Dismantling a ram.

[Scraperman]

Interesting, I've used several brands and never had one missing.
If you buy the OEM JCB kit, it comes with a new dowel - I feel if you've worn out the dowel, you're doing something wrong.

Mmmm. That's a bit disconcerting. The dowel didn't look worn but I must be honest, I thought it was a poor idea. The oil seal does cover the dowel completely even if it revolves because both the ends of the seal meet each other and so the dowel can't get free unless the seal starts to break up.

 

[Gecko]

Those two black (grey?) bands are wear strips to keep the piston central. While they probably also serve to protect the seal, they are not seals in themselves.

 

[V8Druid]

Yes, but I have found that I need a bit more help these days and what people are prepared to do on here is invaluable. And that includes your good self Sir.

well you can give me a few years, but I do know what you mean ... turned 68 last month and the head just does not work like it used to for sure -- my recall for names and some words/phrases is frighteningly poor some days, which is extremely frustrating and I also find, much as it pains me to admit it, that my confidence in my abilities is not what it was things I would have done with my eyes shut, once, I now sometimes have to 'psych' myself up for , which pisses me off immensely

 

[CPS]

things I would have done with my eyes shut, once, I now sometimes have to 'psych' myself up for , which pisses me off immensely

Like buying a press

 

[Scraperman]

Those two black (grey?) bands are wear strips to keep the piston central. While they probably also serve to protect the seal, they are not seals in themselves.

Ah, that makes sense. I couldn't understand why "seals" had been designed so that they had been cut right through in one place.

 

[Scraperman]

well you can give me a few years, but I do know what you mean ... turned 68 last month and the head just does not work like it used to for sure -- my recall for names and some words/phrases is frighteningly poor some days, which is extremely frustrating and I also find, much as it pains me to admit it, that my confidence in my abilities is not what it was things I would have done with my eyes shut, once, I now sometimes have to 'psych' myself up for , which pisses me off immensely

I was pretty well O.K. even 2-3 years ago but things seem to be altering very quickly now. I have kept a diary for 54 years, really a work diary and I have scanned them and periodically read bits out of them for nostalgia. But I was known for getting up and going mowing hay at 3.30 in the morning, would spend all day tedding it, rowing it up and baling it, all for different customers. Have a late bite to eat and then sometimes go back mowing late into the night if things were getting on top of me. Those were the days.

 

[Scraperman]

As mentioned earlier in the topic my next task was to replace the seals in the steering ram on the same 3CX and in an effort to help anyone else who is planning the same job I thought I would tell of my experiences. I should probably say at this stage that I have replaced seals in many rams over the years both on agricultural equipment and on JCB diggers but have never experienced the difficulties that I had this time.
Firstly, the ram needed to be removed and that was a pig of a job for 2 reasons.

1. The two oil connections on the ram were ridiculously tight. They are only normal 3/8" connections but I had to use a very long adjustable spanner and for this reason I have wondered if someone else had removed them and replaced them prior to my efforts.

2. The one end of the ram is attached to the front axle of the digger with a pin (13) that goes through the axle bracket arms and through the end of the ram casing. There is a recess in the pin which isn’t shown on the image which takes a grub screw (33) which is screwed through the end of the ram and then engages with the recess. There is a nut shown in the image (32) but that was missing on mine. Although the recess is slighter larger than the grub screw the end of the screw had obviously become damaged, presumably because the pin is able to move in a circular motion. It does have a circlip (34) at the top of the pin but that just stops the pin from dropping out.

I tried to remove the grub screw with the correct Allen key but it wouldn’t budge and because a part of the screw was showing I was able to use a large set of mole grips and get it out that way. The threads was jiggered on both the screw and the internal part in the ram case and so using a 10mm tap and die I re-threaded it all. The screw is still a bit tight but that is a good thing because it will hopefully stop it from coming out and I may even put a 10mm nut on it just to make sure. I was able to get it really tight with an Allen key when I re-assembled it.

Then it was time to dismantle the ram. I couldn’t move it with the big stilsons, even with a short length of scaffold tube on the end. I tried the boiling water technique and even resorted to a bit of heat from a gas canister all round the area where the end cap screws into the ram casing ! Then a friend of mine called in and did something that really surprised me. He took a lump hammer in each hand and hit opposite sides of the end cap (as per the red arrows on the image) with each hammer at the same time. He spent about a minute doing this, put the stillys back on and the end cap came undone as easy as pie.

I did have trouble with the seals but that’s another story !

 

[V8Druid]

As mentioned earlier in the topic my next task was to replace the seals in the steering ram on the same 3CX and in an effort to help anyone else who is planning the same job I thought I would tell of my experiences. I should probably say at this stage that I have replaced seals in many rams over the years both on agricultural equipment and on JCB diggers but have never experienced the difficulties that I had this time.
Firstly, the ram needed to be removed and that was a pig of a job for 2 reasons.

1. The two oil connections on the ram were ridiculously tight. They are only normal 3/8" connections but I had to use a very long adjustable spanner and for this reason I have wondered if someone else had removed them and replaced them prior to my efforts.

2. The one end of the ram is attached to the front axle of the digger with a pin (13) that goes through the axle bracket arms and through the end of the ram casing. There is a recess in the pin which isn’t shown on the image which takes a grub screw (33) which is screwed through the end of the ram and then engages with the recess. There is a nut shown in the image (32) but that was missing on mine. Although the recess is slighter larger than the grub screw the end of the screw had obviously become damaged, presumably because the pin is able to move in a circular motion. It does have a circlip (34) at the top of the pin but that just stops the pin from dropping out.

I tried to remove the grub screw with the correct Allen key but it wouldn’t budge and because a part of the screw was showing I was able to use a large set of mole grips and get it out that way. The threads was jiggered on both the screw and the internal part in the ram case and so using a 10mm tap and die I re-threaded it all. The screw is still a bit tight but that is a good thing because it will hopefully stop it from coming out and I may even put a 10mm nut on it just to make sure. I was able to get it really tight with an Allen key when I re-assembled it.
View attachment 74180
Then it was time to dismantle the ram. I couldn’t move it with the big stilsons, even with a short length of scaffold tube on the end. I tried the boiling water technique and even resorted to a bit of heat from a gas canister all round the area where the end cap screws into the ram casing ! Then a friend of mine called in and did something that really surprised me. He took a lump hammer in each hand and hit opposite sides of the end cap (as per the red arrows on the image) with each hammer at the same time. He spent about a minute doing this, put the stillys back on and the end cap came undone as easy as pie.

View attachment 74181

I did have trouble with the seals but that’s another story !

wacking the collar in equal and opposite directions/amounts, simultaneously, deforms the collar ever so slightly and thus breaks any stiction/rusting/loctite/etc. - but not always

 

[Scraperman]

Thanks @V8Druid. It certainly helped me this time. You're never too old to learn that's for sure.

 

[Furniss]

Like buying a press

Or a shed

 

[V8Druid]

Or a shed

sheds're built - not bought