Can't Lift

[murphy1244]

Murph, I haven't been back over to my property in a couple of weeks. I'm going there this weekend and I'll take some measurements and video then.

Thanks Pappy. I waiting on Richard also,seems he's done the same thing I'm doing. I told him no hurry's also.

 

[MtnViewRanch]

For Murphy or anyone else, here are a few pictures of what I did to change the manual ripper bar of my Gannon box blade over to hydraulic actuated.

Removed the spring assist, only had one side that was any good anyway and removed the manual control lever. Installing the hydraulic so that it is doing what the manual bar was doing, so should workout fine. :thumbsup:

Cut off flush the 1" pin that is welded in place that the manual lever was pinned to and allowed the manual lever to actuate the rippers.

Drilled out that pin to 3/4" for a 3/4" grade 8 bolt that will hold the rod end of the hydraulic.

Used some washers to go between stationary surfaces and the tubes at both ends of the of the hydraulic.

Also custom made some 3/4"-1" bushings to fit in the tube ends. They needed to be just a bit longer than the tube ends to allow for free movement of the cylinder.

Had the ripper bar blocked up in the fully raised position with the stop up against the mast.

Hung the hydraulic fully extended on the 3/4" bolt that was the pivot point of the manual lever that actually moved the ripper bar.

Rotated the hydraulic forward and back to find the best positioning for the stationary end of the cylinder. Don't want any binding with the movement of the cylinder as the ripper bar moves.
I tried this in several locations by clamping the stationary end tube of the cylinder to the mast, and moved the ripper bar up-down. As a side note, the plugs in the ports of the hydraulic cylinder need to be removed to easily allow full range of movement of the ram.

Once this lower pin location is found, the hardest part of this whole deal is at hand. To get a 3/4" hole drilled in the mast, sounds easy, but there is not much room there to get this done.

I ended up buying a Harbor Freight 90* electric drill to be able to get lined up straight. Drilled a 1/4" pilot hole and then used a 3/4" step drill to finish it. Step drill because they are so short worked quite well IMO. All of my std 3/4" drill bits are simply to long to be able to get a straight shot at the location required to be drilled.

I also used flow restrictors to slow the bar down so that the ripper bar does not slam up or down when actuated as is a common event without.

Feel free to contact me if you would like to purchase any of this. All parts, cylinder, bolts, washers, bushings, hose kit with couplers and flow restrictors can be had for $175. :thumbsup:

 

[murphy1244]

Brian, Can you give me some pics of the whole BB? I need to make sure its the same one. I thought it was to be rippers down when the cylinder was closed?

 

[BukitCase]

Murph, thought I had pix of my (original hydraulic) Gannon from when I re-did the tailgate locks, but couldn't find 'em - I can tell you that my cylinder mounts body up instead of down, and cylinder closed = rippers down. That's why I store it with the rippers down.

Also, the original cylinder mounts BETWEEN the tower uprights - beyond that, I'll see if I can get some new pix in the next day or two. I'm gonna need to rebuild the cylinder, probably new rod as well - the paving company that had it before me wasn't as careful, as the rod is pitted and it finally finished taking out the seals... Steve

Just found this

http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/...9680-how-do-you-store-your-barn-racks-003-jpg

That's the way mine looks, only not as shiny :=)

 

[MtnViewRanch]

Brian, Can you give me some pics of the whole BB? I need to make sure its the same one. I thought it was to be rippers down when the cylinder was closed?

Look at the pictures, same linkage, go back and look at post #52. As you can see in BukitCase's link, the OEM has the same deal, rod is extended to have the rippers raised, retracted when down. You can install the cylinder on the inside of the mast if you want, it will just clear, but is tight and a good place for material to get stuck. The OEM unit has the linkage off set to one side, so there is more room on it to fit things in there.

 

[murph1]

Found it!

 

[ovrszd]

I'm gonna throw a bunch of pics on here. Then Murph can question what he does not understand.

I think Brian's setup is better than mine. His cylinder is out of the way. My cylinder was located by the previous owner. So I continued his build.

His problem was that it would break the cast iron latch when he activated the cylinder. That was because the latch hook was used to lift the scarifier beam. That's why I added the chain. The linkage first pulls on the latch hook to unlatch it, then the chain comes tight and the chain lifts the beam.

Please excuse my sloppy work. I wasn't sure it would work so kinda cobbled it. Works like a champ and I've not took the time to put it back in the shop and refine it.

I cannot figure out why Brian's works without something similar. If you look at his pics, his latch hook lifts his beam. The latch hook is very narrow in the middle where it swivels, that is what was breaking on mine. Maybe Brian's does not break because his cylinder maxes out before the beam is all the way up?? I know my cylinder never maxes out in either direction. I'm only using about 70% of my cylinder throw.

 

[ovrszd]

Here's a few more, sorry, meant to get them on the first post.

 

[ovrszd]

Sorry if I flooded you with pics Murph. Ignore those that don't apply.

If you need more let me know.

If we need to discuss this post your questions.

 

[MtnViewRanch]

My cylinder takes the place of the manual arm. Connects in the same spot, moves the arm the same amount as when it was manually moved. Yes my cylinder is at the end of it's stroke in each direction. No additional stress is put on the system at any point.

 

[ovrszd]

Brian, I think that's why yours works without breaking anything. The cylinder stops pushing/pulling before the linkage binds up and pressures the hook.

The guy I bought mine from had rigged up the cylinder and then quit using it because it kept breaking the hook. Rather than reconfigure the cylinder I just added the chain to take the pull off the hook.

I like your setup better than mine. I use a QH. That's why I modified my top pin. The cylinder barely clears the QH when hooking/unhooking.

Hopefully Murph can come up with a workable design by studying all of the pics we've provided him.

 

[murph1]

I am looking at it now and I agree I like Brians a bit better but I would like the cylinder closed for scarifiers down.

 

[MtnViewRanch]

I am looking at it now and I agree I like Brians a bit better but I would like the cylinder closed for scarifiers down.

Why?

 

[murph1]

Why?

I thought it would be better in a closed and locked position/? Yes??? I left a message on your blog. please call.

 

[murph1]

Richard and Brian, I want to thank you both for the help and pics you provided. You guy's are the best!!!! Brian I plan on talking to you again sometime in April.I have a bunch of spring stuff to do 1st.

 

[ovrszd]

Off the top of my empty head, I can't think of any reason to be concerned about cylinder open/cylinder closed. When the beam is down it is locked by the hook latch. The only pressure that's ever on the cylinder is whatever it takes to lift or lower the beam.

VERY IMPORTANT!!!! Make sure your system drops the beam AND latches the hook. If the hook doesn't latch, then you have a tremendous amount of stress on the cylinder!!!!

 

[MtnViewRanch]

Off the top of my empty head, I can't think of any reason to be concerned about cylinder open/cylinder closed. When the beam is down it is locked by the hook latch. The only pressure that's ever on the cylinder is whatever it takes to lift or lower the beam.

VERY IMPORTANT!!!! Make sure your system drops the beam AND latches the hook. If the hook doesn't latch, then you have a tremendous amount of stress on the cylinder!!!!

Even more of a disaster would be the linkage that moves the system. The hydraulic has a chance, the std linkage that is with the manual movement units, NO WAY. :no: It would fold in a heart beat. The hook has to be latched.

 

[MtnViewRanch]

Richard, get a pin-pin distance with your ripper bar up all the way and latched down. Maybe we can get your cylinder situation remedied. Also, what dia pins, 3/4" ?

 

[ovrszd]

Richard, get a pin-pin distance with your ripper bar up all the way and latched down. Maybe we can get your cylinder situation remedied. Also, what dia pins, 3/4" ?

K. I'll check that out tomorrow. Thanks Brian.

 

[murph1]

Richard, get a pin-pin distance with your ripper bar up all the way and latched down. Maybe we can get your cylinder situation remedied. Also, what dia pins, 3/4" ?

Brian Are you making new lower mounting ears for your blade? I have 2 that need replacing and would like to buy a set of 4 from you.