Stabilizer stuck down

[CMV]

I loosened the hydraulic line at the cylinder and used a cherry picker and the stabilizer lifted right up. Every pump on the jack handle on the cherry picker gave a squirt of hyd fluid out of the connection as it was moving up. Red star on pic shows which connection I loosened. Does that indicate that the valve is definitely the problem or at least rule out some things that could have been the cause for the stabilizer moving down but not up? Once I got it about as high as I could with the cherry picker I took it the rest of the way up with just an 800 lb rated ratchet strap - the kind you'd tied down an ATV or riding mower with. Moved easily enough with just that, so I'd guess that means nothing internally broken in the cylinder bound up preventing it from moving.

I should probably do something with that light just hanging there by its wires too.....

 

[SPYDERLK]

If you had loosened the line at the valve it would have put the blame on the valve. As it is the culprit could still be the extend hose acting as a check valve.

 

[CMV]

So I need to repeat the process. I love wasting time

The hose is newer and looks to be in very good condition. Previous owner had recently replaced most/all the lines from the valves to the cylinders. They probably don't have 50 hrs on them. Doesn't mean it's not faulty though...

Dumb question time: YOu can see the puddle of hyd fluid from what it lost. When I checked the dipstick after I was all done, it was still full and should have been at the lower hash mark after losing a gallon or so. I'm assuming that's because I haven't put that stabilizer back down and once I do it will then read low on the dipstick? Do I have to bleed anything since I let a gallon or so of fluid out of the system at a fitting or will hyd fluid just cycle thru and purge any air on its own?

 

[SPYDERLK]

Yes, I think you will not register the loss until you pump new oil to the cyl to extend. Lets assume the problem will repeat. Now, remove the extend hose at the valve and put the end in a jug. Try to retract the cyl. If it goes up normally it must be some issue within the valve. :confused3:

 

[the old grind]

Check hoses, particularly the retract hose, on that cyl. One of them may have a failing/collapsing inner liner and acting like a check valve. ... Im puzzled at "no engine strain" tho. :confused3:

If you could switch the hoses at the valve, it would point to the cyl/hose ('new' or not) or to the valve itself. Not sure, but the 500C may have closed center hydraulics and if so there should be no noticeable engine strain when a cyl/valve is stuck. tog

 

[CMV]

Let it down today, loosened fitting at the valve, and raised it back up with the engine hoist. Same as yesterday - went back up just fine squirting hyd fluid with each pump of the jack. So does that mean I can reasonably assume the valve is the culprit?

Have them both fully 'up' and chained to each other. Never really noticed before but there is hardly any clearance between the stabilizers and rear tires - maybe 3/4". You can see in pic above when the stabilizers leak down & drop a little the pads rub on the tire. Rear tires are newer - maybe they're slightly oversized? I'm sure that will correct itself over time as the tread wears.

 

[SPYDERLK]

Let it down today, loosened fitting at the valve, and raised it back up with the engine hoist. Same as yesterday - went back up just fine squirting hyd fluid with each pump of the jack. So does that mean I can reasonably assume the valve is the culprit?

Have them both fully 'up' and chained to each other. Never really noticed before but there is hardly any clearance between the stabilizers and rear tires - maybe 3/4". You can see in pic above when the stabilizers leak down & drop a little the pads rub on the tire. Rear tires are newer - maybe they're slightly oversized? I'm sure that will correct itself over time as the tread wears.

Sorry for the misunderstanding. ... I had meant to retract the cyl in the normal way using the hydraulics. -- A slow, therefore near pressureless, compression of the cyl may not cause a faulty hose to act up.
,,, Its possible it will turn out to be the valve, but yould hate to go there before the easy stuf is eliminated as best you can.

 

[whis]

the only thing you are proving is you have oil in the cylinder, put a pressure gauge on the hose or at the valve, or as one guy mentioned swap hoses at the valve and try it