Weaver WA-73 Jack Restoration

[m0ondoggy]

I just bought a Weaver WA-73 on craigslist for $100.

http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=201215

I've started tearing it down and am going to do a full restoration on it and thought I would document it here.

Here's how it was when I found it:

Brought it home

Won't lift all of the way

There was some speculation that it just needed oil. I topped it off, and boy does it leak, right out the ram seal. I ordered a cylinder rebuild kit from Castle Equipment company. Should be here next week.

 

[m0ondoggy]

Found the serial on the cylinder. According to Castle Equipment this Jack was Made in 1962.

They said the original color would have been green, but I'm 100% positive that this jack has been red it's whole life. After further discussion from them it could have been used by the Ford Motor Company. It has a sticker on the side that says "Co. 28" on it. Wondering if maybe it was a fire station that had it. Company 28 in MD is in Odenton, not too far from where I bought it.


Oil Everywhere.

Teardown in progress..

Found the swivel caster bearings were beyond shot. I've only ever seen bearings this shot once and that was on a trailer. I have new ones on order from Castle.

Cylinder power washed.

Power washing the rest of it.

How it sits for tonight.

I plan on getting some of the smaller parts in the blasting cabinet tomorrow and getting the paint off.

For the larger pieces, anyone have any recommendation on stripping the paint?

I'm going to stop by Sherwin Williams and see if I can get industrial enamel in Red to do this. I think a quart should do it. What have you guys used to paint your jacks? Powder coating it seems like it would be really prone to chipping.

 

[emeraldcoupe]

cool jack,cool thread

 

[m0ondoggy]

Thought I'd update this.

Sandblasted the parts:







Glad to see the bearings are still US made.



Putting some paint on. I mixed 16 oz at a time, .5 oz of Japan Drier, 3.5 Oz of Mineral Spirits and filled the rest of the way to 16 oz with paint through a strainer. I usually mix so it has about the consistency of milk.

 

[1982fxr]

can't wait to see it back together

 

[jkherd]

Looks great so far, keep us posted.

 

[cubfarm 1]

Hope the tube inside the unit is ok. Known to rust from moisture in the fluid. Good luck!

 

[m0ondoggy]

No rust. The inside of it smelled like a wet fart, but it rebuilt just fine.

 

[m0ondoggy]

Finished it up tonight. It pumps up all the way, and has no leaks. I'll try it on a car tomorrow, it's too late tonight.

 

[930dreamer]

Nice work on the Walker jack.

 

[zkling]

Nice jack, great job on the rebuild, I am super jealous.

That last pic of it sitting next to your older jack really puts it into perspective of how large that Weaver really is.

 

[Bun-bun]

I just bought this exact model jack, and am about to do a restoration on it. can you elaborate on the cylinder rebuild?

 

[ol'Red]

like the color

 

[m0ondoggy]

Get the rebuild kit from castle equipment company. It has all if the parts that you need and instructions on how to do it. Use a large pipe wrench to take off the end cap and clean everything with mineral spirits. It's a simple cylinder and is a piece of cake to rebuild.

 

[JoeMA]

Nice job on the Weaver. I am curious to how you stripped the frame. Did you sandblast the frame also? It would require a huge cabinet to fit.

 

[m0ondoggy]

I sandblasted it outdoors with 70 grit alox on sawhorses over a large tarp. Grit was collected, screened and reused. The smaller parts I did in my cabinet

 

[JoeMA]

I sandblasted it outdoors with 70 grit alox on sawhorses over a large tarp. Grit was collected, screened and reused. The smaller parts I did in my cabinet

Thanks. I have the same jack. I've been using it as is but may clean it up one day.

 

[rkvarner43]

Did the main lift arm have a lubrication point? My WA-73 has a small spring loaded ball bearing the looks like a place to oil it. Also the lower pivot joint that attaches to the ram looks like it also has a hole for either a grease zerk fitting or a oiler spot.

I just rebuilt the hydraulic unit and next is to strip and paint.

 

[cubfarm 1]

You got lucky on the unit tube. Many are ruined by condensate moisture on the slack side of the ram piston.Actually you can still get a new weaver jack and it still looks very much the same.