Hein Werner 4 Ton, Another one

[multiscepter]

Hello All,
Fairly new to this forum, as I expected there is a wealth of knowledge amongst you all that I hope to absorb. At this point all I have to offer are things not to do. Joined after purchasing a HW 4-Ton, I know should have done it the other way around. Anyway I purchased a 4 Ton jack, from an overhead view all looked good, was a bit sluggish on the lift but improved after following the tips outlined by "Hiball" and others. There appeared to be quite a bit of sludge in the fill port so despite it functioning better I decided to proceed with a tear down, figured if there was sludge in the fill port there could be more downstream. On the bottom side of the Ram I noticed pitting, my guess is that a previous owner left it extended and moisture got to it, just a guess. Also the Ram packing crumbled to the touch and a number of the other seals were stiffer than expected. I've picked three of many photos already taken; Overall, a Pitted Ram, and the Reservoir Tube with Sludge.

So, the first of many Jack questions to come. Is a pitted Ram beyond repair? I would imagine the unit would leak when the pitted portion of the Ram crossed the packing. Is this something I could live with or is it best to look for another Ram. Any recommendations for purchasing a Ram? Other than sludge everything else looks pretty good, the pistons look especially clean. Thank you.

 

[paulsomlo]

Is a pitted Ram beyond repair?

No - you can fill the pits with JB Weld, then sand them flush.

Any recommendations for purchasing a Ram? Other than sludge everything else looks pretty good, the pistons look especially clean. Thank you.

Yeah - take out a 2nd mortgage... unless Hiball has a used one hanging around.

Given all that sludge, what's the inside of the cylinder look like?

Paul

 

[469 runner]

A local machine shop should be able to make a ram at a reasonable cost, however, those pits shouldn't cause any problems, just use some crocus cloth to smooth any roughness.

 

[multiscepter]

Surprisingly the inside of the cylinder looks pretty good. There is some discoloration on the top side. I'll take a few more photos and post them. I know a few retired machinist that may be interested in making a new ram. Any idea what material is typically used for the ram?

 

[paulsomlo]

Any idea what material is typically used for the ram?

Don't know, but I doubt it's anything exotic. 1144 stressproof steel should be more than adequate and it machines nicely. The finish needs to be fairly smooth - not polished, but smooth.