Looking for some tips: I bought a 1971 Grove rt59s crane. The only thing it needs is the boom cylinder rebuilt. The person i bought it from told me the cylinder leaks and sold the machine to me at a discounted price. It will be shipped to me this week and I was going to try and take the cylinder out myself and take it in for rebuild. If anyone can give me some tips on removing this cylinder I would very much appreciate it? thanks chris
Welcome to the forum Omahachris. :usa If you're talking about the boom lift cylinder, no real tricks to removal, just a necessity. You're going to have to have one of two things, 1) something that can lift the boom to free lift cylinder, or 2) something that can adequately support the boom so rod eye pin can be removed so cylinder can be retracted for cylinder removal. One thing that is common on crane cylinders is the pins get stuck. Unlike dirt equipment pins that get years of shock load that wears pins/bushings, crane cylinders aren't typically subjected to these conditions which keeps the pin relatively tight in clearance. A little moisture, rust, and you have a seized pin. If you're talking about removing the boom telescope cylinder, that's typically a much bigger project.
Unfortunately it is the cylinder inside the boom.
I've done it on an old '76 model 35 ton Grove. If I can do it, most people can. I'd recommend getting a parts break down on it so you know what you're dealing with before you start. Everything had to be turned and twisted JUST so-so, or it wouldn't come out. I just hope it doesn't end up like mine. The cylinders weren't that expensive to repair, but, since then, it's had a new engine at $25,000, & two $6,000 transmissions. I've sunk as much money in this crane as I've originally gave for it. LOL
Our mechanic just did the boom telescope cylinder in a grove rt530 in our yard, and I did the crane work for him to put it back together. The grove mechanics told him to make sure that you mark every Last bolt and nut, to make sure that it goes back together the same as it come apart. They even wanted him to count threads sticking out! I think that was mostly for the boom cables, but probably a good tip none the less! Hows progress coming?
We (me and the mechanic at work) changed out the boom cly on an old Grove 30 ton. Mech cut some corners and pulled the sections of boom+cly out of the main section. We did it with a little 8 ton carry deck holding the sections and a fork lift pulling the sections out. I sugest a bigger crane thou. cuz we about flipped the 8 ton when the boom of the 30 ton slipped out.