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Changing Hydraulic Fluid


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#11 Wandering Sagebrush

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Posted 02 February 2018 - 09:51 PM

Go to your local airport civilian maint facility. It’s about $40/gallon. I use it as an approved alternative for my boat’s hydraulic steering. It does have a red dye. Bye the way, Teleflex/SeaStar asks about $35/quart.
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#12 OSUFlyer

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Posted 02 February 2018 - 10:25 PM

+1, I also ran the same in my boats hydraulic steering. The red color was great for leak detection.

If you only need a quart for your Alaskans vs a gallon my local airport sold the hydraulic fluid in qt cans for around $7-10 each
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#13 Wandering Sagebrush

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Posted 03 February 2018 - 01:44 AM

+1, I also ran the same in my boats hydraulic steering. The red color was great for leak detection.
If you only need a quart for your Alaskans vs a gallon my local airport sold the hydraulic fluid in qt cans for around $7-10 each


Apologies for a hijack... what boat do you have?
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#14 OSUFlyer

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Posted 03 February 2018 - 06:00 AM

Apologies for a hijack... what boat do you have?


I had a 20’ North River Seahawk with a 115hp Suzuki. It was the little brother to the longer and wider models. Great little boat for running around on the Lower Columbia. Sold it a year ago, but our plan is to be in the market again next year sometime.
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#15 Wandering Sagebrush

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Posted 03 February 2018 - 02:43 PM

I’m running a Suzuki 115 on a CDory 22 Cruiser. Good luck on your boat search.
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#16 PackRat

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Posted 03 February 2018 - 05:49 PM

are those products mineral oil based or petroleum? I'm thinking maybe it has to do with the material the O-rings were made of back in the day or perhaps even now...will a petroleum based fluid break them down.

 

I did read that while 1940s landing gears used a mineral oil (see the mil spec above) later on a different fluid was used and the two are not compatible...so...if they are not compatible, you would have to drain and flush the whole system, pump included and then be sure your O-rings were petroleum capable.

 

I have  friend looking in the maintenance sheds at a smaller airport that services old planes and a couple WWII birds to see what they have and maybe get me a pint to top off my reservoir after the ram is replaced.

 

Your thoughts gentlemen?


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#17 Wandering Sagebrush

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Posted 03 February 2018 - 07:26 PM

We used it in the antiques I used to crew. (C119Fs, C117D) The C117 (DC3) made in 1946 is two years older than me, and I’m older than dirt. I believe it’s still flying.

All that history aside, I can’t tell you if it’s mineral oil based.
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#18 PackRat

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Posted 03 February 2018 - 09:55 PM

Hmm...foiled again!

I have had the top in the up position for two weeks now resting on the pins and the pump valve OPEN.

I just went out and cut me a 23 5/8" long broomstick as suggested and then tried to decide if it was to be placed outside on the LF corner of my CO to support the top or....if it was to be placed inside near the LF cylinder resting on the upper bunk frame and supporting the crossbeam that the front rams are bolted to.

 

Have I lost ya yet?

 

Anyway, I decided to go with the support on the outside of the camper and proceeded to tighten the valve and raise the top. I got it up enough so that about 1 1/2" of the ram tube was exposed below the pin hole but that seemed to be close to one inch short of the broomstick fitting either on the inside or the outside locations.

 

I tried raising it again, using the "hard push" action to get the fluid moving but I could not get it up high enough and I saw that it was settling back down onto the pins. I checked the floor below the LF ram where I had found fluid before and had cleaned it up and sure enough...another puddle of maybe a couple ounces or so had collected and was running down the wooden brace the cylinder sits on.

 

Now I can't get it to raise off the pins at all....hard strokes or gentle...I get the feeling I have lost enough fluid that the pump is EMPTY and I am trying to pump AIR into the system so I stopped and decided to consult the pros here.

 

I know I need fluid and am trying to find MIL SPEC M-5606-A as the mfger suggested but until I do find some of that stuff I am not going anywhere I guess. However, I think this is where I need to go with this:

1) pour 2-3 ounces of fluid into the pump reservoir and secure. Close the valve

2) with a bunch of rags to collect the fluid I anticipate will be leaking out of the split tube with the two radiator hose clamps on it, start pumping the top UP

3) remove the pin on the LF ram quickly insert the broomstick in the location advised by you guys and begin to let the top back down.

4) once the broomstick is supporting the top, let the valve OPEN all the way so the three remaining rams settle onto the pins

5) unscrew the bolt in the top of the ram and remove

6) push the ram down into the cylinder all the way and close the valve

7) remove the two screws holding each of the "U" clamps on the front of the lower section.

8) stuff a bunch more rags under the cylinder and unscrew the fluid line to that cylinder.

9) remove cylinder with ram down in it

10) install new cylinder/ram assembly and replace line to pump and two "U" clamps

11) attach bolt to hold ram to upper bracket

12) lower top and then refill pump reservoir.

13) check for leaks

 

Let me know if I am on the right track here....

 

But.......when I have mounted the replacement cylinder/ram assembly, should I remove the cap on the reservoir and have the valve OPEN?  Then once the bolt is tightened to hold it to the upper bracket replace the cap and lower the top? I am partially concerned that right now so much fluid has leaked out I can't even GET the top up unless I add some fluid....so is that "2-3 ounces" too much?

 

....and yes, I too am older than dirt unfortunately!


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#19 PackRat

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Posted 06 February 2018 - 11:45 PM

If at first you don't succeed...

 

OK, I couldn't raise the top as air was bleeding out the crack in the bottom of the cylinder I needed to replace. I barely got it up and on the pins last weekend so....how to support it while installing the new cylinder/piston from Alaskan?

 

Easy-peasy...got my floor jack and a board and gently raised the LF corner until I could install the 22 5/8" broomstick. Then I undid the top bolt and pushed the piston down...hearing bubbling in the pump which confirmed air in that cylinder and in that line. I undid the two "U" brackets and undid the copper line to it and removed it.

 

I found that a trip to the ACE was needed to get the proper brass fittings as it looks to have been cobbled together at some point in time. Now it is ready for bleeding and fresh fluid and as soon as I secure some mineral oil for it I will finish that task.

 

Now I have TWO cylinders and pistons that have cracks at the bottom...each is about one inch long. Not sure what to do with them, but I'll hang onto them for now. During the removal of that leaky cylinder I drained out the remaining fluid. The OTHER cylinder that Randy had replaced at the LR location came with the Alaskan and I drained out the fluid in it.

 

Hmm...they don't mix....I think that tells me that one was mineral oil based and one wasn't...which means bleeding the system out and refilling with MIL SPEC H-5606-A is next...as soon as I find some. I did locate one seller but they had five gallon buckets for something like $200+ dollars! I'm not in THAT much of a rush. AEROSHELL in a one gallon can up in Fairfield is an option also. Maybe my buddy Matt can find some up at the Sonoma Airport today.


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1988 Ford F-250 HD Lariat 4x4 8 Ft. bed

1976 Alaskan 8 Ft. CO camper


#20 PackRat

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Posted 08 February 2018 - 12:19 AM

Got Brian on the phone up at Alaskan. He says any John Deere compatible hydraulic fluid rated cold weather and about 15 WT will be OK. Grabbed a gallon at NAPA of their best stuff. I bled the line next. Then it was a bit of guesswork...I knew the fluid had run out of the LF cylinder so I checked the level in the reservoir and didn't get but the tip of a screwdriver at the bottom wet....so I eyeballed putting in fluid, then raised the new piston 1/3 of the way and then checked the level again and it was at the bottom again. Repeated twice more then bolted the piston to the top bracket.

 

Then it took about 40 full strokes to get resistance and then my LF corner supports fell out. I went up some more and dropped the CO sides/front and then tried to lower the top but it was binding at the rear....OK, I checked and sure enough I had moved the truck a bi forward making it not level, I backed up to where it was level and it came down OK.

 

Enough for today....I will experiment tomorrow to see if I can raise/lower it as it should move smoothly to see if things are OK...no leaks from my new cylinder or fittings so far. Maybe I have got this #1 problem solved!


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1988 Ford F-250 HD Lariat 4x4 8 Ft. bed

1976 Alaskan 8 Ft. CO camper





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