Failure Of A Hydrostatic Axial Piston Pump Shaft

Axial piston pumps and motors are main components of all hydrostatic drive systems, by converting rotational mechanical motion of combustion engines into hydraulic fluid power for applications requiring high torque and relatively low speeds. These systems enable the propulsion and work function capabilities of many types of off-highway vehicles such as cranes, aerial lifts, agricultural tractors, and many types of construction and road-building equipment. This presentation will outline the failure analysis of a failed shaft component used on an axial piston pump employed by a skid steer loader. An uncommon failure mode and root cause will be supported and explained.