HiRanger 5FB-48PBI deadman switch - how does it work?

[Blazer406]

I am piddling with a 1991 Ford F-800 bucket truck that belonged to my late father-in-law.... trying to get it ready to sell. It has basically sat since 2007 or 2008. It had an issue with air getting into the 6 nylon lines going between the turret hand controls and the joystick.

When I first got it cranked and the outriggers down (after engaging the PTO), I attempted to operate the boom from the hand controls on the turret. It did nothing. If I hit the red button to the left of the turret hand controls and tried to operate the hand controls..... nothing. I popped the cover off the rear of the housing just below the turret. I was able to depress a small horizontal cylinder that made the hydraulic flow go to the turret controls and the joystick controls. Now the boom worked. I bled the 1/4" nylon lines and the boom worked from the hand controls or the joystick controls. Last night, I actually got in the bucket and raised both boom sections about 15 feet and rotated the boom some then set it back down in the cradle using the joystick controls.

See the picture below showing the little horizontal cylinder (bottom left of the picture) I had to push to make the hydraulics flow to both sets of controls.

View attachment 200908

I have verified the small 1/8" spaghetti line that comes from the deadman all the way to the red button bypass switch that is just to the left of the turret hand controls is in place and is functioning. I can hear the contacts (when the truck is off and no noise) make and break when I squeeze the deadman handle.

I'm going to assume the squeezing of the deadman handle should trip the contacts inside the red bypass switch and that should possibly shuttle a valve allowing hydraulic flow into the joystick.

I am also going to assume most trucks are equipped with a deadman toggle switch (in the cab I presume) that kills the circuit all together to keep the deadman switch from somehow accidently tripping the contacts and allowing any hyd flow to the joystick controls while going down the road. I read where if this isn't in-place.... buckets that aren't secured properly have raised up by themselves and struck a bridge. destroying the boom and bucket.

This post is to see if I am headed in the right direction.

My plan is to see why I am not shuttling any hyd valve when the bypass switch is pushed.... or when the joystick deadman is squeezed. My guess is I have a broken wire somewhere or the toggle switch in the cab has been in the wrong position.

 

[Blazer406]

N/M I figured it out.... works fine now.

 

[deevo]

I am piddling with a 1991 Ford F-800 bucket truck that belonged to my late father-in-law.... trying to get it ready to sell. It has basically sat since 2007 or 2008. It had an issue with air getting into the 6 nylon lines going between the turret hand controls and the joystick.

When I first got it cranked and the outriggers down (after engaging the PTO), I attempted to operate the boom from the hand controls on the turret. It did nothing. If I hit the red button to the left of the turret hand controls and tried to operate the hand controls..... nothing. I popped the cover off the rear of the housing just below the turret. I was able to depress a small horizontal cylinder that made the hydraulic flow go to the turret controls and the joystick controls. Now the boom worked. I bled the 1/4" nylon lines and the boom worked from the hand controls or the joystick controls. Last night, I actually got in the bucket and raised both boom sections about 15 feet and rotated the boom some then set it back down in the cradle using the joystick controls.

See the picture below showing the little horizontal cylinder (bottom left of the picture) I had to push to make the hydraulics flow to both sets of controls.

View attachment 200908

I have verified the small 1/8" spaghetti line that comes from the deadman all the way to the red button bypass switch that is just to the left of the turret hand controls is in place and is functioning. I can hear the contacts (when the truck is off and no noise) make and break when I squeeze the deadman handle.

I'm going to assume the squeezing of the deadman handle should trip the contacts inside the red bypass switch and that should possibly shuttle a valve allowing hydraulic flow into the joystick.

I am also going to assume most trucks are equipped with a deadman toggle switch (in the cab I presume) that kills the circuit all together to keep the deadman switch from somehow accidently tripping the contacts and allowing any hyd flow to the joystick controls while going down the road. I read where if this isn't in-place.... buckets that aren't secured properly have raised up by themselves and struck a bridge. destroying the boom and bucket.

This post is to see if I am headed in the right direction.

My plan is to see why I am not shuttling any hyd valve when the bypass switch is pushed.... or when the joystick deadman is squeezed. My guess is I have a broken wire somewhere or the toggle switch in the cab has been in the wrong position.

What kind of shape is the rest of the truck in? Pictures of it? You selling it because your not into tree biz?

 

[Blazer406]

What kind of shape is the rest of the truck in? Pictures of it? You selling it because your not into tree biz?

It belonged to my late father-in-law who owned and operated an electrical contracting business. He retired about 3-4 years ago and passed away 2 years ago in July. The bucket truck he had kept after shutting his business down. Now that he is gone, my mother-in-law would like to sell it. The truck is really in good overall shape for it's age..... it has less than 29,000 miles. I would bet the tires on the truck are original to that truck.

Here is what I see as issues that would be fixed before I planned to use the truck daily:

The only significant issue I am aware of now is the rear ourtiggers leak when you pull them in (I think). It might be a loose line.... or worst case... remove the cylinders and take to a hydraulic shop and have them repacked.

The 1/4" Nylon lines that send hydraulic fluid from the joystick down to the hand valves on the base of the turntable were hard and brittle from age and the sunlight hitting them. I intended to replace all the 1/4" nylon lines between the hand valves and the joystick, but after close inspection, it was more than I wanted to tackle. There are multiple hose clamps inside the boom that are difficult to get to and there is larger hydraulic lines that go in the same sheath that the 1/4" lines are in, so they would all have to be pulled out at the same time then pulled back in. I ended up just replacing a portion of all 6 lines where the exit the butt of the lower boom and connect to the hand valves. In a nutshell, I replaced the the part that was hard and brittle. I used brass compression unions and they are all holding fine curently with no leaks. If I was going to use the truck daily, replacing the entire set of 6 .... 1/4" nylon tubing lines would be on my list of things to fix eventually.

The hydraulic tool connections at the bucket must have broken (the fiberglass panel that they mounted to). They have been removed and the line hooked up in a loop at the bucket, so currently there is no provision for hydraulic tools in the bucket. The main broke piece is in the toolbox of the truck. This tool connection was also part of a fiberglass cover over the bucket swivel....so half of this cover is missing/damaged. This is not a big deal to me.

One of the power steering lines has a small leak. I really haven't checked it out good, but it would be an easy fix.





I have actually been up in the bucket multiple times over the past few weeks. This weekend is the 1st time I had it all working properly.... deadman worked.... push button on the base of the turntable worked.... etc..... joystick works nice....

Anyway... it is a nice truck. It isn't perfect..... but it a really low mile nice truck that sat up for three years or so....Unfortunately it has depreciated a bunch since he bought it. It has 0 rust as he got it from an auction down in Hammond, LA...... and it has spent the past 10 years just outside of Jackson, MS.

The attached pics aren't the best quality... because I took them with my old Blackberry and it was getting dark..... but you get the idea. I need to take some nice higher res pics with a good camera in good light. The truck could also use a good washing... but it isn't too bad just like it sits.