cbrunner
ArboristSite Lurker
Hello everyone;
I'm a fairly new hydraulic technician. In fact, I'm just about green on repair and troubleshoot - most of my work is on new installations and design.
I'm trying to repair a friends truck (He's the Deacon at Church - uses the truck for a living). He had been blowing the high pressure line that supplies the upper remote control (bucket remote) for moving the boom.
When I started off, it was obvious that the system had not been maintained since it was purchased. I started by changing/cleaning the filters; full hydraulic flush; checket main valve assembly (ended up tearing it down and cleaning all individual pieces due to varnish and "sludge"). Then went up to the bucket and found the supply filter for the remote completely clogged - so I stripped and dipped the remote as well.
Well, here's how the truck stands now; All lower controls work. The pump is no longer cavitating, and sounds a lot happier. The system is running on new/fresh fluid - with good filters. The supply line to the remote control is free and clear of debries, and will match the PSI above in the bucket, that I set below in the supply.
Now, when I cleaned the remote, I found that every supply line in the supply manifold had an orifice in it - so I cleaned each one using small files (normally used to clean blow torch tips). I filed at them so much, that I changed their size. Later realizing this, I purchased (at my cost) new orifices in a .029 size.
Initially before I installed new orifices, I was finding that all flow to the remote came down the return line (immediately). I was getting no pressure on any of the pilot lines down at the main valves when remote handle was shifted (yes, I remembered to bleed the lines of air). I installed new orifices, and can sometimes get enough pressure on the lower boom to somewhat shift the spool - usually see about 25psi out of the handle with 1000 psi in. The reason I am feeding at 1000psi is because that was the pressure when I received the truck. (Tried lowering the pressure to 500, but no results with remote operation).
After checking the remote control, one of the valve chambers on the bottom has a cracked jam nut. I've tried to tighten it down, but the nut just spreads further apart - does anyone know the size nut and thread count required to replace this?
I'm thinking by watching how the boom is moving, that as the one chamber with the cracked nut is sitting further into the housing than all the others, that the valves need to be adjusted to better seal during operation.
Does this sound correct, does anyone have any other ideas? Anyone have a manual on the Hi Ranger, or a hydraulic guy/gal who is very open with help?
I'd really appreciate the help, and I know Ken (the Deacon) would as well - right now his only source of income is sitting in my back yard with a busted boom; we tried operating the valves from the bottom, but it's just too clumsy for an operator who can't see what's going on above to do it safely.
Chris Brunner
I'm a fairly new hydraulic technician. In fact, I'm just about green on repair and troubleshoot - most of my work is on new installations and design.
I'm trying to repair a friends truck (He's the Deacon at Church - uses the truck for a living). He had been blowing the high pressure line that supplies the upper remote control (bucket remote) for moving the boom.
When I started off, it was obvious that the system had not been maintained since it was purchased. I started by changing/cleaning the filters; full hydraulic flush; checket main valve assembly (ended up tearing it down and cleaning all individual pieces due to varnish and "sludge"). Then went up to the bucket and found the supply filter for the remote completely clogged - so I stripped and dipped the remote as well.
Well, here's how the truck stands now; All lower controls work. The pump is no longer cavitating, and sounds a lot happier. The system is running on new/fresh fluid - with good filters. The supply line to the remote control is free and clear of debries, and will match the PSI above in the bucket, that I set below in the supply.
Now, when I cleaned the remote, I found that every supply line in the supply manifold had an orifice in it - so I cleaned each one using small files (normally used to clean blow torch tips). I filed at them so much, that I changed their size. Later realizing this, I purchased (at my cost) new orifices in a .029 size.
Initially before I installed new orifices, I was finding that all flow to the remote came down the return line (immediately). I was getting no pressure on any of the pilot lines down at the main valves when remote handle was shifted (yes, I remembered to bleed the lines of air). I installed new orifices, and can sometimes get enough pressure on the lower boom to somewhat shift the spool - usually see about 25psi out of the handle with 1000 psi in. The reason I am feeding at 1000psi is because that was the pressure when I received the truck. (Tried lowering the pressure to 500, but no results with remote operation).
After checking the remote control, one of the valve chambers on the bottom has a cracked jam nut. I've tried to tighten it down, but the nut just spreads further apart - does anyone know the size nut and thread count required to replace this?
I'm thinking by watching how the boom is moving, that as the one chamber with the cracked nut is sitting further into the housing than all the others, that the valves need to be adjusted to better seal during operation.
Does this sound correct, does anyone have any other ideas? Anyone have a manual on the Hi Ranger, or a hydraulic guy/gal who is very open with help?
I'd really appreciate the help, and I know Ken (the Deacon) would as well - right now his only source of income is sitting in my back yard with a busted boom; we tried operating the valves from the bottom, but it's just too clumsy for an operator who can't see what's going on above to do it safely.
Chris Brunner
