Lift Cylinder Stuck...
 

I was messing around at my shop that I am working on when I had this great idea of seeing if one of the 12 underground lifts would come up with air from my little Bosch compressor. Well it did....now how do I get the son of a gun to come down? It has a release valve for the air, tried that. Even took the line apart so there would be no restrictions. It is about 6 foot above the floor and I do not weigh enough to make it budge!

Anyone have any ideas???

Re: Lift Cylinder Stuck...
 

Raise the lift back up and then release the safety locking mechanism that keeps the car from dropping.

Re: Lift Cylinder Stuck...
 

Put the heaviest stuff you can find on it. On some of the old ones I've had there were zerk fittings around the post and they would stick when dry.

Re: Lift Cylinder Stuck...
 

No Safety release on these that I can find???

Man, not sure what I can carry up a ladder and put on the post. The head of it is already gone, so it is just a 12" cylinder.

Re: Lift Cylinder Stuck...
 

Is it semi hydraulic , full , line may be clogged if air not coming out release valve,unscrew valve and stand baack !!!!!

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Already removed the hydraulic fluid cap... no air or oil came out.

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Re: Lift Cylinder Stuck...
 

I wouldn't work on that without putting some type of strong framework underneath it to keep it from plummeting, crushing and smashing everything when it does get resolved.
Seriously, get some 4x4's or 6x6's etc and quickly nail something up together....maybe about 2" below the current lift line.
Or if you have some metal scaffolding components around, etc.
That way if it does suddenly come down it won't travel far....and you can tell in the meantime if you are making progress.

Regardless.....working on a stuck, lifted hoist is a very dangerous game....be very careful on what you are removing or loosening...and be very aware of the deadly damage a large piece of steel can cause when it falls 6ft.
I kid you not....believe me.

Good luck and keep us posted

All good
Coley

Re: Lift Cylinder Stuck...
 

There is nothing on the lift cylinder...not even the head(arms???). It is just the cylinder coming up from the floor. As for the dangers, I am very careful. I called an ex-mechanic of this shop and he said they are designed to come down with the weight of the car on the lift. Well I don't have a car on the lift, so now I need to come up with something to make it disappear back into the concrete floor.

Re: Lift Cylinder Stuck...
 

Better than it disappearing back into the dark, I would love to be able to remove the cylinders and cash them in for scrap!

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LOL...that was my son when I started unscrewing the cap on top of the cylinder!

Re: Lift Cylinder Stuck...
 

Ok....so you have to come up with some weight that will safely act upon that cylinder to get it moving down.
hmmm....cheap and cheerful ideas and just 'how much' weight it needed to push that cylinder back down.

Ok, lets brainstorm.....I would initially try getting 4 guys (2 on either side of the now raised 6ft high cylinder) and a piece of 2" schedule 40 (or better) pipe by about 6 ft long.
That would rest that across the top surface of the 12" cylinder, with approx 2-3 ft per side hanging out... and get the guys to grab the pipe (at about 6ft high in the air...no problem), 2 per side.... and pull down or lift their weight off the floor by hanging on the pipe.
That would give you a working downward weight of anywhere from 600 to 800 lbs depending on how heavy the guys are.
This would be relatively safe because they have initially no where to fall.
....at least it would be a good initial start perhaps.
That said, I'm not sure what the weight is required to make the hoist come down....but that would be close.

...just a quick idea.

Coley

Re: Lift Cylinder Stuck...
 

Here is a picture of the cylinder and what the top looks like....

Re: Lift Cylinder Stuck...
 

Back a truck up to it and wrap a chain around the top of the piston and use a comealong hooked to the truck to ratchet it back down.

Re: Lift Cylinder Stuck...
 

get somebody with a tractor and frontend loader come in there and set the bucket on top of the cylinder and put down force on it....

Re: Lift Cylinder Stuck...
 

...some good suggestions here....

Coley

Re: Lift Cylinder Stuck...
 

I'm stickin with RUN !

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This has the makings of a good you tube video. ;)

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That it s something I can do by myself! Great idea!

In middle of town...to far for any of my buddies to bring a tractor.

Yes there is!!!

Oh now, ...no pain, no gain 😆

Re: Lift Cylinder Stuck...
 

..

Re: Lift Cylinder Stuck...
 

You could stage a protest. Gather a large group of college students, hand them signs that say "Down with the lift cylinder", and have them chant that repeatedly. Got a bull horn?

Re: Lift Cylinder Stuck...
 

Just sayin -
http://gemsres.com/story/jul05/106966/fig1.jpg

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HAH! I love that ^^^. Very rich.

Re: Lift Cylinder Stuck...
 

Attach top of cylinder to an engine hoist. Then unbolt the floor flange. Next lift the post out of floor.

The actual cylinder is small. What you're seeing is the post, like a sleeve, around th cylinder. Once that's out then you can go after th cylinder

Re: Lift Cylinder Stuck...
 

Gonna work at getting the flange bolts out. There is one bolt/screw that is different than the rest. It has a hex head and also a slot. You know what it is for? Thought I would ask this time before just taking it out..lol