Hydraulic door closer puzzle

[Charles in Aus.]

This domestic unit has given Sterling service on the heavy back door to our home for almost 30 years .
The seals have failed and are leaking oil , the closer now slams the door shut with a heavy and loud thud .
I replaced the oil through the adjustment screw ports some time ago , it worked over Winter , now it literally pours out .

I just can't fathom a way to open it !
I have tried the ' sockets ' at the ends and what look like lock nuts at the shaft , I have also tried to press the shaft out of the housing , nothing will move .
Any thoughts or advice would be much appreciated.

 

[caterpillar guy]

I'm guessing that you might need to put the closer in a vise with a socket on the plugs or caps to hold it tight on then hold the closer with one big wrench while turning the other wrench on the fittings/nuts/plugs. Other wise you may need some heat to loosen them if they happen to have some kind of thread sealer on them. IF they are staked with a punch probably going to need to remove the stake spots with a Dremel or small grinder of some kind also. With the thing nuts is why I say the vise deal .We had the plugs in the bottom of my 856 be so tight they would not loosen with a ratchet in the square holes would just twist out .So I put a jack under the plug and tightened up against the ratchet with the jack so it could not twist out and they came loose. Once loose they would turn out well. Those plugs didn't go back in either. I would also use a six point socket and a square socket for the other one.You want to be solid on the square or it will dub off as you pull hard on it with a wrench. I would also put a shaft/bolt in the hole to help keep from deforming it also.

 

[Hobo,NC]

This domestic unit has given Sterling service on the heavy back door to our home for almost 30 years .
The seals have failed and are leaking oil , the closer now slams the door shut with a heavy and loud thud .
I replaced the oil through the adjustment screw ports some time ago , it worked over Winter , now it literally pours out .

I just can't fathom a way to open it !
I have tried the ' sockets ' at the ends and what look like lock nuts at the shaft , I have also tried to press the shaft out of the housing , nothing will move .
Any thoughts or advice would be much appreciated.

I gave up and brought a new one : (... Closing fast will hurt a older person I had got use to it, it was not worth hurting someone.

 

[MarkB_MI]

Maybe it's not intended to be serviceable...so you don't get hurt taking it apart.

 

[Watthour]

It's been a while since I opened a Yale closer, and it was a completely different design. Be aware that there is a pretty stout spring in the unit driving the rack gear, and getting it back together could be a chore - IF you can find a replacement seal at all.

I was going to remark that the second photo showed the numbers of two psychiatrists, just in case you were thinking of taking it apart, but having done it myself just to understand the assembly puts me in that same category.

 

[Hobo,NC]

It's been a while since I opened a Yale closer, and it was a completely different design. Be aware that there is a pretty stout spring in the unit driving the rack gear, and getting it back together could be a chore - IF you can find a replacement seal at all.

I was going to remark that the second photo showed the numbers of two psychiatrists, just in case you were thinking of taking it apart, but having done it myself just to understand the assembly puts me in that same category.

New ones are $44 on amazon.

Dynasty Hardware Door Closer, Commercial Hydraulic Closer, Self-Closing, Spring Size 2, ADA Compliant, Surface Mount, Sprayed Duronotic Bronze, Series 2000​

 

[Caryc]

30 years? One can't ask for more than that. I hope the new one gets you 30 more years.

 

[RedMF40]

New ones are $44 on amazon.

Dynasty Hardware Door Closer, Commercial Hydraulic Closer, Self-Closing, Spring Size 2, ADA Compliant, Surface Mount, Sprayed Duronotic Bronze, Series 2000​

My takeaway from this discussion: “Duronotic” is the color commonly used for door closers.

For the OP’s question: Toss the old unit in the scrap pile. Tomorrow is another day, full of promise and maybe a new door-closer.

 

[Charles in Aus.]

I haven't laughed as much in some time !
Thanks for the replies .
The whole unit is press fit assembled , not designed to be servicable at all .
The new one closes nicely but is a little fast and can slap you in the @r$€ if you're not quick . But it closes the door well and quietly .
If anyone's interested I could disect the unit with an angle grinder and post pictures of the ' organs ' within !

 

[Charles in Aus.]

Dissection.
I reverted to my 16 year old self determined to see the insides of the mechanism.
I was glad of the warning about the spring inside ; thanks Watthour!
Press fit all the way , never a hope of disassembley . A shame really as it was quite well built with nicely machined internals . Two 20 cent O rings would have repaired it otherwise .

 

[RedMF40]

Thanks for the update. Now door closers are something I can add to my already clogged brain.

 

[kencombs]

Thanks for the update. Now door closers are something I can add to my already clogged brain.

I'm afraid I'm at the point that I can't add to. Any new info just replaces something else. That's why I can't remember yesterday, but 20 years ago is clear.

 

[used red MN]

The new one closes nicely but is a little fast and can slap you in the @r$€ if you're not quick .

This applies to most door closers. If you read your instructions for the new closer closely you will probably find that the rate of close and the “latch” speed can both be adjusted. The “latch” motion is the part of the swing just before the door completely closes which momentarily speeds up the close rate. This is to allow the latch to catch even if there is a seal on the door that requires some extra force to compress it. Some even allow you to adjust the closing force (spring tension) on the door.

 

[Charles in Aus.]

This applies to most door closers. If you read your instructions for the new closer closely you will probably find that the rate of close and the “latch” speed can both be adjusted. The “latch” motion is the part of the swing just before the door completely closes which momentarily speeds up the close rate. This is to allow the latch to catch even if there is a seal on the door that requires some extra force to compress it. Some even allow you to adjust the closing force (spring tension) on the door.

Not so on the new one , only one adjustment screw that seems to deal with the speed and range of travel . It's also very sensitive to adjustment , needing only a degree or two of rotation to alter things dramatically.

 

[Charles in Aus.]

ROM is fine , RAM is deficient!
I know this situation all too well !

 

[M-MAN]

Back when I was working at the plant the door closer on the canteen door had to be replaced at least twice a year. Can't imagine one lasting as long as yours.