Dump trailer hydraulic problem

[bota7800]

This is a hydraulic problem so I decided to post here rather than the Trailer section.


I have a 7x10 dump trailer I bought new exactly a year ago. I use it about once every 3 weeks or so.

When I used it yesterday I dumped and lowered the bed (gravity down). It worked normally. Then when I went to the washout I raised it again. When I lowered it it lowered really slow. The box that contains the hyd. res., pump, and battery was FLOODED with fluid. I took the cap off and the reservoir was FULL.

I haven't added any fluid. When I checked it earlier the fluid level looked in the middle of the reservoir (bed down).

Without violating the laws of conservation of mass or incompressible fluids, how the heck did this mess happen? Any ideas?

Thanks

 

[AKKAMAAN]

This is a hydraulic problem so I decided to post here rather than the Trailer section.


I have a 7x10 dump trailer I bought new exactly a year ago. I use it about once every 3 weeks or so.

When I used it yesterday I dumped and lowered the bed (gravity down). It worked normally. Then when I went to the washout I raised it again. When I lowered it it lowered really slow. The box that contains the hyd. res., pump, and battery was FLOODED with fluid. I took the cap off and the reservoir was FULL.

I haven't added any fluid. When I checked it earlier the fluid level looked in the middle of the reservoir (bed down).

Without violating the laws of conservation of mass or incompressible fluids, how the heck did this mess happen? Any ideas?

Thanks

Is it a "double action" cylinder or a single action telescopic??
(Note that it is common hook up double action cylinder operate single action, when gravity do the retract. Rod side then drained direct to tank or just have an air breather on rod side port.)

No water in fluid, may not be mixed yet, check on bottom of reservoir....

How is pump mounted?? in the same box?? check suction line for "bypass"-intake of water!

 

[Wayne County Hose]

This is a hydraulic problem so I decided to post here rather than the Trailer section.


I have a 7x10 dump trailer I bought new exactly a year ago. I use it about once every 3 weeks or so.

When I used it yesterday I dumped and lowered the bed (gravity down). It worked normally. Then when I went to the washout I raised it again. When I lowered it it lowered really slow. The box that contains the hyd. res., pump, and battery was FLOODED with fluid. I took the cap off and the reservoir was FULL.

I haven't added any fluid. When I checked it earlier the fluid level looked in the middle of the reservoir (bed down).

Without violating the laws of conservation of mass or incompressible fluids, how the heck did this mess happen? Any ideas?

Thanks

Can you post a pic of the unit? It's probably a Barnes/Haldex pump/motor unit but I wanna see some details on the tank/pump configuration.

Also, how did the overflowed fluid look. Did it look like regular, spilled oil or did it look aerated and foamy?

Try taking the vent plug out of the rod side of the cylinder and try it. Check the vent plug for a clog.

Andy

 

[bota7800]

Is it a "double action" cylinder or a single action telescopic??
(Note that it is common hook up double action cylinder operate single action, when gravity do the retract. Rod side then drained direct to tank or just have an air breather on rod side port.)

-- I don't know which type of cylinder it is. I assumed it is single action because of the gravity down. It only has one pair of hoses if I remember correctly.

No water in fluid, may not be mixed yet, check on bottom of reservoir....

-- Scary - I will check it tomorrow

How is pump mounted?? in the same box?? check suction line for "bypass"-intake of water!

--The pump is mounted on top of the reservoir. The battery and the reservoir/pump are in the same toolbox.

Thanks for the input.

 

[bota7800]

Can you post a pic of the unit? It's probably a Barnes/Haldex pump/motor unit but I wanna see some details on the tank/pump configuration.

Also, how did the overflowed fluid look. Did it look like regular, spilled oil or did it look aerated and foamy?

Andy

Thanks Andy,

I'll take a picture tomorrow.

The overflowed fluid was clear and oily, I thought, but I did not look at it that closely and I bought some OilDri on the way home and dumped it in. It was definitely not foamy in the bottom of the box.

 

[texasjohn]

I had a hyd dump trailer with similar problem...coming down hydraulic fluid would overflow.

tore my hair out for a while, called manufacturer of pump, trailer, etc.

SOLUTION for me was to clean the hydraulic screen.

Screen in my case was in bottom of hyd tank at intake to pump.

It was all covered with mayonaise kinda stuff.....I dunno, maybe water got into the hyd fluid and it got all goopy.... anyway, suggest strongly you bite the bullet, dismantle the entire system, hunting for filters/screens, etc.... I was surprised when I found mine...not obvious to me that there would be a filter/screen where I found it.

Gonna give it a 95% probability that the problem is this kind of obstruction to free fluid flow and/or return.

 

[bota7800]

The pump/reservoir is a KTI hydraulics unit, 3200 psi.




When I uncapped the tank during the overflow, the fluid showed at the neck of the reservoir. When I went out the next day to take pictures the reservoir was almost completely empty (as you would expect given the spill). I guess it was in a transitory state when I looked at it just after the bed finally came down.

I will take everything apart per texasjohn's recommendation to see if I have a clog or goop.


Thanks and Happy New Year.

 

[J_J]

Put some of that dye tracer in the fluid , and using a black light, you can see where the oil is leaking. If the fluid was half way in the tank with the bed down, then the tank probably has a leak.

 

[texasjohn]

Mine is a KTI as well...I believe the unit is fine. It was their tech support that diagnosed the problem for me... I was very happy with their tech support. They can also send you a new screen.... cost a few bucks plus shipping....

 

[yellowdogsvc]

sounds to me like the vent plug is dirty. Had the same thing happen on a dusty summer day. Blew it out and it hasn't happened since.