PSA - How to fix a locked out tire crane ram.

[GeneralDisorder]

Had one lock out hard and didn't have the time to wait for it to possibly bleed down and it probably would not have bled down since the fluid was basically chunky mud.

So if there's a tire on there, pull the shrader core and deflate it. This will give better access to the cotter pins to remove the ram pivot pins and will let the hoop relax so those pivot points are not under pressure from the inflated tire and ram fighting each other.

Pull the pivot pins and remove the ram from the crane. Disconnect both hydraulic lines.

On the ram - 180 degrees on the opposite side from where the vertical tube attaches to the base of the ram - there is what looks like a plug but with no allen or other visible method of removal. This IS a 1/16" NPT plug. The factory welded up the allen hex key hole in the end of it. Use a left hand drill bit and extractor to remove this plug. When the drill bit punches through - WATCH OUT as the fluid with the air pocket under several thousand PSI is coming out to play.

Remove the spring and check ball. Replace with a new 1/16" NPT plug.

Going forward - don't stand under the tire when operating the crane. If a hose blows that 350 lb tire is comin for ya.

 

[Ronmar]

Yea that cylinders orientation is terrible for one with a safety check on it… with the safety check removed, You can add a WFC-400 flow control right at the fitting where the hose attaches to the cylinder. Then if something springs a leak, the worst that will happen is the tire will come down at whatever speed the flow control knob is set to let the fluid exit the cylinder.