Having an issue with a Dannmar 10,000 lbs 2 post lift. It lifts even, but when lowering ,the power unit side drops about 1 1/2 inches before the other side. Continues down like that . Thrilled to call Dannmar support to hear them answer with " Bend Pak" Apparently Dannmar was absorbed in 2020 by them and they provide no technical support for it and my 2 1/2 year old lift has no warranty . I have opened the bleeder screws, tiny puff of air, but the drop is the same. Any thoughts ?
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Need 2 post lift advice
- Thread starter Cochise
- Start date
finn
Well-known member
Sounds like you still have air.
cycle it a number of times and crack fittings, farthest from the pump first.
Remember that these power units have a pretty low duty cycle, so give the motor time to cool.
cycle it a number of times and crack fittings, farthest from the pump first.
Remember that these power units have a pretty low duty cycle, so give the motor time to cool.
kbeefy
Well-known member
Bleeding and fine cable adjustment solved this on mine.
theegovernor
Active member
If bleeding it doesnt fix it along with adjusting the synchronizer cables, the issues is with the hydraulics. There is a throttle valve that can get debris in it. Feel free to pm me.
Walkers
Well-known member
Mine started doing that, I sprayed some of the garage door Teflon dry lube where the pads ride and it went away.
Seems to me this has to be a cable issue. The cables are there to ensure the arms move together. Sounds like there's some slack somewhere that is allowing 1 arm to move a small distance before the other starts to move. In theory you could have 1 dead ram and, if the other was strong enough, it would still lift both arms at the same time. They should lower at the same time too.
finn
Well-known member
Agree. If bleeding the air doesn’t fix it, the cables aren’t adjusted correctly. It took me a while to fine tune my Bendpack. I recall that tensioning the cables was counterintuitive at first.Seems to me this has to be a cable issue. The cables are there to ensure the arms move together. Sounds like there's some slack somewhere that is allowing 1 arm to move a small distance before the other starts to move. In theory you could have 1 dead ram and, if the other was strong enough, it would still lift both arms at the same time. They should lower at the same time too.
Attempted more bleeding ( lift to the top ,lowered till 2 ft off ground , opened far bleed screw first.) No air . Clicks are even on the way up. Power side arms still drop immediately when lowering. How could I check the rams to see if that's an issue?
finn
Well-known member
Retension the equalizer cables would be the next step.
Tighten one an additional half dozen turns.
If it gets worse, you tightened the wrong one.
Keep track of what you did, though, and do one at a time so you notice the change.
Tighten one an additional half dozen turns.
If it gets worse, you tightened the wrong one.
Keep track of what you did, though, and do one at a time so you notice the change.
If bleeding it doesnt fix it along with adjusting the synchronizer cables, the issues is with the hydraulics. There is a throttle valve that can get debris in it. Feel free to pm me.
Retension the equalizer cables would be the next step.
Tighten one an additional half dozen turns.
If it gets worse, you tightened the wrong one.
Keep track of what you did, though, and do one at a time so you notice the chan
Ok, for the basics of a two post: Do the rams only lift and when your lowering its all cables bringing it down? Or is it a combination of both together ?Retension the equalizer cables would be the next step.
Tighten one an additional half dozen turns.
If it gets worse, you tightened the wrong one.
Keep track of what you did, though, and do one at a time so you notice the change.
like2wheel
Well-known member
Ok for the basics of a two post : Do the rams "only" lift and when lowering its all cables bringing it down ? Or is it a combination of both together?
The cables are only there to synchronize, the rams do all the work.
The power unit side drops first because that cylinder is closest to the valve you're using to release the hydraulic fluid.
As others have already said, you need to adjust your cables. Sounds like at least 1 is too loose.
.
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kbeefy
Well-known member
Keep track of what you did, though, and do one at a time so you notice the change.
I also found the adjustment procedure counter-intuitive. If I would have recorded my adjustments and measurement from the get go it would have been much quicker. Next time I will....
finn
Well-known member
Same here. That’s why I recommend tightening one side first, Then cycle the lift and see what happens, and correct course.I also found the adjustment procedure counter-intuitive. If I would have recorded my adjustments and measurement from the get go it would have been much quicker. Next time I will....
Most likely your first adjustment will make it worse. That’s what happened to me! Once you figure that out, the rest is easy.
Someone else suggested a blocked orifice. As far as I can tell, the orifice is at the release valve on the powerpack. The lines tie together at the bottom of the first post, so a blocked release valve would affect both rams, not one only.
Still experimenting ,aka, trying everything. There are plastic looking guides inside the columns . Don"t know if they should be lubed. Walker said he sprayed the pads, I think thats what he meant. So greased those up, thinking one side could be hanging up. Tighten a cable, arm height is better, but clicks way off. Loosen another , clicks better, arms way off ....Someone should write up a detailed guide to adjusting the cables. It would be a bestseller.
When adjusting the cables, do you feel the tension comparison only at a certain height ? Mine change the tension comparison between the two if its higher or when the arms are being lowered. Some online info says to get the squeeze tension between the two ,the same while others keep the adjustments going to hear the saftey locks in sync. Which way do you guys go ?
finn
Well-known member
Been a while, but I recall shooting for equal clicking on the safety locks.
Is your floor level side to side?
Is your floor level side to side?
kbeefy
Well-known member
I think the suggestion for squeezing the cables was on the locks. While relaxed on the locks the tension should be the same at the top lock as it is at the bottom lock. Bendpack reccomended doing it at a specific height, but I can't see how that changes anything other than ease of access.
I did mine to get the locks synced up. One side still drops slightly sooner, but it's not enough to bother me.
I did mine to get the locks synced up. One side still drops slightly sooner, but it's not enough to bother me.
I would be more concerned with how the lift operates than when the locks engage.
On most of the lifts that I have used through the years the locks aren't exactly synced.
Also the far side sould lift just slightly before the operator side to compensate.
On most of the lifts that I have used through the years the locks aren't exactly synced.
Also the far side sould lift just slightly before the operator side to compensate.
finn
Well-known member
The farther the locks are from synchronizing, the greater the tilt as the lift is raising or lowering.I would be more concerned with how the lift operates than when the locks engage.
On most of the lifts that I have used through the years the locks aren't exactly synced.
Also the far side sould lift just slightly before the operator side to compensate.
Tilt isn’t desired. I. Other words, it’s not operating correctly if the locks aren’t reasonably synchronized.
Its close. few shims to level the columnsBeen a while, but I recall shooting for equal clicking on the safety locks.
Is your floor level side to side?
Lifting is level, its the lowering thats out of wackI would be more concerned with how the lift operates than when the locks engage.
On most of the lifts that I have used through the years the locks aren't exactly synced.
Also the far side sould lift just slightly before the operator side to compensate.
Update, greased everything, bled cylinders, adjusted cables over and over. Saftey clicks 1 sec apart , raises equally like it always did and when lowering ,the power side arm drops the thickness of the pad ( 1 inch) first and the two sides continue down that way. Thats as close as I can get it to operate. Better than it was.