Service Questions with Louis: Toggle Plate Maintenance

Even if you do not have a jaw crusher, it is still important to learn about the different ways you can apply preventative maintenance. Jaw crushers employ a system called toggle plates. These plates are essentially serving as a mechanical fuse attached to the moving jaw. When uncrushable material enters the crushing chamber, whether due to size or composition, the toggle plate is designed to fail, allowing the moving jaw to relax and open so the material can fall through or be removed manually. Eagle Crusher service technician Louis will cover the common questions regarding toggle plate maintenance.

Why is my toggle plate failing or not engaging properly?

If your toggle plate is failing or not engaging properly, it most likely means that it is loose. It can be loose from either being worn down or it has no tension. If it is a worn toggle plate, replace the worn plate.

If it is an issue with the tension, tighten the nuts on the spring tension. Tighten the spring tension rod nuts just enough to make certain that the toggle will not pound. The coils of the springs MUST NOT contact each other when fully compressed.

NOTICE: Avoid damage or premature failure of the spring tension rods and the springs. The proper tension is the least amount of tension on the springs to keep the toggle from pounding.

How can I confirm correct toggle seat alignment?

To confirm that your toggle seat is in alignment, first, verify that the toggle setting is in the seat. (Yes, we know it sounds like the famous “did you turn it off and back on” question.) If it is in the seat, measure the toggle plate to determine if it is centered.

We recommend that the toggle be removed, and the toggle seats be inspected about once every 200 hours of operation. Toggle seats which have the groove badly, or unevenly worn, can cause toggle failure and possible other damage.

Some jaws, depending on their size, have two seats to ride on. It’s important that you check both seats for the above issues.

Switch to hydraulic toggles

A hydraulic toggle relief system offers a sustainable solution to replace single-use toggle plates. Instead of the toggle self-destructing when uncrushable material enters the jaw crusher, hydraulic relief technology automatically relaxes, allowing the material to pass through or be removed—then is able to be reset.

This innovation eliminates the need to replace fractured toggles repeatedly. To learn more about the differences between traditional toggles and hydraulic toggles, check out this blog.

Know who is there to support your preventative maintenance needs

Eagle Crusher is a leader in their service, ranging from in-field support and over the phone support to manuals and Service Questions. When you’re down, there’s only one option: to reach out to Eagle Crusher’s Service Team and authorized dealers.

Interested in learning more about jaw crushers? Check out the bare jaw crusher page or the portable jaw crushing plants page.