Bottle jack/motorcycle lift help

[Blk88GT]

I've got a standard motorcycle lift platform and am having trouble with it. Unfortunately it failed with my father's bike on it. The good news is that it failed in the UP position and wouldn't come down.

I've taken the lift apart and got the "jack" section out of the lift but I can't get the cylinder to return inside the jack. I've taken out the pressure and release valves, fill plug, you name it. I am unable to collapse the jack even putting it in my shop press with all the external valves/controls removed. It does move slightly, but returns when I take pressure off.

The only thing I haven't done is take the large nut off the top of the jack as I don't have a wrench that large and it's difficult to get a good bite with a pipe wrench.

Any suggestions would be appreciated.

 

[Blk88GT]

Anyone?

 

[ajchien]

It might help if you could post pictures of the hydraulic unit and give a model number, so that we can figure out what you’re dealing with.

Without seeing anything, I would assume your next step is getting the tools to remove the large nut.

 

[dusterdude]

You can probably buy a new jack

Sent from my LM-X420 using Tapatalk

 

[driftpin]

I've got a standard motorcycle lift platform

Information, please! What is the manufacturer of the "standard motorcycle lift platform," what is the model? Pictures? I.D. on the lift, the jack?

I think buying a new jack is probably the easiest way to approach this. With the ram not willing to be released, removing the nut could produce a significant release of pressure, I suspect. Beware!

 

[Blk88GT]

There are no markings on the jack itself and replacing it is not a simple task, I'd have done it already otherwise.

 

[lardy1]

There is a manufacturers tag on it. There should be at least some clues as to who to contact about the origin of the hydraulic unit.

I know nothing about hydraulics.

 

[Hiball]

Did you unscrew/remove the release valve completely from the block? Or did you just Unhook the linkages. A picture of that area if you are unsure. I’ve been inside a handful of those units, if memory serves it uses a Separated/inline valve system, which means there is a ball/seat under the pump piston and then another one inside the base of the cylinder. Regardless with the release valve is completely removed it should allow all pressure to be released, I can’t help but think that something is awry in the release valve area. It sounds like it’s Air bound if the ram retracts and then pushes back up. Is all the oil been drained out of the reservoir?

 

[Blk88GT]

I have removed everything out of the body of the jack including the release valve.

There doesn't seem to be any oil in the reservoir. Some has come out of the valves when removing them, but no appreciable amount.

 

[Hiball]

I have removed everything out of the body of the jack including the release valve.

There doesn't seem to be any oil in the reservoir. Some has come out of the valves when removing them, but no appreciable amount.

When you pulled the pump piston did you see a small Ball? I can’t remember if it’s caged or not, Maybe a picture with everything removed.

So No oil in the reservoir? Did you pull the fill plug on the reservoir? The only other plug I can think of is overload on the block, I wouldn’t mess with it.