Question about disassembling the accumulator

[MikeOConnor]

Hi gang,

I'm fixing blown seals in my accumulator today and would normally call Terry about this one -- but it's Saturday and they're not around.

I've attached a photo of where I'm at -- I've removed the big spring and the seal fitting. What you're looking at is the piston. Which doesn't budge when I pull on it.

Hence my question for somebody who's pulled this unit apart. Should I just pull harder, or should I be relieving hydraulic pressure, or is there a retaining nut I should be removing, or... what?

No biggie -- I can ask Terry on Monday, just thought I'd see if anybody's got the word to the wise today.

 

[J_J]

I did not know that PT's had accumulators. It looks different than most accumulators that I have seen. What part of the circuit is it used? Accumulators store the hydraulis oil under pressure until it is needed. In some accumulators, there is a large spring, some have a diaphragm and in others, there is a nitrogen filled bladder. I would be very careful about taking that unit apart. It may have to be put in a jig, so when you release the bolts, the jig will allow the unit to seperate slowly. Let us know how this works out , and take pictures of the parts.

 

[J_J]

I forgot to add that the fluid usually goes in one fitting, and comes out the same fitting. If that is just a plunger, I would think that you have to open the source of the fluid to relieve suction. If this is true, you will not be able to pull the plunger out, unless something is defective. About the only thing other than leaking that could go wrong on an accumulator is the nitrogen bladder burst, or the spring collapses .

 

[MikeOConnor]

The rain's moved in, so I'm off the Other Tractor (Kubota) for a while.

Yep, it's really an accumulator. Here's the next picture -- I shot a photo of a page out of the manual.

 

[MikeOConnor]

You're right, it's got a huge spring. Here's a picture of it before I've done anything (except unbolt it from the side of the PT).

 

[MikeOConnor]

And here's the next picture. I've highlighted a little nipple fitting. It's a lot like the one that we use to bleed the air out of the hydraulic system after we've replaced the filter, but this one is on the bottom of the accumulator.

I'm starting to think that opening this up would release the suction in the accumulator and I could pull that piston out. Whatcha think?

 

[J_J]

What does your manual call item # 2 in the picture? Do you know what your accumulator is used for. Is it used to charge the tram pump, or to activate the hyd brakes?

That fitting that you discribe, sounds like the fitting used to test the pressure on the charge circuit.

 

[MikeOConnor]

They call #2 "Accumulator"... I'm not messing with that, I'm fooling around with the gizmo up at the top of the page, they call that the "Charging Valve".

Beats the heck out of me where this thing is in the circuit. The !@#$%^!!! manual is completely unhelpful -- just page after page like this one with terrible photos of components, with parts lists underneath. Don't get me started...

Does anybody have a hydraulic diagram of an 1850? I'd love to see one of those.

 

[tracdoc]

I'm starting to think that opening this up would release the suction in the accumulator and I could pull that piston out. Whatcha think?

I'll defer to the hydraulic gurus on the Forum as to the functions and repair procedures on the accumulator. If it is a nitrogen charged unit, just please be careful The accumulator may be totally different, but this kinda' brings back memories of near disaster when someone at the track tried to mess with a nitrogen-charged mono-shock. It blew parts under considerable force around the race pits. His sheepish reply was that the unit had no warnings on it

 

[J_J]

I'll defer to the hydraulic gurus on the Forum as to the functions and repair procedures on the accumulator. If it is a nitrogen charged unit, just please be careful The accumulator may be totally different, but this kinda' brings back memories of near disaster when someone at the track tried to mess with a nitrogen-charged mono-shock. It blew parts under considerable force around the race pits. His sheepish reply was that the unit had no warnings on it

Item #2 That unit is the accumulator all by itself. The rest of the stuff in the picture is the apparatus that utilizes the stored energy to activate a cylinder, a valve of some kind, or a control rod. You said somethng was leaking. A little or a lot?