Maintenance
•
Bearings with grease fittings should be lubricated with a general-purpose bearing
grease twice a year.
•
Paint touch-up will be necessary to prevent rusting. Sand off all rust prior to painting.
Use a high-quality enamel or Rustoleum® type paint.
•
If the Track Rack™ is installed in a corrosive climate, check the axle and bearings
frequently for rust or corrosion; you may need to grease the bearings 3 to 4 times per
year and keep the axle coated with grease or a corrosion inhibitor.
•
Check the Shock bolts, Shock Mounting Arm bolts, and Bumper bolts twice a year and
tighten if necessary. Also check the Axle pivot bolt and Seasonal Adj. Bar bolts. Loose
bolts increase wear on mating parts and introduce the potential for failure.
•
Inspect the pivot bolt area of the Axle-Gimbal junction for wear. Signs of excessive
movement may indicate that the bolt has worn down. Another indication of wear is that
the bolt, even when tightened properly, repeatedly comes loose. If this is the case,
replace the bolt.
PROPER MAINTENANCE IS THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE CUSTOMER!
HIGH WINDS:
Trackers should be tied in horizontal position if high-wind events are
anticipated. Tie-down straps or ratchet straps can be used to secure the rack (not provided by
Zomeworks).
EXTREME COLD:
In cold weather the fluid in the shocks thickens and can increase wake-up
times. In very cold temperatures (< -10F°), trackers may cease to track. In these conditions
we recommend tying the tracker in a fixed due-south position at the steepest tilt angle.
Tracker Troubleshooting
•
TRACKER SITS LEVEL, LEANS TO ONE SIDE, OR DOES NOT MOVE
1. Manually move tracker through its entire range of motion. Check for any mechanical
interference, for example: wiring, tree branches, protruding bolts, etc. and correct if
necessary.
2. Check Shadow Plates for proper installation. The tracker
will not
work without them.
3. Be sure the Track Rack™ is pointing south (in the Northern Hemisphere) and the
copper transfer tube is mounted on the south (lower) end of the frame, and is not
crimped in any way.
4. Check for any wiring that may stop the Track Rack™ from turning freely. Also check if
wiring and junction boxes, etc. are balanced about center axle.
5. A shock absorber might be sticking. On a calm sunny day remove the shocks at the
Bearing Plate. If it tracks without shocks, call Zomeworks. The shock may be defective.
6. The Track Rack™ moves when sunlight warms one canister which then forces liquid
into the other canister. You may simulate the sunlight's effect by warming the lower
canister with a hair dryer or carefully with a hand torch (alternately, the upper canister
can be cooled with wet towels or water spray). Within 10 minutes the tracker should
begin to rotate toward the cooler canister. If the tracker does not move, and you have
checked the assembly for free movement, the Canisters may have lost their charge.
Call Zomeworks tech support.