — and dirt cannot enter. Grease rarely and generously and that counter-pressure is absent for most of the interval, which is exactly when abrasive enters the bearing. Timing beats total volume: an hourly small dose protects better than the same amount once per shift by hand.
Cold is the second system limit
The consistency class on the drum applies at 25 °C. At −20 °C the same grease behaves far stiffer without the class changing; what counts for winter duty is the flow pressure at the lowest start-up temperature — see NLGI classes. Pumps for the on-board supply: electric pumps; where hydraulics already exist, hydraulic pumps are the more robust choice.
Frequently asked questions
Which vehicles and machines is an automatic lubrication system suitable for?
Automatic lubrication systems are suitable for trucks, tractor units, construction machinery (excavators, wheel loaders, crawlers), agricultural machinery and municipal vehicles — wherever many lubrication points are hard to reach or have to be lubricated while the machine is running.
How much lubricant does an automatic system save compared with manual lubrication?
Automatic systems meter the lubricant as required and typically reduce consumption by 30–50 % compared with manual lubrication. At the same time, damage to bearings and joints caused by under-lubrication drops considerably.
Can a lubrication system be retrofitted to a vehicle or a machine?
Yes. DropsA supplies and installs retrofit lubrication systems for almost every type of vehicle and construction machine. Installation is carried out by experienced technicians on the customer’s site or at the service centre.
How much maintenance does a mobile central lubrication system need?
Maintenance is limited to refilling the grease reservoir regularly and a visual inspection of the lines. Depending on the system and the application, the maintenance intervals are between 200 and 500 operating hours.
Which grease or lubricant is needed for mobile lubrication systems?
Multi-purpose greases of NLGI class 1 or 2 are used for mobile machines in most cases. The specific product depends on ambient temperature, load and the manufacturer’s specification. DropsA advises on the best lubricant choice for your machine.
Talk to our lubrication experts
We support you with system design, selection and quotation – free of charge and tailored to your application.