Gasweld Al. Jack - leak fixing

[Mathew Boorman]

I finally got sick of my Gasweld Al jack leaking oil all the time. This ones for Frinky!

Turns out that the Al side plates are covering 2 big plastic plugs, one at each end, that are meant to keep the oil in. Pop the plugs out, apply some sealant and reassemble.

Its pretty easy, just remove the various hex heads and nuts on the side plate until you can pull the plate off. If you cant get the one on the small arm off as it can spin, don't panic. Simply force the plate off by deflecting the small arm somewhat, lifting the main arm can help there.

Once that is done, turn it on its side and gently lever the end cap out. Its only plastic with the O ring keeping it in place. Don't poke in too far to avoid the hitting O ring which is about 4mm down.

Then silastic the sucker back in. Remove the filler cap to stop the air pressure poping it back out.

Optional, use a tap to clean the on the pump body.
Reassemble the side plate.

Repeat for the other side.

Fabricate a replacement plug for the filler hole you dropped and now can't find. Maybe thats just me!

[fro]

Thanks for the tips, Matt. I need to do so to my jack. Kirrilee is probably going to want her jack back at some point in time!

[Ben Wilson]

I may have to recover mine from the junk pile and have a look. I think the seals in mine are gone though...

[Buerckner]

Have supplied ram seals for jacks before, I suspect most of them would use a similar ram.

[Ben Wilson]

Yeah, but I can't seem to get the bugger apart without distorting the aluminium housing. I'll head out to the shed and hit it for a while and see what happens....

[Matthew Ferguson]

Originally Posted by Ben Wilson

I'll head out to the shed and hit it for a while and see what happens....

Fixed - A massive smile will apear and all your troubles will disappear........

[Ben Wilson]

Whoever said that violence never solved anything was wrong..

Got the main piston out and found a little notch in the cup seal. Is it normal in these things for the cup seal to be a plastic cup with an o-ring jammed inside it?

What's best to wash it out with? Metho?

[Ben Wilson]

http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?p=824700 is a thread with some pictures of the sort of thing I'm talking about. They don't seem to like the o-ring in a cup design..

[Ben Wilson]

http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=51105, perhaps my jack might live again..

[Buerckner]

Originally Posted by Ben Wilson

Got the main piston out and found a little notch in the cup seal. Is it normal in these things for the cup seal to be a plastic cup with an o-ring jammed inside it?

Yep, it's an energised U-ring. Probably better designs available, the oring is usually used with the base material is of poor quality. Often they will be made of PU.

[Ben Wilson]

So what's the best way to get replacement o-rings/seals?

Should I grab the verniers and measure everything up, or come and visit with a pile of grotty aluminium?

[Buerckner]

i trust ya,
PM me bore, rod size and available width. A pic of current seal would be useful too.

Cheers
Andrew

[Buerckner]

Originally Posted by Ben Wilson

visit with a pile of grotty anything

Many people don't realise the dirty the parts I have to play with... the dearer the price

Not meaning you in particular, just the amount of knobs that can't be arsed getting things even remotely like clean... pet hate.

Along with asking for ball bearings when you want steel balls or bitching about o'night freight on a $2 seal.

Or.. hmmm I'll just stop now.

[rowdytoot]

ta Matt. just did mine- works like a new one, until the fluid leaks past the piston seal or something else inside that I cant be bothered pulling apart!

I think i'll just go with the fill and bleed before use MO!

[Ben Wilson]

Interestingly, mine doesn't have plastic caps on the side, they are a solid chunk of aluminium. On the plus side, they don't seem to leak at all..