Hi i am new to this forum. I am a welding contractor in the Philly area. Just picked up an old Buda to use around the shop and possibly restore one day. Only real issue with the hydraulics is the main mast sticks in the way down? Only the very bottom section. We can force down with a little weight. I was hoping someone may have some advice on what may cause this. My first thoughts are internals on the cylinder. O-rings ect. Any help would be much appreciated. Thanks! Nick
Welcome to HEF Tmw llc. :drinkup Doesn't that forklift have only one cylinder in the center?
Thanks! Yes only one in the center. In the pic it shows the mast. The very bottom section is the area that sticks. Nick
Oh, ok, that's a duplex cylinder and the lower section of the cylinder sticks and won't lower the fork carriage.
Yup. Thats exactly what is happening. I can force it down but it just stops about 4 ft from the ground otherwise.
It's most likely a problem with the cylinder, but could also be seized rollers in the fork carriage causing excessive friction. But if you've ruled out problem with fork carriage I would say it's time to go through the cylinder. On a machine of that vintage, it very likely has Vee packing in the cylinder. Might have been seeping a little oil so previous owner locked the packing ring down tight, which would mitigate leakage, but also put excess friction on cylinder rod.
If you hold the lever forward after the carriage quits lowering, will the chains go loose ? If so the carriage is hanging up in the channel, could be excess old grease and swarf (if it was used in a machine shop) binding the carriage, along with the carriage being shimmed to tight. If the chains stay tight, raise the carriage and inspect the tube for possibility of a small dent.
Thanks for the input! I will check it out closer in the am and let you know what i find.
The Chains stay tight. Also no visible damaged to cylinder and the track is clear. Time to take the cylinder apart? Thanks guys!
Well, it's like this, it's an old forklift, but one you're going to use, and possibly restore. Given that, you need to go through the cylinder anyway at some point, might as well knock that off the list now, be done with it, and possibly fix your problem in the process.
Yeah that sounds like a good plan. Now i just need to find some time to do that I have rebuilt some standard "o" ring style cylinders before but i have not seen any with "vee" packing? Should be interesting. Thanks willie!