Dismantling a ram.

[Scraperman]

One of the rams that operates the 4 in 1 clam shell on the front bucket on my Project 8 3CX is weeping and so I bought the seals to re-seal it. But I am having great difficulty in undoing the cylinder cap on the ram and wondered if anyone is able to help and/or advise ? It is an internal screw type of ram cap and I have never had problems with any of my external type of rams caps but I just can’t get this one loose.

So far I have removed the pin at the piston end of the ram but left the pin in place at the other end of the cylinder so that I have got the cylinder well anchored. The photo. shows two felt tip marks on the ram and cap each of which contain marks that I made with a centre punch. I made these marks once I started having difficulty so that I could check to see if I had actually moved the cap. I then placed a pair of stillsons on the cap but couldn’t move it. I then got two lump hammers, one in each hand, and hit the cylinder casing in the area where the threaded part of the cap is, each hammer being opposite the other one. The idea was to try and shock the cap. I tried the stillons again but still no good. I then got a cold chisel and tried to knock the cap undone but to no avail. Finally I got an 18 inch pair of stillsons with a 4 foot tube on the end of them, put it on the cap and then tried to undo it but it just wouldn’t move.

I presume that there is something like Loctite that is used when initially assembling the ram. I only have one last resort but I am a bit reluctant to put heat on the cylinder where the cap is but maybe that is my only option. Any help and/or advice would be very much appreciated.

 

[DaveDCB]

Big spanner and whack it with another digger!

 

[DaveDCB]

Or just take it to repram at Mansfield(Huthwaite)

 

[craig]

Have a good around the top of the cylinder in case there is a grub screw covered with paint.
Some Loctite is softened with a medium heat

 

[Scraperman]

Big spanner and whack it with another digger!

Problem is : I've not got anything else I can whack it with.

 

[Scraperman]

Or just take it to repram at Mansfield(Huthwaite)

Mmmm. Thanks. I'll look that up.

 

[Scraperman]

Have a good around the top of the cylinder in case there is a grub screw covered with paint.
Some Loctite is softened with a medium heat

I had a good look and couldn't find a grubscrew and nothing like that is shown in the spares book. I could put some oxy/acetylene heat on it but would that be too much ?

 

[DaveDCB]

Problem is : I've not got anything else I can whack it with.

Chuck it under the rear jackleg, give stilsons a nudge with bucket.
Amazing how versatile a 3cx can be do check for a dowel / grub like Craig said

 

[Scraperman]

Chuck it under the rear jackleg, give stilsons a nudge with bucket.
Amazing how versatile a 3cx can be do check for a dowel / grub like Craig said

Yes, thanks for that but not sure how you could keep one end of the ram anchoted while you hit the stillsons on the cap at the other end.

 

[CPS]

Theres no grub screw in the gland, it will be tight though.
A trick i learnt years ago is worth a go, take a small ball pein hammer and tap gently in a line down the tube about the lengh of the threads in the gland about every 10mm, move over 10mm and do the same agian til your right the way around.

Ive tried it and it works, failing that heat it up gently as slight heat will melt the locktight.

If that fails, heat her up red hot

When you do get it apart there is a dowel in the piston that needs removing before you try to screw it off. Ot hides under the wear strip.

 

[hiluxman]

This sounds like a 'give it to a ram specialist' job and let them ring you when it's fixed while your doing somthing else more productive

 

[V8Druid]

you've got the seals - can't find a sneaky grub screw - give it some warmth - if that doesn't shift it - give it some HEAT -- just watch it doesn't pick up though

 

[DaveDCB]

Yes, thanks for that but not sure how you could keep one end of the ram anchoted while you hit the stillsons on the cap at the other end.

Tube through the hole in the bottom of the ram, rested on two chocks of wood.. drop jack leg ontop, you’ll be able to reach down with a bucket on and give it a gentle nudge. Wouldn’t go crazy as it would probably send the stilsons flying if they let go

 

[Scraperman]

Theres no grub screw in the gland, it will be tight though.
A trick i learnt years ago is worth a go, take a small ball pein hammer and tap gently in a line down the tube about the lengh of the threads in the gland about every 10mm, move over 10mm and do the same agian til your right the way around.

Ive tried it and it works, failing that heat it up gently as slight heat will melt the locktight.

If that fails, heat her up red hot

When you do get it apart there is a dowel in the piston that needs removing before you try to screw it off. Ot hides under the wear strip.

Thank you @CPS, that all sounds very helpful. I have some gas canisters in the workshop and so I'll try them first before I get really stroppy !

 

[Scraperman]

This sounds like a 'give it to a ram specialist' job and let them ring you when it's fixed while your doing somthing else more productive

Yes, I know you are right but I don't like to be beaten.

 

[Scraperman]

you've got the seals - can't find a sneaky grub screw - give it some warmth - if that doesn't shift it - give it some HEAT -- just watch it doesn't pick up though

Yes, that is what I have decided to do. I have got to find some pipe terminals first though or I will end up with puddles of hydraulic all over the workshop floor.

Tube through the hole in the bottom of the ram, rested on two chocks of wood.. drop jack leg ontop, you’ll be able to reach down with a bucket on and give it a gentle nudge. Wouldn’t go crazy as it would probably send the stilsons flying if they let go

Yes, I have thought about that but have come to te conclusion that it is a last resort. It is in the "in the field" category of repairs.

 

[V8Druid]

Yes, that is what I have decided to do. I have got to find some pipe terminals first though or I will end up with puddles of hydraulic all over the workshop floor.

Yes, I have thought about that but have come to te conclusion that it is a last resort. It is in the "in the field" category of repairs.

I usually bang a line on each port to a collection bottle and give each port some air pressure in turn ... usually empties either side of the piston, no prob.s ... just be careful as the rod'll be coming in/out at a rate if you get too enthused with the air pressure .... virtually zero puddles after that
my fave method for purging rams of oil

 

[Scraperman]

I usually bang a line on each port to a collection bottle and give each port some air pressure in turn ... usually empties either side of the piston, no prob.s ... just be careful as the rod'll be coming in/out at a rate if you get too enthused with the air pressure .... virtually zero puddles after that
my fave method for purging rams of oil

All good advice as usual @V8Druid Thank you very much. I am trying to find a couple of bungs of some sort that will screw into the 3/8" pipe ends where they join the ram. There could be a big leak there if I don't get them sealed once I've taken them off the end of the ram.

 

[V8Druid]

All good advice as usual @V8Druid Thank you very much. I am trying to find a couple of bungs of some sort that will screw into the 3/8" pipe ends where they join the ram. There could be a big leak there if I don't get them sealed once I've taken them off the end of the ram.

join the two pipes together with a 3/8" male/male adapter - job done

 

[Scraperman]

join the two pipes together with a 3/8" male/male adapter - job done

Thanks again @V8Druid. That sounds like a good idea. I don't think I've got any of those so I'll Google it.