Need some help -- car stuck on lift (MaxJax)

[olytdi]

I have a MaxJax with a Trooper in the air. After lifting the car to the top, I went to let her down onto the highest safety stop and one side lowered but the other is stuck in the up position.

I put some jack stands under the arms of the stuck side to off load the weight from the piston/cylinder. So I'm able to get the piston and cylinder free enough to jiggle by hand but I can't get the piston to retract into the cylinder.

When I apply lift power, the not-stuck side moves up but the stuck side does not (it's in the up position a half inch or so above the highest safety stop). When I activate the release valve, the unstuck side lowers normally and the stuck side doesn't budge.

When the weight is offloaded by activating the release valve and resting the unstuck side on the safety stop, and resting stuck side on jack stands, the hose goes limp on both sides. This seems to indicate that the divider valve and release valve are working. If this is correct, then it must be a problem either in the cylinder (binding?) or at the quick disconnect fitting (obstruction?) at the base of the piston.

Two questions: How can I safely get the vehicle down? And, any ideas on troubleshooting this? I don't think I can take anything apart until I get the pressure (vehicle) off the lift.

I suspect it's going to be messy getting this down!

Thanks! I do intend on calling Dannmar Monday morning and it's not a crisis to leave it up in the air until that time -- just changed my weekend plans is all.

 

[robertlynk]

make sure the quick connect is seated completely this may be the problem. do you ave a picture of the fitting

 

[79stang514]

find a buddy with a 4X4, a twenty foot chain, and a heavy foot
leave lots of slack in the chain, put the hammer down, and it'll be down before you can say "holy $h!t!"

 

[Shadowdog500]

Can't help you diagnose your lift, but I would get that vehicle fully supported by four jackstands or wheel platforms before I started jiggling things with a vehicle in the air.

Chris

 

[weicm3]

try swapping hoses and see if problem switches? (let both sides rest on the safety bars first) if it switches to another side, it might be flow diverter.

 

[IndyGarage]

We were just talking about this the other day. I asked my mechanic if he's ever stuck one on a lift before - he said yes. Fortunately it was on a lift which had access to both ends. Forklift on one end, and a Rollback wrecker on the other end. They lifted the car up, moved the arms and dropped it onto the rollback.

I assume you are talking about a 2 post lift. I would think you could do it with a forklift on one end, and a couple of tall jack stands, a jack and some cribbing on the other - it would be slow. You could also probably do both ends with the jack stands, jack and cribbing, but it would be incredibly dangerous - find someone nearby with a forklift to stabilize 1 end while you work the other end down with a jack.

 

[Jvvmusme]

How long have you being using the maxjax ?
It may be the flow divider. You can lower the stuck cylinder using the bleed screw but the oil mess will be awsome and what about the lifted car ? If you can I would call danmar on monday and wait. The pastic blocks that are inside te columns may not be properly instaled. They have an offset correct position.
I agree with shadowdog on the safety concern.
Pst pictures.

 

[olytdi]

Thanks to all for the responses.

Yes, it's a two post lift.

Been using the lift for about three months. This is probably the 6th or 7th time a vehicle has been up on it.

I'm not too worried about stability in that each side currently is resting on the steel bars that are designed to hold the vehicle at a particular height.

I've got my hoses run overhead so I'm not sure that I can swap them out and test to see if it changes which side stays stuck.

No can-do on a fork lift or similar -- this is in a residential neighborhood in my shop.

I may have to rent some additional jack stands and do a slow, six-inches-at-a-time sort of lowering regimen. I'm sure Dannmar has a method for this situation.

Another tidbit: I put a level on the piston (which pushes off of the base at the floor) and on the cylinder (which is in the air when extended) and the piston was an eighth of a bubble leaning in one direction while the cylinder was leaning by a similar amount but in the opposit direction. That's what makes me wonder about binding.

The other tidbit is that there is a small amount (less than a half a teaspoon) of hydrolic oil that leaked out of the flow divider. Probably means nothing. There are no leaks anywhere else.

Any other input welcome and appreciated.

Cheers --Eric

 

[Jvvmusme]

Another tidbit: I put a level on the piston (which pushes off of the base at the floor) and on the cylinder (which is in the air when extended) and the piston was an eighth of a bubble leaning in one direction while the cylinder was leaning by a similar amount but in the opposit direction. That's what makes me wonder about binding.

If I understand correctly this means that the rubbers blocks that go inside the columns and make the arms g o up and down are incorrectly assembled. I am refering to the blocks that should be lubricated. Am I clear ? This blocks have an offset position

 

[tonym]

can you post a pic of the lift and valvle?

 

[motorheadsdiygarage]

Mine also gets stuck some times when at full extension. The first time it was a surprise.

I thought, "How am I going to get this down"?

I gave the car a good shake from the bumper with my foot on lowering control the car started to descend. I was cautious to make sure that the car was almost level (about 2 - 4 inches) from one side to the other. I bled the system to get the air out. The system needs to be bled from time to time because the connecting and disconnecting of the hydraulic hoses does let a minor amount of air into the hoses.

So far the system is functioning like it's supposed to.

It does seem upon lifting one side gets to the top slightly faster than the other.

I spent more time levelling the posts this year when I set the lift up. I think if the posts are very slightly levelled inwards the pistons won't bind during lowering.

I noticed during levelling that the posts are slightly out of square as you measure from the bottom upwards.

 

[olytdi]

Thanks for relating that experience, Motorhead. I'll talk with Dannmar tomorrow and hopefully it's that easy.

Tonym -- there's nothing really to show with photos. Just a car up on a lift. There isn't anything that looks abnormal.

 

[voetsek]

To switch the hoses to check the flow divider, have the car resting on the blocks and unhook the hoses at the pump, turn the pump apparatus around and plug the hoses in again (on the opposite side connections)

 

[Jvvmusme]

Olytdi
We all are waiting for news. Voetseks idea is good.

 

[Frank]

Call the manufacturer?

 

[olytdi]

On my way out the door to work -- will call Dannmar this AM. Hope to have a resolution (and useful news) soon.

Thanks much all.

 

[sirsloop]

Will be interesting to see the resolution on this!! Broken lift and a car hanging in the balance!

sry I have no useful information to add... vendor/mfr is the one that can tell you how to resolve this.

 

[Jvvmusme]

I insist on the slide blocks. They are assymetrical and those are the ones that hold the main carriage on each column. Besides being well lbricated they need to be correctly aligned... All my bets are on this blocks.
All my bets are are that you are going to have to open the bleder screw out all the way in order to lower the lift. What a mess.... I did it once...
Off course we are assuming that the flow divider is properly installed....

 

[olytdi]

Well it turned-out to be a not-so-big deal after all.

I discussed the situation with Jason at Dannmar this morning. He sounded surprised the this happened and thought that it likely was a malfunctioning quick release fitting at the base of the piston. He suggested that I bleed the cylinder on the offending side and that it likely would come down. I had bled it a tiny bit previously without success but not with any gusto. So I grabbed some rags, released the bleeder screw a little and let it bleed. It took about a half a cup or so and it indeed started to come down.

I then closed the bleeder screw and it came down in tandem with the other side by activating the release valve normally.

Not sure what caused this to happen. I can't say that I understand how bleeding the cylinder would correct a malfunctioning spring in the quick release coupling (unloading presssure?). Perhaps I didn't have the vehicle balanced properly front to rear (I know I had it spaced equally side to side). I guess there could have been a malfunctioning release valve or flow divider but that doesn't make sense given that once it budged, it returned to normal function. There also could have been a foreign body in the line, I guess but again, once it budged, it returned to normal function.
So my not-so-educated guess is that it was a piston binding in the cylinder at full extension. I guess I'll find out next time I lift!

I'll discuss this again with Dannmar tomorrow and see what we can do to prevent it from happening again. If I learn anything new, I'll inform.

Thanks again for those who responded. Nice to know this community has got my back!

Cheers

 

[Jcslocum]

I had a similar problem with a new lift. Dammar sent new fittings, as the valves were screwed up somehow. No more problems....

 

[olytdi]

I had a similar problem with a new lift. Dammar sent new fittings, as the valves were screwed up somehow. No more problems....

Were those the quick disconnect fittings? I assume it's the male (with the extruding pin) is the culprit.

 

[Fury5]

Glad to hear it was such an easy fix to get your car back down safely!

 

[Jcslocum]

Were those the quick disconnect fittings? I assume it's the male (with the extruding pin) is the culprit.

Yup, the QD's were the ones with the pin. New ones were just round balls. I "think" the springs were weka on some and as soon as the oil would flow, one of the balls would seat and jam the lift.

 

[olytdi]

Yup, the QD's were the ones with the pin. New ones were just round balls. I "think" the springs were weka on some and as soon as the oil would flow, one of the balls would seat and jam the lift.

I'll mention that when I talk with Dannmar today. Probably should go ahead and "upgrade" the fittings as relatively cheap insurance.

 

[olytdi]

Talked with Gabe this morning at Dannmar. He thought that the problem had been either something in the line (most doubtful), the flow divider not "kicking in" (possible) or just some binding of the blocks in the column. He suggested the following:

Re-grease the columns and make sure the block tracks are well lubed;

Raise the car up 16 inches to test the lift under load and reposition the car fore/aft to make sure it's at its balance point;

When lowering the vehicle, activate the release valve by "feathering" it -- in other words, very light initial touch instead of just hitting it hard to start the release flow.

I did these things and everything works just dandy.

In retrospect, I think that the car was misbalanced fore/aft and bound the block at the top on one column at full extension. When I tested the balance fore/aft after talking with Gabe, it was clear that I didn't have the vehicle's balance point even with the column. I was a little back heavy. I moved the car forward so that it was more balanced and it went up and down smoothly and with no complaints. I also had liberally re-greased the inner column and tried my hand at feathering the lowering valve. It worked perfectly. Gabe said that if you initiate the lowering by easing into it instead of just hitting the lever full on, the flow divider kicks-in better. Hitting the release valve hard can make the divider bias to one side.

Anyway, one problem does not a trend make. I'm chalking it up to fine tuning the system (I hope) and learning how to do this correctly. At this point don't think it will be a repeat problem. Dannmar made it clear that they were there to help so kudos to them for that.

 

[Jvvmusme]

Any news after this . Ave to tried te maxjax afterwards ?
The ipad as auto correction....hate it.

 

[bigbubba]

Talked with Gabe this morning at Dannmar. He thought that the problem had been either something in the line (most doubtful), the flow divider not "kicking in" (possible) or just some binding of the blocks in the column. He suggested the following:

Re-grease the columns and make sure the block tracks are well lubed;

Raise the car up 16 inches to test the lift under load and reposition the car fore/aft to make sure it's at its balance point;

When lowering the vehicle, activate the release valve by "feathering" it -- in other words, very light initial touch instead of just hitting it hard to start the release flow.

I did these things and everything works just dandy.

In retrospect, I think that the car was misbalanced fore/aft and bound the block at the top on one column at full extension. When I tested the balance fore/aft after talking with Gabe, it was clear that I didn't have the vehicle's balance point even with the column. I was a little back heavy. I moved the car forward so that it was more balanced and it went up and down smoothly and with no complaints. I also had liberally re-greased the inner column and tried my hand at feathering the lowering valve. It worked perfectly. Gabe said that if you initiate the lowering by easing into it instead of just hitting the lever full on, the flow divider kicks-in better. Hitting the release valve hard can make the divider bias to one side.

Anyway, one problem does not a trend make. I'm chalking it up to fine tuning the system (I hope) and learning how to do this correctly. At this point don't think it will be a repeat problem. Dannmar made it clear that they were there to help so kudos to them for that.

When you get it's balance point figured out mark your wall or floor where the front or rear tire is.I was in a guys home shop with a fullsize Bendpak 2 post the other day,He has 4 cars and a truck that goes on his lift and each one has a painted line on the floor where it needs to sit on the lift. They are color coded as well,Red line is for his red 57 chevy,Blue line is for his blue duramax

 

[BillGalbraith]

Had the same problem happen to me last night. I released the pressure through the bleed valves, only got a paper towel's worth of fluid out of each one. Didn't make any difference, still stuck up. Hit it with a BFH (Big Freakin' Hammer), and it was enough to jar it loose, and they came down.

I called Danmar this morning, and he said that the likely cause was that I hadn't lubricated it recently, since I haven't, not since I put it together. White lithium grease, especially on the slider block, would keep it from happening. Let's hope so....

 

[olytdi]

Holy two year old thread!

OP here: yeah it never again happened to me. I just feather the valve (don't just hit it hard). I, too, keep her lubed. Never had a problem since.

Nice, affordable lift.

 

[khammo01]

Thread revival. I got a Dannmar m-6 (an upgraded maxJax) and had this same issue. Lift went up and down fine on the test run. Put a car on it and it got stuck on both sides. I was able to get the car down by patiently tapping with a hammer on each side, hitting the lowering lever, and repeating, about a half inch at a time, until car was on the ground.

These things might be really picky about center of gravity of the loaded vehicle.

If so, I might need to drill new holes as I have an overheads obstruction that prevents me from pulling car forward or back...