"Bleeding" Air From a Hydraulic Box Dumper

Read this tip to make your life smarter, better, faster and wiser. LifeTips is the place to go when you need to know about Box Dumpers and other Material Handling topics.

How do I bleed the air out of my hydraulic box dumper?

"Bleeding" Air From a Hydraulic Box Dumper

So you are using your new hydraulic box dumper and everything seems to be going fine. That is, until your platform starts lowering extremely slow or not at all. You may need to "bleed" the air from the system because air in the hydraulic cylinders could be closing the cylinder's velocity fuse. Here are some symptoms of air in your cylinders, courtesy of beacontechnology.com:

  • jerkiness or bounciness when operating the machine
  • a delay before movement begins when the "UP" control (push button or pedal) is pressed
  • locking of the safety velocity fuses in the lift cylinders when the "DOWN" control (push button or pedal) is pressed, which prevents the unit from lowering
Here are the steps you should take the "bleed" the air from the system:

  1. Fully lower the chute
  2. Remove any load from the chute
  3. Hold a rag over the cylinder's bleeder valve (it looks like a grease zerk) and open the valve about one-half a turn with a 1/4-inch or 5/16-inch wrench. Oil and air will sputter from the valve. Once you see no more air, close the valve
  4. Jog the motor several times, waiting at least 5 seconds in between tries, until the sputtering stops and only clear oil streams from the bleeder valve
  5. Check the level of hydraulic fluid in the reservoir. If the oil is not within 1.5 inches of the fill hole, add oil until it reaches that level. Operate the machine to make sure it raises and lowers smoothly

   

Comments

Nobody has commented on this tip yet. Be the first.



Name:


URL: (optional)


Comment:


Not finding the advice and tips you need on this Material Handling Tip Site? Request a Tip Now!


Guru Spotlight
Byron White