I have an early 90's boom lift that I don't use often. A couple years ago, it started 'arguing' when we tried to drive it. It finally quit moving altogether. Then last fall, the rotation control from the bucket quit. A couple weeks later, all control from the bucket stopped. (Exciting!) Thoughts?
Welcome to HEF Poor Mechanic. :drinkup Need more info. PQ controllers or OEM controllers at platform? 2wd or 4wd? Which engine? All functions at platform have stopped working including toggle switch functions? Can you still start/stop engine from platform? Do ground controls still operate machine functions?
PQ. 4wd. Deutz. All functions at platform. Ground controls all appear to work.
Well, my name says it all. Upon further inspection, the auxiliary power button was pushed in. When I pulled it out, guess what? All platform controls worked. Except driving. When the lever is pushed to go forward or backwards, the engine revs, but there is no motion. Now any ideas for the incompetent?
Do you mean the red E-Stop button was pushed in? If so, yes, that would kill everything at the platform. All the PQ controllers should have a short harness coming from them with a plug connection to platform harness. Switch plug connections with one of the other controllers, swing or boom up/dwn, and see if the problem moves to the other function and if drive now works.
Brilliant! Switched controllers around and identified that the one originally controlling drive function is not working. So is that one big part to replace or is it made up of smaller parts? Thank you very much, willie59!
Before you replace the faulty controller try adjusting it first. I typically remove the 4 mounting screws that hold the controller mounted on platform box lid, unplug the controller, and remove it. Flip open the platform box lid, reconnect controller to the harness, and hold it in my hands while making adjustments. This is a bit awkward, but less awkward than working with the controller mounted, lid flipped open, and reaching around open lid to stroke the controller for adjustments. The PQ controllers have operation speed adjustments. There should be 4 trim pots on the circuit card of controller with adjustments screws labeled something like Lo, Hi, Mid (or Threshold), and Ramp. It takes a very small flat head screwdriver to adjust trim pots. And always wear an approved safety harness when making these adjustments or normal operation of an aerial lift. The first thing you do is back off all trim pot screws by turning them CCW. Those are 32 turn trim screws for full adjustment range, but most likely each trim adjustment will be somewhere in between 0 and 32 turns already. You need to be in a real quite place when backing off screws. Turn each screw CCW until you hear a faint "click click" when rotating each screw. That sound is the adjustment at it's end. Don't continue turning much after hearing those clicks. Do this to each trim pot adjustment and you're ready to adjust controller. Let's start with boom up/dwn controller. Have boom fully retracted, start engine and have creep switch in "creep off" position. Depress foot switch and move boom up control lever about 15 degrees, what's called "notch off center", and hold the control lever in that position. Adjust Lo trim pot CW until boom just starts to get a boom up movement, no more. Then, with boom up lever fully stroked, adjust Hi trim pot CW. At a certain point of adjustment, boom operation will speed up as screw is turned. Adjust screw CW until boom speed no longer gets faster, stop there. Now, bring the basket back near ground and extend the boom a good bit, long boom. Flip the creep switch to creep position. Fully stroke boom up control. Adjust Mid (Threshold) screw CW until you get a desired slow boom operation speed for when you're working in tight spots. Lastly, turn off creep switch, fully retract the boom, and turn the Ramp screw in about 10 turns for pre-adjustment. Fully stroke boom up controller to make boom move at full speed, then simply let it go so it returns to center. If boom abruptly stops, adjust Ramp screw a few more turns CW, try again. At some point of adjustment, boom up will no longer stop abruptly, but instead will drift for a moment and come to a slow stop when controller is released. Once you reach that point, adjust Ramp in or out to get desired power down that doesn't cause abrupt stop of boom movement nor does it drift excessively. This adjustment procedure applies to each function controlled by PQ controllers. If the adjustments won't work out, PQ controller is likely faulty and needs replacement. If that's the case, contact Hindley Electronics for either a replacement card for controller or and entire replacement controller. > https://www.hindleyelectronics.com/