Hydraulic question on a Floor Jack

[Doubled33]

I have an older walker 3t I believe 50’s or 60’s. I had the cylinder rebuilt many years ago by a reputable shop. It worked great for a few months but then started getting what I would call stiff. At the time it was not used very often and life happened so it sits unused for periods of time.

For lack of a better term it feels and acts like it is pumping molasses in lieu of hydraulic fluid.

It requires a lot of effort on the handle to pump it up and it moves slowly.

When releasing a load and the valve is opened all the way to release it will release very slow.

When the heavy load is off it will not go down anymore and requires someone to stand on it for it to go down. It won’t return under its own spring pressure.

Any thoughts on what is going on here?

I would like to fix in lieu of replace as this one belonged to my grandfather and has that going for it. So sense of reasoning does not exist.

Thanks

 

[Walkers]

Sounds like it has some debris blocking the valve orifice. Might try pulling the valve all the way out and bleeding a little fluid out. If not, then disassemble, clean, reassemble.

 

[Doubled33]

Sounds like it has some debris blocking the valve orifice. Might try pulling the valve all the way out and bleeding a little fluid out. If not, then disassemble, clean, reassemble.

Thanks for the reply. Found the attached online that Looks a lot like mine. Are you talking about the valve around number 31 on the top picture or the screws between 43 and 54 on the second picture?

Do I need to watch out for small parts that may fly away when removed?

 

[Doubled33]

https://media.hcrcnow.com/uploads/drawings/walker_784_series_a_b_c1.pdf

Pic won’t post here is a link.

https://media.hcrcnow.com/uploads/drawings/walker_784_series_a_b_c1.pdf

 

[Walkers]

Just unscrew the valve that the handle turns. Dont touch the relief valve, and yeah, there is likely a ball bearing that will come out, possibly and oring.

 

[Doubled33]

@Walkers

I wanted to say thanks.

I removed the screw the handle turns when letting down. Not much change.

I unscrewed the three screws on the top and bled fluid out of them.

That fixed it.