Dannmar MaxJax Quickconnects not connecting!

[amishman]

OK, I have had the MaxJax for a few months now. The darn motor assy kept leaking fluid out the flow divider so I have been going back and forth with Dannmar trying to get all that taken care of. So, in a nutshell, I now have a complete new motor assy and the only old part is the wheel trolley itself.

I have out all the new componets, motor and flow divider, onto the trolley and filled it back up with fluid.

Now, FOR THE LIFE OF ME, I can't get any of the hosed QuickDisconnects back onto either the motor itself (at the flow divider) or onto the lift columns. I push as hard as I can and nothing! There should be ZERO pressure in the tank as I just filled it with fluid and not sure about the columns but...

So, what is the darned trick to get the connects back on so I can try the new motor. I don't want to wait until Monday to call Dannmar.

Any suggestions?

Since the flow-divider is now new with no fluid in it, do I need to somehow turn the lift on and get some fluid going into it again and then do the release knob and release all pressure. Then maybe it will go on pump side? Hoe about the column side. I can't get them on there either.

HELP!!!

tj

 

[Torque1st]

I am not familiar with the connectors on that specific system. Possibly pull the sleeve back then push the connector on.

 

[amishman]

It is something else going on I think. I read other threads here on the MaxJax and others had issues where there was a small amount of pressure still left in the system and they had a bear of a time getting connectors back on. In my case, the whole motor flow divider setup is new, so I can't think of any pressure from me being able to connect the connectors. At least on the pump. Maybe at the column but I have no clue how to relieve that pressure if that is what it is.

Right now I have a brand spanking new motor and all I did was filled the unit with the fluid. I am not sure if I supposed to somehow "prime" this system or not? I had the lift installed professionally so not sure how and what they did there. The user manual says nothing about this so.

So, any Dannmar knowledgeable folks here that can help so I can work on my ride tomorrow Sunday? Do I need to somehoe prime the new flow divider and pump so I can then get the connectors on? Maybe pressure is in the system and I need to prime, then unload pressure, then it will let me connect all these connectors.

Confused, tired, hot, and damn, I have owned this lift for sometime now and want to use it. Used it once to test, now go to use a while back and the darn pump was leaking all over, took me about a month + of back and forth to Dannmar to get the right parts and all to get to the state I am now. I was hoping to plug the sucker in and go. Now I can't connect the darn hoses now. Sheesh! Probably newbie stuff but still, should not be this hard.

tj

 

[66HertzClone]

Carefully look over the male ends of the connectors, I have a trans fluid flush machine that uses simlar connectors. My guys just cannot grasp the concept that one must be very careful with these, do not drop them on the floor or allow then to get nicked.

A bur or rough edge will keep them from sliding together.

 

[amishman]

Carefully look over the male ends of the connectors, I have a trans fluid flush machine that uses simlar connectors. My guys just cannot grasp the concept that one must be very careful with these, do not drop them on the floor or allow then to get nicked.

A bur or rough edge will keep them from sliding together.

I see what you mean. Mine are brand new, both went one fine when the lift was installed, and I personally remove them and store proper while I waited for new pump and parts. They look perfect. I see no burrs.

This seems to be a "somewhat" common issue with these MaxJaxs; at least other thread mentioned the same issue I had and it spoke about pressure. I just don't see how there would be any pressure at all in these new parts. The divider has no fluid in it yet. That is why I thought that maybe they have to be primed somehow. Just need to see what other MaxJaxers know. Most I am sure setup themselves so maybe they can explain if I need to get fluid into the divider and primed in order to get started. I had this done for me so stumped right now if that is the issue or not.

tj

 

[66HertzClone]

One other thing I forgot to mention, if one side of the line is "under" pressure it can be difficult to connect them. You are in a sense pushing against pressurized fluid, not gonna move much no matter how hard you push.

 

[Gabriel J]

let me know if this works:

Take the connector off the line. It is very likely that the connector on the line has retained the pressure from when you disconnected it. Take them off, depress them manual to drain the fluid and reinstall.

Whenever you remove the lines, make sure that the pressure has been fully relieved in the lines, as the connectors are designed to stay closed if accidently removed at full pressure.

Here is the connector to remove: Depress the button in the center to relieve the pressure after it's off the line.

 

[FlameOut]

What I do when I have that pressure problem is to push in on the down lever on the pump and I'm installing the connector and my connectors go right on. Not sure if that is your problem or not though

 

[bazar01]

Your problem was the hose was under pressure when you disconnected it from the column side and the pump side. So basically the fluid inside the hose between the female disconnects is under pressure.

As Gabriel said, you need to find a way to relieve this pressure.
1. One way is to depress the center button in the disconnect. Secure the disconnect in a vise and depress the center button with a brass drift. Wear safety glasses! You may need a hammer to hit the center with a brass drift.
2. Another way is to secure the hose crimped end hex in a vise and unscrew the disconnect fitting until the fluid leaks out. Or you can use two open end wrenches.

Good luck!

You need to start using that lift. LOL.

 

[Gabriel J]

2. Another way is to disconnect the fitting until the fluid leaks out. Or you can use two open end wrenches.

This is exactly what I mean.

 

[texmln]

Why don't you loosen the bleed screws on the ram jacks to relieve the pressure and see if you can at least connect the hoses there? If that works I would then loosen the hex blanks in the flow divider to relieve pressure there. I wouldn't mess with trying to loosen or remove the connectors...

 

[bazar01]

Why don't you loosen the bleed screws on the ram jacks to relieve the pressure and see if you can at least connect the hoses there? If that works I would then loosen the hex blanks in the flow divider to relieve pressure there. I wouldn't mess with trying to loosen or remove the connectors...

The way I understood his problem was the hoses were disconnected right now and he wanted to connect them to the pump and the columns.
He cannot connect them because the female disconnects and hoses are still under pressure.

 

[amishman]

I will try the loosen of the connectors until fluid comes out and see.

Gabriel or anyone else in the know, how about the priming question I had. Since the flow divider and pump are basically dry, is there any priming I need to do and how? The pump and flow divider are new replacements from Dannmar. My 1st ones were bad. Leaks all over. I had a leak under the flow divider that dripped on top if the pump and also someplace at the pump also. So, I finally got all the parts and slapped them in the 2 wheel trolly. So, they are dry other than I filled the pump tank with fluid. Will it automatically fill everything up when I go to push to power button and fluid will get to where it needs to be?

tj

 

[Gabriel J]

I will try the loosen of the connectors until fluid comes out and see.

Gabriel or anyone else in the know, how about the priming question I had. Since the flow divider and pump are basically dry, is there any priming I need to do and how? The pump and flow divider are new replacements from Dannmar. My 1st ones were bad. Leaks all over. I had a leak under the flow divider that dripped on top if the pump and also someplace at the pump also. So, I finally got all the parts and slapped them in the 2 wheel trolly. So, they are dry other than I filled the pump tank with fluid. Will it automatically fill everything up when I go to push to power button and fluid will get to where it needs to be?

tj

When I set mine up, I filled the hose that connects the pump to the flow divider carefully, connected it, and pumped.

 

[texmln]

If he can't get the hoses on the columns due to pressure then the bleeder screws will relieve the pressure in the columns without messing with the connectors... likewise with loosening one of the hex plugs on the flow divider... I would personally not want to mess with the connectors, they're bigger and probably less forgiving than the bleeders and the plugs.

 

[amishman]

If he can't get the hoses on the columns due to pressure then the bleeder screws will relieve the pressure in the columns without messing with the connectors... likewise with loosening one of the hex plugs on the flow divider... I would personally not want to mess with the connectors, they're bigger and probably less forgiving than the bleeders and the plugs.

Can someone tel me "how" the flow divider would even have any pressure. Brand new, has NO fluid in it. I just screwed on the connectors so the plastic caps were just off Saturday and just big ol holes were there. So, how can pressure be in there. I the screwed on the threaded adapters and connected the hose to pump, etc...

I guess I just don't see how there were be any pressure in the pump.

Now, I can see some in the hose though but.

tj

 

[Torque1st]

Can someone tel me "how" the flow divider would even have any pressure. Brand new, has NO fluid in it. I just screwed on the connectors so the plastic caps were just off Saturday and just big ol holes were there. So, how can pressure be in there. I the screwed on the threaded adapters and connected the hose to pump, etc...

I guess I just don't see how there were be any pressure in the pump.

Now, I can see some in the hose though but.

tj

There is no pressure. Be strong, just do like I told you above. I have a larger Aeroquip connector similar to the one pictured sitting on my desk. The springs are tough because they hold the coupling together under pressure. Most hydraulic components will relieve internal pressure thru internal leakage.

 

[amishman]

Another day, some time to contemplate, and I have them connected.

Not sure if the slightly cooler morning air did the trick or that I found a way to get it to work, but the hoses are on. I happened to have an open ended quick connect that had no hose on the end. It was sent as part of the parts Dannmar sent me to correct my leaking issues. So, I decided to see if the open ended one would connect to all 4 connectors. Connected fine on all 4. So, I connected and disconnected the unit a few times on each connector, then figured I would try my hosed ones. They all snapped right on.

So, maybe having a connector with no hose on the end allows it to squeak out any built up whatever it is to then allow the real deal to connect on.

So, I will hold onto these connectors in case this happens again and see.

tj

 

[Torque1st]

It was just a little strength and confidence. Once you "know" they will go together it is much easier.

 

[amishman]

It was just a little strength and confidence. Once you "know" they will go together it is much easier.

I guess my wheaties did the trick for breakfast.

 

[Aahz]

If the hoses have fluid and they get warm, there can be a thermal expansion issue. The fluid expands under heat creating the higher pressure in the disconnected hose. It might be a good idea when disconnecting those hoses in the future to bleed a touch of fluid, to insure this doesn't happen. (Not saying this WAS the problem, but it is a fairly common issue for our service techs that are fixing lubrication systems).

 

[FoMoCo_Mofo]

I had the same issue with my Maxjax and found the issue to be heat.

It seems that when I disconnected the hoses, I let one of the hoses lay out in the direct sun on a day in the high-80's, so when I tried to reconnect the line was totally locked up due to the expansion of the fluid in the line caused by excessive heat.

I allowed it to cool overnight and it slipped on without nary an issue the next morning.