# 2002 Hi-Ranger 5FC-55 Not leveling



## arboristdean113 (Dec 30, 2014)

Hi,
I have 2002 Hi-Ranger 5FC-55 where the bucket is not leveling. It's the 2 man bucket and instead of chains it has cables. So it's not leveling and when you are in bucket it is tilted down about 20 degrees. Also as the upper boom is raised it makes a different kind of sound like a cable might be slipping or something... Does anyone have any idea on how this set up works and how to fix this. I live in upstate NY by the Quebec border, so I am far from any hi-ranger service stations.


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## pro94lt (Dec 30, 2014)

Be careful... sounds like the cables are fraying or a pulley is locked up


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## arboristdean113 (Dec 30, 2014)

We inspected the pulleys.... we can see all pulleys except the one in the lower boom on the inside of the knuckle. other then the one we can see, they are all turning, but the cables on the inside don't see to move with raising the upper boom. the cable inside at the deadman , that one moves. Does anyone know what the cost of replacing the cables would be. I don't have a manual either.


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## pro94lt (Dec 30, 2014)

$$$$


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## pro94lt (Dec 30, 2014)

I've been told they wear from the inside out. Not sure if it's true...


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## mike515 (Dec 31, 2014)

I'm not familiar with that exact boom but you might check to see if there is a leveling adjustment. But I'd figure out what that noise is and make sure the unit is properly lubricated.


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## lone wolf (Dec 31, 2014)

I would stay the hell out of it till its fixed that's for sure.


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## arboristdean113 (Dec 31, 2014)

Yeah I am not going up in it till its fixed...


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## arboristdean113 (Jan 1, 2015)

So there is an adjustment for the bucket. But the noise is the inner cable slipping on the froze up pulley.. now does anyone know if that pulley can be changed without taking the upper boom off totally?


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## lone wolf (Jan 1, 2015)

arboristdean113 said:


> So there is an adjustment for the bucket. But the noise is the inner cable slipping on the froze up pulley.. now does anyone know if that pulley can be changed without taking the upper boom off totally?


Prob if it was mine I would loosen the cables note where the tightening nuts are with a ruler, then I would try to free up the pulley by taking it out and honing out the rust and pack it with anti seize. This is what I would do with mine I ain't telling you to do it .


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## mike515 (Jan 1, 2015)

That's probably what I would do too. I just googled that model and I guess I did run one of those for a short while years ago. From the pictures, it doesn't look like it should be very hard to get that pulley off. Once the cables are loose, there must be some type of pin to pull out. Is there a spot to grease that pin before you go through the effort of taking the pulley off?


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## lone wolf (Jan 1, 2015)

mike515 said:


> That's probably what I would do too. I just googled that model and I guess I did run one of those for a short while years ago. From the pictures, it doesn't look like it should be very hard to get that pulley off. Once the cables are loose, there must be some type of pin to pull out. Is there a spot to grease that pin before you go through the effort of taking the pulley off?


Prob a pin, you hit out with a punch not sure that lift is different but look.


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## arboristdean113 (Jan 1, 2015)

I just bought the unit in late October. It was my first utility bucket. I greased it yesterday and then today I watch the pulley has my worker moved the boom up and down and you can see the pulley move a tiny bit then stop and then the cable just slides on the pulley. Not sure on how to take it off yet. Looks like there is a big nut on one side, but the other thing is how to get my arm in there.


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## MN Tree Surgeon (Jan 6, 2015)

Call BTS Equipment out of Michigan, they buy tons of Hi Rangers and inspect and cert before sale, mechanic can probably help you out, there are levelling cables in those lifts. Hope you get that thing fixed safely


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## arboristdean113 (Jan 14, 2015)

So I called terex and 5 year major is around $18,000. That's for leveling cables, lift cable, cylinder seals done and hoses and lines. To do just the leveling and hold back cable is around $10,000. Does anyone know if this is something that can be done without have them do it since I was told this is more labor then material cost?


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## lone wolf (Jan 14, 2015)

arboristdean113 said:


> So I called terex and 5 year major is around $18,000. That's for leveling cables, lift cable, cylinder seals done and hoses and lines. To do just the leveling and hold back cable is around $10,000. Does anyone know if this is something that can be done without have them do it since I was told this is more labor then material cost?


Wow what year is the truck and lift and how much do you have in it? Call around some more . That price seems very high to me. They should get 1000.00 a day labor and it should take 2 or 3 days how much are parts? all this cause the pulley stuck take it out and free it up. Get more prices.


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## arboristdean113 (Jan 15, 2015)

Last inspection done on boom was 2010.. so terex is saying it should have the 5 year major done.. the only cable that really concerns me is the hold back cable. The truck is a 2002 fl70 Freightliner utility and boom is a hi-ranger 5fc-55. Like i said I don't have a manual so been trying to get info online and supposedly the upper boom needs to support and also the bucket then cable tension loosen then take pulley out.. If this is correct, where do I loosen the cable at. I have a diagram of the booms but does show where the tensioner is.


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## lone wolf (Jan 15, 2015)

arboristdean113 said:


> Last inspection done on boom was 2010.. so terex is saying it should have the 5 year major done.. the only cable that really concerns me is the hold back cable. The truck is a 2002 fl70 Freightliner utility and boom is a hi-ranger 5fc-55. Like i said I don't have a manual so been trying to get info online and supposedly the upper boom needs to support and also the bucket then cable tension loosen then take pulley out.. If this is correct, where do I loosen the cable at. I have a diagram of the booms but does show where the tensioner is.


You might need some help with that cant you find anyone call around. I don't know that particular model . Plus it is a huge liability. This is all because the one pulley or is the cable frayed?


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## mike515 (Jan 15, 2015)

It's been a while since I've seen one with those cables but I seem to remember seeing some adjusting nuts at the ends of the cables.


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## arboristdean113 (Jan 15, 2015)

Ment to say diagram doesn't show the tensioners. I am having huge problems finding people that work on these because I Live along the Quebec border in Northern NY. Closest place is Dueco in Syracuse NY and that's a 3 hr drive one way. Dueco is the place that quoted the high amounts. I am not sure if all of these problems are the caused of the pulley.. but in order to change the pulley, the hold back cable needs to be loosen enough to be able to pull the pulley out and away from cable. The bucket is tilted like 30 degees down, that needs to be adjusted, which I hear the adjustment is at the bucket. I will post a picture of the pulley tonight.. You can see the cable grooves in the pulley, so its been frozen awhile, kind of looks like the cable might of stretched by looking at the grooves in the cable. I paid $19,000 for the truck. They wanted $23,000.00


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## mike515 (Jan 15, 2015)

Post as many pics as you can. Try to get a pic of the end of that cable. I'm guessing it attaches to a rod and there might be a couple of large nuts right next to each other. One will be to adjust the cable. The other will be a lock nut to keep the first one in place. This is just a guess on my part though.


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## lone wolf (Jan 15, 2015)

arboristdean113 said:


> Ment to say diagram doesn't show the tensioners. I am having huge problems finding people that work on these because I Live along the Quebec border in Northern NY. Closest place is Dueco in Syracuse NY and that's a 3 hr drive one way. Dueco is the place that quoted the high amounts. I am not sure if all of these problems are the caused of the pulley.. but in order to change the pulley, the hold back cable needs to be loosen enough to be able to pull the pulley out and away from cable. The bucket is tilted like 30 degees down, that needs to be adjusted, which I hear the adjustment is at the bucket. I will post a picture of the pulley tonight.. You can see the cable grooves in the pulley, so its been frozen awhile, kind of looks like the cable might of stretched by looking at the grooves in the cable. I paid $19,000 for the truck. They wanted $23,000.00


Post up as many as you can I will look.


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## arboristdean113 (Feb 25, 2015)

Hey, I am back had issue with internet... I just created a youtube video of the sound the boom is making. Here is the link.


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## Del_ (Feb 25, 2015)

Sounds like a seized up bearing creaking. Not good at all and something is going to break probably soon.


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## arboristdean113 (Feb 25, 2015)

This is my truck so you have a vision of the kind of truck.


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## arboristdean113 (Feb 25, 2015)




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## arboristdean113 (Feb 25, 2015)

the last 4 pics are the pulley that is froze


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## lone wolf (Feb 25, 2015)

arboristdean113 said:


> Hey, I am back had issue with internet... I just created a youtube video of the sound the boom is making. Here is the link.



No doubt a seized bearing prob the one at the rear knuckle when folded .


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## arboristdean113 (Feb 25, 2015)

The outer cables are the leveling cables, as you can see 1 has like sliding wear on it, to me it doesn't look normal. the middle one is the lift cable.


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## lone wolf (Feb 25, 2015)

arboristdean113 said:


> View attachment 407130
> The outer cables are the leveling cables, as you can see 1 has like sliding wear on it, to me it doesn't look normal. the middle one is the lift cable.


And that is the area I suspect the seizure.


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## lone wolf (Feb 25, 2015)

Dude don't go up in that.


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## arboristdean113 (Feb 25, 2015)

In the first picture you can see how angled the basket is. I am unsure on how to adjust it, The 2nd to pictures are where I think the adjustment is but not sure. The last picture is I think the adjustment for the holdback cable which that frozen pulley goes around. My question is, if I loosen that can I then be able to remove that pulley?


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## arboristdean113 (Feb 25, 2015)

Y eah am not going up in it til I figure it out.


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## arboristdean113 (Feb 25, 2015)

Here are a few more.


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## arboristdean113 (Feb 25, 2015)

These are the rest I took. The cable with the ring stopper on it is, the holdback cable. its the cable that goes along the lower pulley that is froze.. the pulley that is next to stopper is fine, its free. I think as the upper boom goes up it also put tension on the pulley. I put a ton of grease in the lower pulley. At first it would not move at all, but after grease it moves a tiny bit, I mean like a 1/4 of a inch that's it. Just not sure how to loosen the cable to take pulley out. I also think the basket needs to be supported to take pressure off the cables.


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## pro94lt (Feb 26, 2015)

It looks like someone has cut and put new brackets on previously where the adjustable nuts are? Do you see also where you're boom has took a beating by something? I'd have to have the cables replaced as well


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## lone wolf (Feb 26, 2015)

arboristdean113 said:


> View attachment 407161
> View attachment 407162
> View attachment 407163
> View attachment 407164
> ...


Use Crc too


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## no tree to big (Feb 28, 2015)

That looks like one of the booms we have. the leveling control for ours is by the lower controls I have: bucket level, uper boom, lower boom, and rotate


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## arboristdean113 (Feb 28, 2015)

You know there is a extra lever there but is not labeled. I am going to try it tomorrow.. That would be awesome if it works.. Thanks for the info.. Now just need to work on the frozen pulley.


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## arboristdean113 (Mar 1, 2015)

Well that lever on mine is a flush lever to release any air in the system. I found to adjust my leveling is in the upper boom at the knuckle where the cable connects the to fiberglass rods.


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## no tree to big (Mar 1, 2015)

arboristdean113 said:


> Well that lever on mine is a flush lever to release any air in the system. I found to adjust my leveling is in the upper boom at the knuckle where the cable connects the to fiberglass rods.


That's just silly, if u think about it snap a pic of your lower controls


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## arboristdean113 (Mar 1, 2015)

its called power assist manual flush. I have a paper on it.. but here is a picture


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## no tree to big (Mar 1, 2015)

Weird on ours the top lever is the leveler


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## arboristdean113 (Mar 1, 2015)

This is where my adjustments are.


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## arboristdean113 (Mar 1, 2015)

I wish it was the same with mine, it would be a hell of a lot easier.


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## no tree to big (Mar 1, 2015)

That's just plain stupid u should have a lever for it I can see having a mechanical adjustment too but for everyday use u should be able to hit a lever n be done


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