SALT Technology: Inside KSS Sealed And Lubricated Track Systems
KSS Engineering
Track link assemblies operate under some of the most punishing conditions in heavy equipment: continuous cyclic loading, abrasive ground contact, and exposure to water, clay, and rock. Under these conditions, conventional track systems lose lubrication rapidly — and once the pin and bushing interface runs dry, wear accelerates exponentially.
SALT — Sealed And Lubricated Track — is KSS's answer to this problem.
What SALT Means
SALT systems are engineered to retain lubrication inside the pin-bushing interface for the life of the assembly. Three design elements work together:
Sealed interface geometry. Each pin and bushing pair is assembled with precision-fit seals that prevent ground contamination from entering the lubrication chamber. Seal materials are selected for resistance to the specific abrasives encountered in coal and mineral mining environments.
Pre-charged lubrication. The internal cavity is filled with high-viscosity lubricant during factory assembly. This eliminates the field maintenance requirement of periodic greasing — and ensures consistent lubrication volume regardless of operator schedule.
Boron steel construction. The base material is boron-alloyed steel, carburized and heat-treated to achieve a hard exterior surface over a tough, impact-resistant core. This dual-property profile resists both surface abrasion and shock loading.
Service Life in Practice
Field data from Southeast Asia mining operations — covering Komatsu D155 and D375 bulldozers across active coal sites in Kalimantan — consistently shows SALT assemblies achieving 4,000 to 6,800 service hours before requiring bushing turn or link replacement.
| Configuration | Equipment | Terrain | Service Hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| SALT Ultimate | Komatsu D155 | Soft overburden | 4,200–4,800 |
| SALT Ultimate | Komatsu D375 | Hard rock + clay | 5,100–6,200 |
| SALT Skidding | Caterpillar D8T | Mixed terrain | 5,800–6,800 |
These figures represent total service hours before the first scheduled maintenance event — not total assembly life.
Why It Matters
For a mining operator running six bulldozers on a 24-hour production cycle, track system downtime directly translates to lost production hours. A SALT assembly that reaches 5,500 hours before intervention versus a conventional assembly requiring service at 2,500 hours represents a significant difference in machine availability.
The economic benefit is not only in reduced parts consumption but in reduced maintenance window frequency — each planned maintenance event carries labour cost, crane time, and production halt overhead.
Compatibility
KSS SALT Track Link assemblies are available for the following platforms:
- Komatsu: D65, D85, D155, D375, D475
- Caterpillar: D6, D7, D8, D9, D10, D11
- Shantui: SD16, SD22, SD32
For specific pitch, link height, and bushing diameter specifications, contact your KSS authorized distributor.