Welding a hydraulic ram

[it's not over]

The main lift ram on my manitou has developed a leak where the metal return pipe is welded to the ram. When I weld it the oil seems to get very volitile and sudsequently very hard to completely seal. Im welding it in situe.How can I fix this properly or would I be best to take it off and take it to a professional

 

[mushnt grummmble]

@ACEngineering

 

[mushnt grummmble]

You will never weld it properly with oil in the crack
Bear in mind what could happen if the crack fails with a load on the front!

 

[phillipe]

take it off and clean it properly and the weld it .

 

[ACEngineering]

take it off and clean it properly and the weld it .

put it in the scrap bin

 

[phillipe]

put it in the scrap bin

not always

 

[it's not over]

put it in the scrap bin

I'd hate to ask manitou the price of a new one

 

[ACEngineering]

The main lift ram on my manitou has developed a leak where the metal return pipe is welded to the ram. When I weld it the oil seems to get very volitile and sudsequently very hard to completely seal. Im welding it in situe.How can I fix this properly or would I be best to take it off and take it to a professional

Please don't weld it, they can do this afterwards. Its leaking because the cylinder has a hair line crack next to the weld.
if you weld them they can crack suddenly like this one dropping boom to the ground like a stone.

Get the ram off take it to hydraulic shop and get a new cylinder made its the only way.

 

[ACEngineering]

I'd hate to ask manitou the price of a new one

MLA? i'll find out but really local ram shop will be better.

 

[phillipe]

Please don't weld it, they can do this afterwards. Its leaking because the cylinder has a hair line crack next to the weld.
if you weld them they can crack suddenly like this one dropping boom to the ground like a stone.

Get the ram off take it to hydraulic shop and get a new cylinder made its the only way.

fair call

 

[ACEngineering]

not always

no your right just the cylinder the rest can be reused.

 

[it's not over]

You will never weld it properly with oil in the crack
Bear in mind what could happen if the crack fails with a load on the front!

The cracking is on the down side not the lift action

 

[ACEngineering]

I'd hate to ask manitou the price of a new one

something telling me Manitou don't want to sell the last one they have in stock as its touching on £5k

Take it to local hydraulic shop for a new tube/barrel or cylinder what ever you like to call them.

I have had them made out of a thicker wall tube before but not done a MLA yet so depends if there's room for that.

 

[it's not over]

Please don't weld it, they can do this afterwards. Its leaking because the cylinder has a hair line crack next to the weld.
if you weld them they can crack suddenly like this one dropping boom to the ground like a stone.

Get the ram off take it to hydraulic shop and get a new cylinder made its the only way.

Yes I see it can have very drastic consequences. Thanks ace

 

[ACEngineering]

The cracking is on the down side not the lift action

yes your right it is but that one in the picture had nothing on the boom and was just over half way up, on the way down it suddenly cracked the tiny bit of weld customer had blobbed on there and the crack opened out travels down past the piston which once it passed the piston the boom hit the deck. All happened in the blink of an eye.

An employee was only a couple metres away when the boom hit the deck as they had just lifted/moved a cow that was not mobile. (If it happened 2 minutes before hand the cow and the employee would likely have been flattened)

 

[it's not over]

Can the lower end of the ram be used again leaving only the tube to be replaced

 

[joe soapy]

Please don't weld it, they can do this afterwards. Its leaking because the cylinder has a hair line crack next to the weld.
if you weld them they can crack suddenly like this one dropping boom to the ground like a stone.

Get the ram off take it to hydraulic shop and get a new cylinder made its the only way.

That "crack" looks more like a seam than a crack

 

[Boysground]

Main lift ram on a 634 is £1300. I have just done one. Have also replaced 2 telescopic rams on different machines this year @ £1000 each. All 3 had a crack just as the steel supply pipe is welded to the cylinder. Took the telescopic rams to a local ram fabricator. They examined them and said that they could not repair them and get them to pass a pressure test. With the lift ram we just changed it didn't want to risk anything.

When you start asking questions it is surprising how many manitou rams get changed.

Bg

 

[ACEngineering]

Can the lower end of the ram be used again leaving only the tube to be replaced

Yes a decent ram shop will cut off the bottom ram eye and the steel pipes & valve block and weld them all on a new tube.

 

[ACEngineering]

That "crack" looks more like a seam than a crack

No its just a crack all be it a big one