Shortening the travel of a hydraulic ram

[nxy]

The header reverser on our Case combine is put into gear by a small hydraulic ram. Last season the ram split at one of the welds. We tried welding it and it worked but leaked a couple of litres of oil a day. Now looking into a proper repair. The price of this tiny ram from Case is mad, about ten times the price of a standard ram of a similar bore. The trouble is the Case ram travels only 2.5 inches (62mm). The cheap standard rams available in europe are either 50 or 100mm travel I know I could have one made but is there any reason I cannot strip down a ram with 100mm of travel and add some washers over the rod to just reduce its travel?

 

[john432]

Or grind the weld and remove the end from the cylinder barrel, cut to the correct length. And weld it back. Easier if the hydraulic port is part of the bottom bung .

 

[nxy]

Or grind the weld and remove the end from the cylinder barrel, cut to the correct length. And weld it back. Easier if the hydraulic port is part of the bottom bung .

Trouble is it works out at about the right length if I don't shorten the barrel so I don't want to shorten the ram when closed just reduce the travel.

 

[bobk]

Ring Manners , almost certainly got a scrapper

 

[john432]

Trouble is it works out at about the right length if I don't shorten the barrel so I don't want to shorten the ram when closed just reduce the travel.

Ok, then you need to take the ram to bits and place a correct length of sleeve/ strong pipe, over the chrome rod inside the ram, to restrict the length of travel. Take that it is a double acting ram?

 

[milkloss]

Speed. If you fill the bore with washers etc then it’ll take a lot less oil to move the rod.

 

[startinghandle]

Whereabouts are you ?
There are firms in uk that specialise in making rams and you don't want to be
held up in harvest

 

[nxy]

Whereabouts are you ?
There are firms in uk that specialise in making rams and you don't want to be
held up in harvest

I'm in France and to be honest that's one of the reasons I would rather adapt a standard ram. Stuff can take a while to get hold of. Dealers keep very few spares on the shelf here and getting something at short notice can be a nightmare. If bodging a standard ram works I might keep one in stock. A standard ram costs £57.

 

[nxy]

Reading a couple of American forums this is apparently a known problem on late 2366 and 2388 combines with the rams doing a couple of seasons before giving grief. Case did a retro fit accumulator kit that apparently fixes the problem but if they can charge 500 for a 25 cm long ram that fits in the palm of you hand I hate to think what the kit costs. My solution is find a bodge and if it works keep a ram in stock.

 

[startinghandle]

"bodge" usually worked out more expensive for me so I give up

 

[Netherfield]

Is this ram?

On the parts list there's a remanufactured cylinder listed.

Schematic, Manuals, Specifications and Diagrams for Hydraulics - feeder clutch | Case IH | MyCNHi US Store

Find schematics, manuals, specifications and diagrams for HYDRAULICS - FEEDER CLUTCH. Find genuine OEM parts for your needs.

www.mycnhistore.com

 

[Lincsman]

Can you not just shorten the rod or will it have the power to pull whatever and wreck it?

 

[Brisel]

Lengthen the rod it moves so you can accommodate a longer stroke ram.

 

[nxy]

Is this ram?

View attachment 946853

On the parts list there's a remanufactured cylinder listed.

Schematic, Manuals, Specifications and Diagrams for Hydraulics - feeder clutch | Case IH | MyCNHi US Store

Find schematics, manuals, specifications and diagrams for HYDRAULICS - FEEDER CLUTCH. Find genuine OEM parts for your needs.

www.mycnhistore.com

Not quite the same. Mine is part number 382543A1 or 87449896

 

[Bury the Trash]

How bout an old scrap.fert spinner ram .
Or is there a suitable one here

Provider of High-Quality Hydraulic Cylinders | Hydraulic Rams | Flowfit

Need hydraulic cylinders? Flowfit can help! Our cylinders and rams are designed and manufactured to the highest quality standards – visit to learn more!

www.flowfitonline.com

 

[Kevm]

As mentioned before make a spacer, measure the travel you need, measure the cylinder travel, take one from the other and get a spacer made, got to be strong and you want it fitting the cylinder bore rather than on the piston rod in case it scratches the rod.

 

[nxy]

How bout an old scrap.fert spinner ram .
Or is there a suitable one here

Provider of High-Quality Hydraulic Cylinders | Hydraulic Rams | Flowfit

Need hydraulic cylinders? Flowfit can help! Our cylinders and rams are designed and manufactured to the highest quality standards – visit to learn more!

www.flowfitonline.com

Never thought of looking under the old amazone spreader in the yard. Already got one from Flowfit thats what I am "adapting" to fit.

 

[nxy]

Lengthen the rod it moves so you can accommodate a longer stroke ram.

I did think about this but it sits in a fairly tight space between the feeder and the hydraulic motor that drives the box. On the back of an envelope sketch I didn't think there was enough room to do it.

 

[nxy]

As mentioned before make a spacer, measure the travel you need, measure the cylinder travel, take one from the other and get a spacer made, got to be strong and you want it fitting the cylinder bore rather than on the piston rod in case it scratches the rod.

The cylinder bore is 32mm. I happen to have some steel tube in the right dimension so it was only a matter of chopping off a length. I think it might be a standard water pipe size? Its already in the ram just got to hunt down some fittings as of course the pipes won't fit.

 

[shumungus]

Straight forward fix. Matbro pin and cone rams had there stroke length limited by a piece of heavy brass sleeve machined to sit over the rod inside the ram to limit travel.