2 stage transmission jack woes...

[Neura]

So I was looking around for a 2 stage transmission jack but here in edmonton cheapest seems to be about $500, not wanting to spend that type of money I went over to the local KMSTools here today and found a 2 stage transmission jack, but it was in the defective area.. I figured what the heck can't go wrong for the price and purchased it.

So now the problem that I need to fix is that the first stage of the ram is fully extended and wont release. By pumping the pedal the second stage goes up nicely and releases and comes back down but the first stage is stuck all the way up. I am trying to figure out what the best way of fixing this might be. If I have too I will find an american/canadian made 2 stage ram to put on it, but it would be nice to maybe take this apart and see what is wrong with it and fix it.

 

[Neura]

well looked at the jack a bit more tonight, took out the big pipe wrench and opened it up. Yup the first stage was seized. and there was no where near enough fluid in it. So I took the top half down to princess auto/pal hydraulics and the guy there used the 50 ton press and pressed the ram down for me. it seems to have freed everything up and I reassembled it. I have only added a litre of fluid but it is still down a good amount. Seems to be working okay now, maybe 5 pounds of pressure on the top of the rams and it drops back down.

Last thing to do now is finish topping up the fluid and then bleeding it out since I seem to have air in it yet...

I have a garbage transmission in the corner that needs a rebuild so I am thinking about putting that on the jack and running it up and down to bleed it out and make sure that it dosnt seize up again with weight on it??

Anyone got any thoughts on the best way to bleed it? maybe what else to look for that may have caused the original issue..

 

[Charles (in GA)]

Lube the outside of the rams also. As far as bleeding, I would think going all the way up and all the way down several times would drive the air to the tank and just recheck your level again. Put a couple of hundred pounds on it (set a chair on it, sit on it and get your wife to pump it up ) and if it works OK I would leave well enough alone.

Charles