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Cab tilt question.

chucky

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If its not flat it just puts everything it in a strain ! Its worth the extra time/movement to go ahead and get flat and ( ALWAYS )!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! jack the cab all the way over to where the cab falls over the final 6 or so inches past 180 degrees to keep the cab from maybe coming down on you if something goes wrong and ALWAYS put a heavy brace under the cab for extra safety ! Cause you might not get a second chance to learn a hard lesson !
 

Ronmar

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A little side probably isn't a problem, the pivot structure is fairly rigid, and the cab after all is lifted asymmetrically from one side anyway, so it has some tolerance in this regard.

As Chucky mentioned, you don’t want the front uphill. By design, the lift rotates the cab a few degrees past the balance point in relation to the force of gravity, so it will tend to stay there naturally. Leaving the control in the “lift“ position should keep it locked hydraulically.

You can usually see this point when you stop the pump near the end of the cabs upward movement and the cab keeps moving forward by itself. It is real easy to find when using the hand pump. That un-pumped movement is gravity pulling it down the other side of the balance point till the hydraulic cylinder is fully extended.

You can confirm it is past balance by shifting the control from raise to lower. The cab should not move. If it lowers you were not over the balance point... With the control still set to lower, step around to the front of the cab and try to push it back over by hand(might take two people). This is good for you to play with and will give you an idea how much force it takes to get a non hydraulically restrained cab to lower on its own From the other side of the balance point. With the controls set to lower, Once you push it past the balance point, gravity will do the rest.

Also as chucky alluded to, the cab is controlled and restrained by hydraulics. In normal operation, if you raise the cab past balance and leave the control in the raise position, it is pretty safely restrained in that position by gravity and hydraulic control. If you are working on the cab lift hydraulic circuit, you MUST provide an alternate method of restraint to insure the cab stays where you place it until the hydraulics are restored AND pressure tested… this is usually done with a crutch(2X4?) installed between the truck crane lift structure behind the engine and the back edge of a fully raised cab…
 

GeneralDisorder

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TM operator instructions work package for raising/lower cab:

"Caution must be exercised while cab is raised. Ensure both doors are securely locked in the closed position before cab is raised or lowered. Keeping doors in the open position while cab is raised or lowered can cause stress on the damper which can then fail and crush personnel. Do not allow personnel near front of cab while cab is being raised or lowered. Never raise cab while occupied or when parked uphill on a steep grade. Use extreme care when opening cab door with cab raised. Do not allow personnel near cab and engine compartment when cab is being lowered. Failure to comply may result in serious injury or death to personnel or damage to equipment."

The TM mentions no restrictons other than don't do it if "parked uphill on a steep grade" - I guess it's up to the soldier to determine what the definition of steep grade is.

Also worth mentioning that there is a cam mechanism at the top of the hydraulic ram that is supposed to function when the cab reaches it's fully raised position - this is additional safety that takes the load off the hydraulic ram. On many trucks these are rusted to the point they do not function. It took me 4 hours to get mine unseized and it still requires a few taps with a hammer to engage every time I lift my cab.
 

Ronmar

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Yep, the cam in the end should stay pointed at the cab floor as the cab rotates. Its purpose is to ride in the long slot in the rod end when the cab is lowered and floating on the air suspension. As you raise the cab it should rotate with the cab into the short slot. This allows the cylinder to maintain tighter control of the cab as it passes over the balance point. Scared the hell out of me the first time I saw one lurch 14-15” as it passed over the balance point while the cam was in the long slot...

I did a video on this once upon a time…

 
Last edited:

CallMeColt

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Yep, the cam in the end should stay pointed at the cab floor as the cab rotates. Its purpose is to ride in the long slot in the rod end when the cab is lowered and floating on the air suspension. As you raise the cab it should rotate with the cab into the short slot. This allows the cylinder to maintain tighter control of the cab as it passes over the balance point. Scared the hell out of me the first time I saw one lurch ablout 14-15” as it passed over the balance point while the cam was in the long slot...

I did a video on this once upon a time…

You're the best at showing us stuff my friend!
 

coachgeo

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If its not flat it just puts everything it in a strain ! Its worth the extra time/movement to go ahead and get flat and ( ALWAYS )!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! jack the cab all the way over to where the cab falls over the final 6 or so inches past 180 degrees to keep the cab from maybe coming down on you if something goes wrong and ALWAYS put a heavy brace under the cab for extra safety ! Cause you might not get a second chance to learn a hard lesson !
..."Cause you might not get a second chance to learn a hard lesson !"

Second chance is now officially called... A CHUCKY. So in essence as Chucky knows all to well; his above sentence now reads.....

Cause you might not get A CHUCKY to learn a hard lesson (from)!
 
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