Still Having Problems With Hydraulic Bottle Jacks

[Bruce Hopf]

As I said earlier in another message, I have three 12 ton hydraulic bottle jacks. I put oil in them, and they will all go up. But when I put them under somthing, the won't lift. Can any body tell me what is the proper procedure for filling these jacks with oil? I pulled out the rubber bung on the side of the jack, pulled out the ram, then laied them on their side to fill, and filled them right up. Is this right or wrong way to fill them? Also what is the proper procedure to bleed out the air? Your tips, and advice is greatly appreciated. Thanks.

 

[Anonymous-0]

i leave the piston down and fill to the hole level pump jack up 1/2 way replace plug and should be good to go. i think you are over filling and you are creating a suction in the oil reservoir

 

[Dan-IA]

Sounds like a good way to fill with oil. I bleed them by simply pushing the ram back into the cylinder until oil starts coming back out, and reinserting the plug.

If that doesn't help, then I have to ask if you know the history of these jacks. If they've been in the wet, they may have rust inside and need polished. Or they may need rubber seals replaced.

Dad has a big 5-foot-long trolly jack he calls Bertha. He and his dad brought it home from the landfill years and years ago, they sold it to him for 3 cents a pound. Cost $6, so I am under the impression Bertha weighs in at somewhere around 200lbs. I told you all that to say this--it had to be cleaned up and all the seals replaced in it before it would work, but it is an awesome jack.

 

[Cummins 1955]

I pump them up and down with no load sveral limes to get the air out. I usually open the down screw and try to push the ram down as fast as I can.

 

[LenND]

Yes, you need to have the ram all the way down. Fill it with fluid then jack it up as far as it will go. Then turn jack upside down, release the valve to lower jack and push the jack down on the ram. That will get any air out of wrong places. If this helps some you may have to do it a couple times. If that don't help then you may need new seals, etc. inside of jack.

 

[Bruce Hopf]

Great. Thanks for the tips. I'll give thes a try.

 

[Anonymous-0]

You pitch em in the scrap pile and go buy

new ones at Harbor tool for 29.95

 

[moonlite 37]

Proper care of hydraulic jacks. Most problems are due to improper storage.

(1) Always store inside
(2) Avid damp areas.
(3) Store in upright position
(4) Store with ram retracted
(5) Store with valve closed.
(6) Change fluid. special hyd jack oil or HyTran or ATF

 

[UncleTom]

LenND has it right.

 

[caleb in pa]

I was trying to use one when it was about 28 degrees outside and neither on of my bottle jacks would hold any weight. I tryed them later when it was about 40degrees and they worked like brand new. - caleb

 

[LenND]

UncleTom; Yah, I used to repair jacks for quite a few years. Then the Japanese ones came along and you could buy a new one cheaper then I could get parts wholesale so I quit. The customers bought cheapies and used a couple times and they quit so they threw them and bought anther cheapy.