I spent the rest of the day yesterday pounding on the pins that hold the cylinders on. I already have waiting the seal kit for both cylinders.... but the last time they were off the machine (pins taken out) was probably near 20 years ago (15 minimum) and they're stuck hard.
I'm preparing right now, to go back out, put things back together and drive machine over to a neighbors house who's got a large flame (largest I have is a hand held MAP bottle for plumbing and it's just not enough heat)
Those suckers are coming apart today one way or another!!!
For anyone who cares about mundane reading....
I took the machine to my neighbors. Long story short, I had to CUT the two (approximate 2") pins that hold the pads on the stabilizers. I had spent HOURS pounding on them & spraying them.... nada.
Had to cut each side (which took forever) then he pulled out his torch and heated to red hot and pounded more..... FINALLY got the buggers out. Rebuilt cylinders on the spot and put back together.
We worked on it Sunday from 11:00 A.M. until around 8:30 P.M., no lunch breaks....anything (no bathroom breaks either!!!!) Just some water.
To say they were rusted in over near 20 years is an understatement. There's no way I was going to knock those out. Now, the stabilizer arm itself moved fine on that portion of the pin.....it had seen some grease once/twice... the the outer edges.... solid.
He had to fabricate two pins for me, cut to length and drill the hole for the lock bolt.
I was exhausted by the time I got home. Heck, I STILL don't have 100% but then I was doing stuff today so didn't just relax to recharge.
OH.... because the cylinders needed new gaskets, they had been dripping.... I "KNEW" I was low on hydraulic fluid as my steering wheel acted up (acted as though your belt on your power steering pump was slipping and every now & then the steering wheel would chatter/lock up) I KNEW it was low because of that.
Side note: You can NOT tell via the site glass when you are full of oil (and it's clean)
So, my only problem of adding 5 gallons is...... it was not low 5 gallons. Hit the brim at around 4 1/2 gallons and just gushed over the side all over h is driveway.
oops.
