Looking for a safer and easier way to install and remove bearings from Caterpillar 785, 789 and 793 steering arms? Geographe has the solution.
In haul truck maintenance, safety and efficiency are non-negotiables. Yet when it comes to replacing steering arm bearings on Caterpillar 785, 789 and 793 haul trucks, traditional methods like hammering, jacking, and the use of liquid nitrogen have long posed serious safety risks to maintenance teams.
These techniques can often introduce hazards such as crush injuries, heat exposure, and uncontrolled component movement.
Geographe’s latest innovation in specialised tooling, the Ball Stud Bearing Installation and Removal Tool (BSBIRT), offers a safer, more efficient alternative.
The BSBIRT is designed in response to customer feedback and real-world maintenance challenges, removing the need for high-risk techniques and putting technician safety first.
Its hydraulic operation eliminates exposure to heat, impact and manual force, helping crews avoid hot works, permit delays and potential manual-handling injuries during bearing removal.
In doing so, it helps reduce the risk of injury caused by forceful removal, awkward lifting positions, or extreme temperature exposure.
The result is a more predictable and less hazardous process that aligns with broader site safety initiatives and minimises maintenance delays.
“With the BSBIRT, you don’t need to rely on a hammer or jack anymore,” Geographe innovations project manager Andre Duckitt told Australian Mining.
“Whether a new technician or a seasoned fitter is using it, the result is the same: safer, more efficient bearing removal and installation.”
The BSBIRT also features built-in guidance systems and a user-friendly design.
This ensures that even under pressure, crews can remove and install split shell bearings without damaging steering components or increasing physical strain on personnel. This is particularly valuable during tight maintenance windows or during periods of labour shortages when less-experienced technicians may be performing complex tasks.
Duckitt explained that the tool was developed following feedback from multiple mine sites experiencing the same bottleneck.
“We’d consistently hear that steering arm bearing changeouts were creating issues during planned Caterpillar haul truck overhauls,” he said.
“The process often required input from multiple departments, hot works permits, extra people, and the movement of heavy parts between workstations. All of that adds time, complexity, and safety risk.”
After extensive trials across several mine sites in Western Australia, the tool has already demonstrated its ability to improve safety and uptime. Crews reported faster changeouts, fewer delays from waiting on permits, and greater confidence in the repeatability of the task.
From an operational standpoint, the BSBIRT supports a proactive maintenance strategy by reducing unexpected breakdowns and wear caused by incorrect installation or removal.
For maintenance and reliability managers, tools like the BSBIRT help ensure jobs are completed the right way, the first time, without unsafe shortcuts.
For supply chain and procurement teams, it reduces reliance on workaround tooling or expensive third-party labour.
And for health, safety and environment staff and senior leadership, the BSBIRT provides a practical example of safety-driven innovation in action.
This development is part of a broader push by Geographe to deliver safer tooling that supports efficient, standardised maintenance procedures, especially for mining operations managing large fleets across remote or high-pressure environments.
“Specialised tooling like the BSBIRT reflects a real shift in mining maintenance culture,” Duckitt said.
“It’s not just about getting the job done anymore. It’s about doing it safely, efficiently and with a solution you can rely on every time.”
Geographe’s BSBIRT is now in production. It is expected to be available to Australian customers in late 2025, with international availability from early 2026.
This feature appeared in the July 2025 issue of Australian Mining.
