Extending stabiliser legs and the extending dipper (Extradig) slide on replaceable wear pads. If they are not adjusted and replaced in time, the sections start to rub metal on metal — and the repair costs far more than the pads. The data comes from the JCB service manual for 3C, 3CX and 4CX backhoe loaders.

Stabiliser leg wear pads

On a sideshift backhoe loader the stabiliser legs are telescopic: the inner section slides in the outer one on wear pads. At the top there are four pads in three thicknesses — 5, 6 and 7 mm, told apart by colour: green, red and blue. At the bottom there are two adjustable and two fixed pads.

  • Replace the pads when worn down to 0.5 mm. The fixed bottom pads carry most of the load: check them more often and replace the whole bottom set.
  • Float of the inner section must not exceed 1 mm; it is set by choosing the thickness of the top pads.

Adjustment:

1
Raise the leg off the ground, but do not retract it fully.
2
Screw the adjustable bottom pad in until it touches, then back it off a quarter of a turn.
3
Do not overtighten: the pad binds, can no longer be unscrewed, and the bottom pads wear faster.

Grease the thread of the adjustable pad, for example with JCB slew grease 4003/1601.

Extending dipper (Extradig) wear pads

The dipper has two sets of pads, front and rear. The top pads are not adjustable: they are replaced when worn down to the chamfer. The adjustable bottom pads take up the wear of both top and bottom pads. Top and bottom pads are only replaced as a set.

1
Clean the sliding surfaces, retract the dipper and hold the bucket off the ground.
2
Check the gap between the inner section and the top pad — no more than 1.5 mm.
3
Slacken the locknuts and turn the adjusters in evenly on both sides to a 1.5 mm gap, keeping the section central; tighten the locknuts.
4
If the adjuster thread is already flush with the locknut and the gap is still over 1.5 mm, replace the pad set.

After adjustment, coat the inner section runners with Waxoyl.

The dipper top pad bolts are tightened to 49 Nm, the locknuts of the later-type adjusters to 100 Nm.

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