How To

 

+ How-To: Install a Leather Piston Cup

While possibly the best seal in use, Leather Piston Seals can be difficult to install unless you follow these directions. The flare angle needs to be slightly straightened to allow the seal to be pushed into the cylinder.

Install it on the end of the ram with the flare pointing away from the ram. Next, place a towel/rag on a work bench and soak a six inch circle in the center with hydraulic fluid. This will become your work area for “working” the flare of the seal and reducing the angle. With the ram at approximately a 45 degree angle, repeatedly roll the seal through the fluid, exerting pressure on the flare, until the flare reduces to nearly a 90 degree shape. The seal must be deformed enough for it to slip into the cylinder without damaging the leading edge lip – where the actual sealing will occur on the cylinder wall. (roll the edge)

After successfully inserting the new seal and ram into the bore, reassemble the jack and put it under load. The jack should rest under load for 4-6 hours to allow the pressure to force the seal angle flare to return to normal against the cylinder wall. Once the flare is restored, enjoy your working jack for years to come.

In the old days, when this tool was available, the mechanic would attach the leather cup to the ram and then place it at the proper end of the tool. The mechanic would hammer the ram into the tool to crimp the seal to fit in the bore of the cylinder being repaired.

Leather Cup Crimping Tool - Cold Rolled Steel

One end of the tool was for cups up to 4-1/2 Inches. The other end of the tool was for cups up to 1-3/4 Inches. Follow the dotted lines; they show the inside dimensions of the crimping tool.

+ How-To: Bleed a Jack

Another popular question we receive is - How do I bleed my jack? Well, jacks are NOT quite like the hydraulic brake system of your car. You don't have several feet of small diameter steel tubing carrying ounces of oil all over the place, so, you don't really need to bleed them as part of routine care.

If your jack is acting 'spongey' the major reason generally is that you have a BAD SEAL that is sucking air into the system or else your kids (or some bugwit neighbor) played around with it and tried jacking it upside down. Whatever the reason - Here we go:

Jack the jack all the way up/out. Release the release and retract all the way down. Open the filler plug and you should get a little psssst. Voilá! That's IT! But MAKE SURE you open the filler plug and NOT a CHECK VALVE - This will introduce air INTO your system!

Also you may lose the prime of your jack. - Set the release valve closed and PULL THE PISTON OUT or UP, open release valve and push back down. This should force oil through the system and catch the prime again - You may have to do it a couple of times.

Click on the images below for more information.

1 - HOW TO: Hydraulic Jack Rebuild - Common Questions Hydraulic Jack Rebuild - Common Questions Click to enlarge 2 - HOW TO: Measure Seals for Trolley Jacks Measure Seals for Trolley Jacks Click to enlarge
3 - HOW TO: Rebuild An Import Jack (Japan/Taiwan/China) Rebuild An Import Jack (Japan/Taiwan/China) Click to enlarge 4 - HOW TO: Rebuild a Lincoln/Walker 93632 Rebuild a Lincoln/Walker 93632 Click to enlarge
5 - HOW TO: Replace Your U-Joint Replace Your U-Joint Click to enlarge 6 - HOW TO: Take Apart a Pump Piston Assembly Take Apart a Pump Piston Assembly Click to enlarge
7 - HOW TO: Pump Seal installation Pump Seal installation Click to enlarge 8 - HOW TO: Overload Valve Adjustment Overload Valve Adjustment Click to enlarge
9 - HOW TO: Remove a Tank nut Remove a Tank nut Click to enlarge 10 - HOW TO: Install WS and O'Boy Pump and Seal Install WS and O'Boy Pump and Seal Click to enlarge
11 - HOW TO: Install a "Stubborn" Seal Install a Click to enlarge 12 - HOW TO: Remove an Oil Seal Remove an Oil Seal Click to enlarge
13 - HOW TO: Remove a Gauge From a Shop Press Remove a Gauge From a Shop Press Click to enlarge 14 - HOW TO: Pump Seal Correct Order Pump Seal Correct Order Click to enlarge
15 - HOW TO: Clean an Air/Hydraulic Treadle Pump Clean an Air/Hydraulic Treadle Pump Click to enlarge 16 - HOW TO: Prime a Press Pump Prime a Press Pump Click to enlarge
17 - HOW TO: Bleed an Axle Jack Bleed an Axle Jack Click to enlarge 18 - HOW TO: Troubleshooting Hein-Werner Air Pump Troubleshooting Hein-Werner Air Pump Click to enlarge
19 - HOW TO: Bleed a Jack with an Air Motor Bleed a Jack with an Air Motor Click to enlarge 20 - HOW TO: Hone Emery cloth with a Steel Rod Hone Emery cloth with a Steel Rod Click to enlarge
21 - HOW TO: Metal to Metal Sealing Metal to Metal Sealing Click to enlarge 22 - HOW TO: Adjust a Retainer and O-Ring Adjust a Retainer and O-Ring Click to enlarge
23 - HOW TO: Take Pictures of a Bottle Jack Take Pictures of a Bottle Jack Click to enlarge 24 - HOW TO: Take Pictures of a Floor Jack Take Pictures of a Floor Jack Click to enlarge
25 - HOW TO: Fill Your Jack With Fluid Fill Your Jack With Fluid Click to enlarge 26 - HOW TO: Torsion Spring Install Torsion Spring Install Click to enlarge
27 - HOW TO: Install a Rubber Plug Install a Rubber Plug Click to enlarge 28 - HOW TO: Stop a Jack Leak Stop a Jack Leak Click to enlarge
29 - HOW TO: Choose Hydraulic Fluid for a
Floor Jack Choose Hydraulic Fluid for aFloor Jack Click to enlarge