Some of the steel pivot pins in my 2002 TMZ are really rusted to the bores they pass through. They are stuck enough that when the outriggers are moved it turned the pins and broke off the rod end retainers that are supposed to keep the pin from rotating. I am pushing out the pins with an OTC pusher. The center areas of the pins are all pitted and rusted. When the pin comes out it drags all that rust over the flanged bushing on that side and scratches it all up pretty good. Nothing seems loose or worn, just rusted in the center section of the pin. You'd never know from the outside, all looks nice and clean and painted. The flanged bushings appear to be plastic, maybe nylon? I can find the same size bushings on McMaster. Can anyone confirm what material these are? I am considering drilling a hole through the bores and putting in a grease fitting. These things are apparently put together with no lubricant. An occasional squirt of grease would drive out water and dirt. I mean these pins really get stuck if it takes a 17-1/2 ton press to move a 1-inch diameter pin. If someone's already been there, done that, with these Genie pivot pins I'd love to hear any lessons you learned. Thanks very much, Dave
Had to replace a hand full of these in the past on "S" model booms, mainly on the main lift cylinder. I think they may have had some issues with pins getting moisture between the bushing and seizing them up. I wouldnt install bushings that werent Genie parts. They arent that expensive and they are readily available (1-2 days if i remember correctly). Any Genie dealer can get these for you and direct ship them, i would guess. On the grease fitting..... These nylon bushings are meant to be grease free and adding the grease (so they say) can gather dirt and damage the bushings. I would just occasionally spray with some lubricant and avoid the grease.
A follow up. The original bushings are filament wound fiberglass and resin backings with a teflon fabric bore. I'm sure these were used because they are self lubricating and would require no maintenance, important for equipment that spends its life outdoors. The problem is water enters around the bushings. The bushings only support the outer 3/4-inch of the steel pins. The center portion of the pin is free to rust to the bore and seize very tightly. When the pins are pushed out, the rust on the pin destroys the bushings. You'd really have to buy all new pins to avoid destroying new bushings when reassembling. The pins pit and can't be cleaned up perfectly. Seems to me this could have been avoided with a grease fitting in the bore to drive out water and contaminants. To give this machine a second life I'm installing all hard alloy bronze bushings and reconditioning the pins. I'm drilling and tapping holes for Zerk fittings in the bores. I'll use extreme pressure lithium moly w/graphite grease. This winter I am reconditioning all the hydraulic outriggers this way. I 'll make a determination next year if I want to stay with stock parts for the boom pins. The alloy bushings are very capable of handling the load. Channel44
Replacing these components with other types without preapproval in writing from Genie/Terex product safety and liability would render your work as an unauthorized modification and be exposing yourself to serious litigation should any death, injury or property damage occur as a result. The Garmax bearings have been designed/tested to withstand all the rigors the machine is subject to. The bronze bushings cannot. To obtain authorization for a modification, contact Genie/Terex AWP Product Safety and Liability at 800-536-1800
Thanks VooDooMojo, i hear you. My research has brought me to the same conclusion as yours. If I do anything with the movable parts (booms) I'll use the GarMax bushings. I've already done the outriggers with alloy. The outriggers are only moved when you set up, I'm comfortable with those the way they are. It 's too bad there hadn't been some provision to prevent corrosion in between the pin and the bore. The bushings are great and would last a very long time but the rust seized everything and when that happens the shaft doesn't rotate in the bushing anymore. Instead the pin and busing and bore rotate as one and just wear the steel it passes through.
Well it's been so flippin' cold here in Maine the past few weeks, I'm just getting back to finishing these outrigger bushings. VooDooMojo, I bought some Garmax bushings. Those fit nice. I've got 4 more 1-inch pins to remove. All 4 are on the big end of the hydraulic cylinder. These things won't budge. I was able to get all the other ones out with a 17-1/2 ton screw pusher. But not these. No amount of pressure or hitting has any effect. Does anyone know if heating the bore with a torch will help? If the Garmax bushings would burn or melt that might help. ?? How much do I need to worry about heat affecting seals on a cylinder? As a last resort what about using a blade on a recip saw and going down next to the bushing on each side and cutting the pin? Then I could remove the cylinder from the machine and take it to a press. I am amazed at the resistance these relatively small pins present when trying to just push them out. Once the pins are out everything cleans up nice and the bushings go in good. It's getting the old ones out that's a real pain. Thanks in advance if you've been there done that and would share.
Can these 1 inch pivot pins be sawn thru OK with a Sawzall and a metal cutting blade like a Milwaukee Torch blade? I'm sure the pins are hardened, at least on the surface. Wondering if the hardened pin will wear the blade very quickly and if it will work at all. There is room for the blade on each side next to the bushings. I'll try this later this week and see what happens. Slow speed and cutting oil. I already have some Torch blades. I've also seen carbide ones. Thanks. Cheers.
An update on removing the seized pins. I was eventually able to push/force them all out but one. In case anyone is faced with this in the future they can be cut with a Sawzall. I cut the last pin with a Torch blade. It took 3 blades, it does destroy the blades but it can be done in a few minutes. The blade fit down next to the bore perfectly and caused no damage. A nice neat cutoff. Now I can take the cyinder away from the machine and get the pin out. I'm new at hydraulics, I need to remove the extend and retract hydraulic lines to this cylinder so that I can push out the remainder of the pin. When I loosen the lines oil flows pretty good from the retract line. The extend line doesn't flow. How much oil will run from this line, is it just oil in the lines or will it drain the system? Is there a cap I can use to cap the lines while I have the cylinder off the unit? I'll know after I take it apart but are these fittings flare threads, pipe threads, other? I have the service manual with hydraulic schematics in it, I will look at that this week. I would expect check valves when the machine is not powered. Otherwise the outriggers would not stay retracted during transport. Thanks Dave