New to the forum with a question alreaady?

[Chill]

I am new to the forum but have been reading on it for several months. I am pretty new to the tree service industry but have been working for my brother-in-law for about year a few days a week. I am trying to get my own deal started just like everybody else I guess. LOL
I do have question though. I just bought an older chipper truck and it does not seem that the hydraulics are lifting the dump bed all the way up. I cant find any thing that is putting into a bind and its an electric pump. Do these things take fluid in the cylinder?

 

[cfield]

Your gonna have better luck in the equipment forum. Sorry I couldnt help.

 

[jefflovstrom]

If it is hydraulic, then yes it takes fluid. That is what makes it hydraulic.
Jeff

 

[Zale]

check the reservoir.

 

[Goose IBEW]

Sounds like you're low on fluid. Add a quart or two and enjoy.

 

[Chill]

Thanks for the replies. I guess I should have known it would have fluid. Some days I might be a little slower than others. LOL

 

[tramp bushler]

Welcome to Arborist Site .. did you find the resevour? ?

Do you do climbing or bucket work? What kind of chipper? ?

 

[Chill]

I climb and just started this year, still learning. I just bought an older ford chipper truck and going to buy a chipper this winter or maybe the start of next year. I would like to buy a 12" Bandit but will have to start out a little smaller and cheaper at first. Just trying to buy a little at a time. Right now I load the brush on a trailer.
Oh ya, I looked for the reserve for the fluid and think I found it. If its it, it is in the worst possible place it could be in. I dont see how in the world you can get fluid in it without taking the bolts out of it and dropping it down. I took a picture and if I can figure out how to post I will. Its under the cab on the bottom.

 

[tramp bushler]

Are you sure that is the resevore? If you raise the bed and measure the cylinder length and the amount the ram protrudes from it. Also, most hydraulics will make quite a racket when they are low on fluid. If yours just makes the normal hydraulic operating noise it may not be low on fluid. You do need to know where the Res. is and where the Hyd filter is, even if its just a screen. Steve has a good link to a thread on posting pics.
A bed down and bed up would be good pics to view the ram throw.

 

[troythetreeman]

If it is hydraulic, then yes it takes fluid. That is what makes it hydraulic.
Jeff

lol, heh... try checking the fluid, sounds low

 

[Chill]

It is hydraulic but it is electric too. The box i found under the truck looks like a steel type tank and the hoses run to the top of it. Then from the steel tank it has a cylinder looking thing attached to it, maybe the motor? I could not find anything else that looks like a tank to add fluid. Also, it does not make any noise going up just will not go all the way up. Thanks for all the help guys, i am new and trying to learn. So be easy on me....LOL

 

[troythetreeman]

that steel box is your tank, there should be a vented cap on it somewhere, take that off and check the fluid, there should be a way to add fluid with the dump down, if there isnt, its a poor design and consider changing that
the motor is your pump
only so many things it can be, sounds like its low on fluid, hydraulic fluid is best but any non detergent oil will work, mind it isnt too thick
if its not low something may be bent preventing it from fully extending

 

[troythetreeman]

rule out electrical issues right now, it goes up part way so your pump works, that isnt it

 

[tramp bushler]

Don't get under the bed when it is up unless it has a saftey system that would hold the bed up if the hydraulics failed.

Never work on the hydraylic system when it is up without this safety system.


If a hose were to break or if you were to loosen a line the bed comes down like a huge mouse trap. Many people have lost their lives this way.


Like has been said.......it sounds low on hyd fluid.

Yes, thanks Del! ! I knew I was forgetting to mention something important! !!

Pics. Pics. Pics. We want pics! :msp_wink:

 

[Chill]

Thanks for the advice, you guys were right. It was low on hydraulic fluid, real low. I added two quarts and might could a little more. It goes up all the way now. I will say that the location of the fluid tank is hard to get to. I bought a 4$ little screw on pump, screwed it on to the top of the quart of hydraulic fluid and pumped it in. There was no way to just use the bottle and try to get in in, not enough room.

 

[tramp bushler]

Do you see any drips or leaks when you raise and lower the bed. ??? . Hopefully with it being hid, the hoses are up out of the way and won't get tore loose.

 

[Chill]

Hey tramp bushler, I did look for leaks but nothing stood out. It appears this truck I bought was used and not taken care of. I found fluids low on almost everything. It is an older truck and not the best but it will work to get me started. I guess some guys dont care for their equipment to much, or at least that is what i am starting to see on this used equipment.

 

[tramp bushler]

OK. Have you got any pics up yet? ?