# Bucket truck questions



## Wschlemmer (Sep 11, 2012)

I know this should probably go in the equipment forum, but I can't seem to get an response there. My bucket is a 60 ft hi ranger on a 1995 international. The lift was installed on the truck when it was new, so I would say it's a 1995 also. It's a 2 man bucket. Not over center.
Here are my questions:
1. Where do I check and add hydraulic oil?
2. What type of oil should I use? Type, number, weight ect.
3. I was up in it this weekend and the controls in the bucket stoped working. It was as if I was not pulling the trigger on the pistol grip. I had some one on the ground push the button by the lower controls, then I was able to opperate it from the bucket. After awhile the bucket control worked fine. Any suggestions on what I should do?

Any help would be greatly aprieciated. 
Thanks

Ps- I know my spelling and punctuation is bad.


----------



## no tree to big (Sep 11, 2012)

Wschlemmer said:


> I know this should probably go in the equipment forum, but I can't seem to get an response there. My bucket is a 60 ft hi ranger on a 1995 international. The lift was installed on the truck when it was new, so I would say it's a 1995 also. It's a 2 man bucket. Not over center.
> Here are my questions:
> 1. Where do I check and add hydraulic oil?
> 2. What type of oil should I use? Type, number, weight ect.
> ...



I'm referencing to a non over center high ranger we have that is of the same time period...

1 in the turret there is a hydro tank should be the only thing with some sort of cap...
2 your supposed to use special non conductive hydro oil call high ranger and talk to them!
3 we just had that happen the other day lucky for us it was the cheapest simplest fix in the world, there is a little tube that connects to a nipple on the underside of the pistol grip somehow it fell off its just a 1/8" flexible tube inspect yours.


----------



## Wschlemmer (Sep 11, 2012)

No tree to big, thank you very much. I will check what you suggested. Thanks again.


----------



## pdqdl (Sep 11, 2012)

I had an old HyRanger some years back. Assuming that some things don't change:

If your pistol grip is hydraulically operated, any air in the system will change how well the bucket controls work. You must bleed the system and eliminate all air sources.

1. You should figure out how to check the hydraulic oil, and fill it to the correct level. Since you are just now discovering your ignorance, you should probably park the truck until you have done all the periodic service and inspection that the machine needs. _Failure to follow proper maintenance is expensive and deadly._

2. There are probably bleeder screws on the backsides of each hydraulic valve on the turret. Open them up, bleed for a long time. Get all the air out!.

3. If you were not low on hydraulic oil, your most likely source of air in the system is the pistol grip in the bucket or some other leak in the lines going to it. When parked and not running, the system is not under pressure. Gravity puts a vacuum on the upper controls, and air bleeds into your system. In the morning, you start your truck up, and it works fine for a little while. Eventually, the air accumulates in one of the pistons in your bucket control, and you start calling for the groundmen to let you down. _...plan on re-packing all the seals in your upper controls, as well as repairing any lines going to it._

By the way: if you are not maintaining dielectric certification on your truck, transmission fluid makes an excellent hydraulic fluid, and it shows up real quick if you develop a leak. Snow plow hydraulic fluid works very well in colder climates.


----------



## sgreanbeans (Sep 12, 2012)

If the pistol grip is still not working, check the linkage, a build up of saw chips/dust will keep it from moving, the grip will move but the linkage will not. I use 30 weight hyd oil. I have a pressure gauge above the drivers side outrigger for fluid level check, it has a zone, above or below the zone, check it. I do not have a dipstick, so I have a thick string with a very large nut tied to it, droper' down till it hits, check string very accurate! Just make sure u have it tied on REAL GOOD, LOL! 

PDQDL is absolutely right, this is all stuff you should know before operating that thing. Park it and master it. Check the truck and learn it inside and out. There could be something that you find that could cost u your life. Like the main bearing nuts! Do you know how many and are they torqued to the right lbs.


----------



## Wschlemmer (Sep 12, 2012)

From what I see the trigger on the pistol grip is not hydraulic, but pneumatic. Is this true? When the trigger is pulled it compresses air and closes the switch down below. The trigger only has one line going to it and it's a small 1/8". Am I on the right track here? I understand air in the pilot lines up to the bucket, I went through that on my other bucket truck. And to answer the question about the main bearings. I have no idea.


----------



## pdqdl (Sep 12, 2012)

As I recall, the safety trigger is pneumatic. Mine had a small bellows in the handle. Other systems might operate in a completely different manner. You need to test it's function with a multi-meter. It's easy.

1. With someone in the bucket, operating the switch with everything turned off, the actual switch down below should open and close [show continuity or not] as operated.

2. Turn the system on; you should have voltage to one side of the switch.
3. Operate the safety, voltage should be delivered to both sides of the switch.

You should also have a safety on the tower for the lower controls. It might also be defective or have wires damaged.

My truck had the safeties bypassed, which is not a very good idea for a tree trimmer. Bad things can happen when a fallen branch operates your joystick or tower controls.


----------

