# Linesman II Boom, Bleeding the Lines?



## Nailsbeats (Apr 22, 2011)

I picked up the 53' HighRanger Linesman II boom and have one control function (in the bucket) that isn't working. I can see I have air in that control line and am wondering how to correctly bleed it out. Anybody? 

Rope I hope you chime in here, I'll send you a PM too.


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## ropensaddle (Apr 23, 2011)

Nails I pm'ed you, there is thumb screws on lower control bank pistons! Look where the lines go in then out of bank ,you should see the thumb screws, crack them open but don't remove them; as most have a check ball behind them. Start engine, engage pto and clamp palm button; as if you were going to work from lower controls! It will make a little mess so oil soak is handy! bleed it until no air is in the system, it takes several minutes for the oil to go all the way through system. In the bleeding don't move the controls. I usually do one circuit at a time each circuit has two thumb screws. If you can't understand my lingo, I can take a pic of mine to point out where they are!


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## ropensaddle (Apr 23, 2011)

ropensaddle said:


> Nails I pm'ed you, there is thumb screws on lower control bank pistons! Look where the lines go in then out of bank ,you should see the thumb screws, crack them open but don't remove them; as most have a check ball behind them. Start engine, engage pto and clamp palm button; as if you were going to work from lower controls! It will make a little mess so oil soak is handy! bleed it until no air is in the system, it takes several minutes for the oil to go all the way through system. In the bleeding don't move the controls. I usually do one circuit at a time each circuit has two thumb screws. If you can't understand my lingo, I can take a pic of mine to point out where they are!


 
Check your tank before and after it won't go down much if any, there is twenty gallons in most! Mine has a sight tube the oil tank is under the turtle hole cover under pedestal on most! We used dielectric hydraulic oil but it will operate on any good quality hydro oil just won''t have as much resistance to electricity!


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## ropensaddle (Apr 23, 2011)

Also while your under the turtle hole if there is a round tank thingy, it is the accumulator and it has nitrogen in it and must be charged if low. Mine doesn't have it but most I have seen did. It takes a good liquid filled gauge to check it and I would have to look it up in the manual to get you procedures and specs but if I remember correctly it regulates the unloader! If you have it and want me too look it up I can! It is under high pressure looks similar to an air brake chamber!


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## Nailsbeats (Apr 23, 2011)

You the man Rope! I am going to get on it today and let you know how I faired, thinking it'll fix my problem.


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## Nailsbeats (Apr 23, 2011)

Got em' bled today and the truck is working fine. Put up a rain gutter with it for it's first task.

It was fun going through the maintenance and fixing all the little things and learning all the stuff you should know before flying any particular unit. I liked building the bucket carriage the best. I should get some pics.

Thank you again Rope.


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## treevet (Apr 23, 2011)

what's a bucket carriage Nails? Thinkin you mean something for the bucket to rest on when travelling, and you don't really need that.

I wouldn't mix yellow fluid with red (aut tranny fluid Dextron)

Also I would hunt down a manual with parts included.


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## Nailsbeats (Apr 23, 2011)

treevet said:


> what's a bucket carriage Nails? Thinkin you mean something for the bucket to rest on when travelling, and you don't really need that.
> 
> I wouldn't mix yellow fluid with red (aut tranny fluid Dextron)
> 
> Also I would hunt down a manual with parts included.


 
I don't? Yeah, I mean the rack you touch down on with the bucket for transport. Looked like the truck I got had one that somebody cut off (not sure), I added a new one with handles that help you get up the ladder and into the back of the truck if need be.

My diesel tech buddy told me to get one made right away because the bucket was flopping around while in transport and the manual said that running without one will vibrate the bucket stressing the cables and causing premature wear.

I do have a manual too, system and parts diagrams and a bunch of old maintenance records, so that's cool. Unit came with red auto tranny fluid so that's what I'll use then.

I know you know your stuff Vet, so fill me in here on this carriage deal.


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## Nailsbeats (Apr 23, 2011)

ropensaddle said:


> Nails I pm'ed you, there is thumb screws on lower control bank pistons! Look where the lines go in then out of bank ,you should see the thumb screws, crack them open but don't remove them; as most have a check ball behind them. Start engine, engage pto and clamp palm button; as if you were going to work from lower controls! It will make a little mess so oil soak is handy! bleed it until no air is in the system, it takes several minutes for the oil to go all the way through system. In the bleeding don't move the controls. I usually do one circuit at a time each circuit has two thumb screws. If you can't understand my lingo, I can take a pic of mine to point out where they are!


 
Rope I found some allen head screws where the lines go into the lower bank, but not thumb screws. I didn't crack the allens because they were tight and I didn't want to round them out, couldn't get a metric or standard to fit right. 

There is one thumb type screw on the top of the bank that seems to maybe be a pressure relief type valve screw?

We just cracked the the fittings on the end of the control lines a bit and ran the boom control from the bucket until it started working. I am not sure all the air is out, but it must be close because the levers max out and the speed is all there now.


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## treevet (Apr 23, 2011)

neither one of my 53 ft Linesman II had a bucket landing. Both as all 48 footers are were double buckets. Maybe what he cut off was a ladder entry to the bucket.

that's absolutely awesome you got the unit running without going into the pistol like the guy said to..

both mine have/had thumb screw.bleeders.

the manual will describe bleeding.


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## ropensaddle (Apr 24, 2011)

Nailsbeats said:


> Rope I found some allen head screws where the lines go into the lower bank, but not thumb screws. I didn't crack the allens because they were tight and I didn't want to round them out, couldn't get a metric or standard to fit right.
> 
> There is one thumb type screw on the top of the bank that seems to maybe be a pressure relief type valve screw?
> 
> We just cracked the the fittings on the end of the control lines a bit and ran the boom control from the bucket until it started working. I am not sure all the air is out, but it must be close because the levers max out and the speed is all there now.


 
It should have them they are in back of bank, but yeah line fitting work too. I have done it that way also before I found out it had bleeders lol. Glad its going and yes it need strapped down to boom rest and it should have a rubber cushion, always make sure its strapped down, as the rest will eat the bottom of the boom quick when roading! Does your rotation gear box have tye wire on its cap bolts? anyway glad its going bro


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## ropensaddle (Apr 24, 2011)

ropensaddle said:


> It should have them they are in back of bank but yeah line fitting work too I have done it that way also before I found out it had bleeders lol. Glad its going and yes it need strapped down to boom rest and it should have a rubber cushion always make sure its strapped down as the rest will eat the bottom of the boom quick when roading! Does your rotation gear box have tye wire on its cap bolts? anyway glad its going bro


 
Someone may have taken thumb screws out and replaced with allen plugs but its bled so I would leave it alone lol.
I will help anytime I can bro happy flying!


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## ropensaddle (Apr 24, 2011)

Nailsbeats said:


> Rope I found some allen head screws where the lines go into the lower bank, but not thumb screws. I didn't crack the allens because they were tight and I didn't want to round them out, couldn't get a metric or standard to fit right.
> 
> There is one thumb type screw on the top of the bank that seems to maybe be a pressure relief type valve screw?
> 
> We just cracked the the fittings on the end of the control lines a bit and ran the boom control from the bucket until it started working. I am not sure all the air is out, but it must be close because the levers max out and the speed is all there now.


 
The screw increases pressure to control lines, they only need 400 psi I believe, if its working without blowing the lines don't mess with it. If you do, use a gauge and check its specs, 400 is what I seem to remember and I would no go over that. It is no fun changing the lines. I just did mine, check at the outter pivot to see if your lines have a cloth type cover as sunlight makes them prematurely brittle!


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## DangerTree (Apr 24, 2011)

ropensaddle said:


> The screw increases pressure to control lines, they only need 400 psi I believe, if its working without blowing the lines don't mess with it. If you do, use a gauge and check its specs, 400 is what I seem to remember and I would no go over that. It is no fun changing the lines. I just did mine, check at the outter pivot to see if your lines have a cloth type cover as sunlight makes them prematurely brittle!


 
Hey Rope is that an open circuit or closed circuit hydraulic set up? Some units don't need bleeding like that, as they are open circuit. All the fluid returns to the tank and any air in the lines and valves is simply pushed through the system back to the tank where it is released to atmosphere through the vented cap. Am I right on this?


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## treevet (Apr 24, 2011)

ropensaddle said:


> need strapped down to boom rest and it should have a rubber cushion, always make sure its strapped down, as the rest will eat the bottom of the boom quick when roading! Does your rotation :



I think nails is talking bout a cradle for the bucket not the lower boom cradle or the upper boom snap down, rope.


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## Nailsbeats (Apr 24, 2011)

treevet said:


> I think nails is talking bout a cradle for the bucket not the lower boom cradle or the upper boom snap down, rope.


 
Right Treevet. I have been looking the internet for pictures and all the trucks like mine don't seem to have one. 

This really mystifies me because the first thing I though was I should build one. I transport it home and my buddy who has the same type of truck at work says, "you know that bucket was flopping all over the place as I followed you home, you need to build a cradle ASAP."

Seems all the old line trucks I used to run had them too.


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## treevet (Apr 24, 2011)

My 75' teco has no landing cradle for the bucket either. Most of the bounce comes from the stickout front overhang of the front of the boom.

I have seen those pivoting buckets. They probably come in handy sometimes.


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## Nailsbeats (Apr 24, 2011)

I am just going to call High Ranger and be done with it. Dang, I would hate to cut my cradle off, it's nice for grabbing to get into the truck and hanging rigging gear off of that may need to go up. Plus, with fresh paint it's probably the best looking part of the rig, lol.


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## treevet (Apr 24, 2011)

hey leave it on if nothing neg about it. it just needs repair?


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## Nailsbeats (Apr 24, 2011)

My camera isn't focusing for crap, but here's some pics of the carriage.












The HMS Hornet coming at ya.


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## ropensaddle (Apr 25, 2011)

DangerTree said:


> Hey Rope is that an open circuit or closed circuit hydraulic set up? Some units don't need bleeding like that, as they are open circuit. All the fluid returns to the tank and any air in the lines and valves is simply pushed through the system back to the tank where it is released to atmosphere through the vented cap. Am I right on this?


 
closed cc


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## David (saltas) (Apr 25, 2011)

just a idea. 

You said the bucket was flopping about when you drove it home, but there was air in the lines at that time.

Now that you have bled all the air out does it still flop about ?


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## Nailsbeats (Apr 26, 2011)

Here's the pictures I tried to previously post.


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## treevet (Apr 26, 2011)

That flashing light behind the cab looks nervous. :yoyo:


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## thehinten (Oct 23, 2018)

I know this is an older thread, but I was hoping you guys with more experience could help me out. I have a similar Hi-ranger and I cracked one of the tubing at the elbow. I have now replaced all of the tubes from the pistol grip to the lower controls and have managed to get fluid into the lines, but I cannot get all of the air out. The procedure I am using is with the truck and PTO running I put the boom straight up in the air, engaged the switch and crack open the thumb screws. I have tried one thumb screw at a time and I've tried all 6 at once. As of now I've had it running approximately 4 hours like this (about an hour yesterday and three hours this evening) and fluid is coming out at the thumb screws, but I can still see air bubbles moving in the lines. When I lower the bucket and try to use the bucket controls, I get no response at all. 

Am I doing something wrong here, or does it take longer than this when the lines start out empty of fluid? 

Thanks for any help you can give me.


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## spo307 (Jul 16, 2020)

thehinten said:


> I know this is an older thread, but I was hoping you guys with more experience could help me out. I have a similar Hi-ranger and I cracked one of the tubing at the elbow. I have now replaced all of the tubes from the pistol grip to the lower controls and have managed to get fluid into the lines, but I cannot get all of the air out. The procedure I am using is with the truck and PTO running I put the boom straight up in the air, engaged the switch and crack open the thumb screws. I have tried one thumb screw at a time and I've tried all 6 at once. As of now I've had it running approximately 4 hours like this (about an hour yesterday and three hours this evening) and fluid is coming out at the thumb screws, but I can still see air bubbles moving in the lines. When I lower the bucket and try to use the bucket controls, I get no response at all.
> 
> Am I doing something wrong here, or does it take longer than this when the lines start out empty of fluid?
> 
> Thanks for any help you can give me.


You are doing a correct it just takes time if you don’t use a pressure can to get all the bubbles out


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## imagineero (Jul 21, 2020)

thehinten said:


> Am I doing something wrong here, or does it take longer than this when the lines start out empty of fluid?



Hopefully you’ve sorted it by now, for your benefit or anyone else’s in future if you haven’t; 

Starting with dry lines try to ‘bench blead’ Them as much as possible. Ie. with the low end of the line connected, try to fill the line from the high point as much as possible. Use of a measuring syringe with a suitable diameter tip or even better a mighty vac pump makes this easier and less messy. Watch your step, that fluid is slippery stuff and times 100 when wet. 

A pump type filling system is how techs/factory generally do stuff like this and hydraulic brake lines also. If you haven’t got a mighty vac but do a lot of your own work it may be worth getting one. Be sure to get the one that can switch from vac to pump and has all the adaptors/fittings. They come in handy for all kinds of things. 

If you’ve already energised the system with it only partially filled then you’ll have aerated all the fluid. This is a pita and you won’t get it properly bled in one sitting. Tiny micro bubbles fill the entire line and no amount of bleeding is going to dislodge them. If you’re in this situation then you’ll need to probably drove the truck around, let it settle, bleed again, drive around, let it settle etc, sometimes as long as overnight, especially in cooler weather. 

Once you get most of the air out, cycling the controls and then letting it settle again will let you bleed the last little bit. Depending on your machine and the specifics of the lines, parking it on a hill, or parking it up with the bucket raised slightly can help. You want the bleed point st the highest point in the system, and as close as possible to a straight up and down line to get to it. Use your head, have a look, and you’ll figure it out. Think twice about safety, then sit down and think about it again before getting in that bucket. Ask for advice and don’t be reckless with your life.


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