Dump bed hydraulics

[jwmorris]

So I started by extending the frame to the rear, adding the pivot points in the rear and moving one of the cross members to the rear.

 

[swick1]

Consider moving your axle. You should do the math or you may end up with too much negative tongue weight at full extension.

 

[Xfaxman]

Consider moving your axle. You should do the math or you may end up with too much negative tongue weight at full extension.

Click his picture. He has tandem axles.

 

[swick1]

That looks much better!

 

[jwmorris]

I cut the front mount for the cylinder out of 1" plate and welded it to the 3x5 cross member then tied it into two more forward cross members.

because the torflex axles mount directly to the frame one of them was in the way and had to be notched. I didn't want that to be a weak link so I added some diagonal braces and also tied it into the 3x5 cross membe.

 

[LD1]

Looking good

 

[CDN Farm Boy]

What did you use to cut the 1" plate? Too smooth to be free-hand, you must have a CNC?

 

[jwmorris]

I have a CNC plasma but it won't clean cut 1" and it's not worth messing with for just one part.

I built a pantograph machine that uses a regular hand torch a long time ago. It is what I used on that part and is perfect for small batches of parts. Many times it is faster to make a template than to write a program.

 

[CDN Farm Boy]

By the look of the cut, you did a great job of both building it and using it.

Got a pic or two of the pantograph?

 

[jwmorris]

The part I cut out for the trailer above was actually cut out of the drop in the photo above. It was the center drop of a bit box for a drilling rig.

It should be one of the first projects someone does. Once you use it you wish you had it years earlier. It would have saved weeks of time grinding had I built it when I started cutting metal with a torch.

If you look above the head of the torch you can see a ring and hose clamp, this is for a plasma torch and the reason the torch mounts bolt on to the frame. Allows you to cut stainless and aluminum too.

 

[CDN Farm Boy]

Is that a motor that makes it follow or do you do that by hand?

I've had a torch for years but haven't bothered to refill the gas as it's always such a pain to clean up the pieces. I just might have to dig it out now.

 

[jwmorris]

Yes, its a gear motor with a dash light dimmer switch out of an '86 RX7 to control the speed. The motor shaft had too much run out after I added the aluminum adapter that holds the magnet and arbor so I put that inside the bearing on top.

 

[jwmorris]

Made the cylinder mount in the bed from 3/8" steel, 3" tall 6" wide. Then ran 2" box tube braces back to where the hinges are in the rear.

Used compressed air to see how far it would tilt as I didn't get a hydraulic hose made yet. It only makes it around 40 degrees, I have an old sheet of 10 ga that I might put on the floor if the dirt doesn't want to slide out.

 

[Xfaxman]

Looks good :thumbsup:

Shouldouda work

Give us an update and pictures with dirt.

 

[pat32rf]

A lot will depend on the type of soil you are trying to dump. Our sandy gravel has no problem dumping at 45deg but our clay won't move at 60deg....

 

[jwmorris]

It will be the dirt and grass bits swept up from a grass yard.

 

[LD1]

Looking real good.

I don't recall if you plan on using this with a tractor or not, but if you do, either use a rigid drawbar, or if you use one hooked to the 3ph, make sure to do something to prevent upward travel of the hitch. Otherwise you may get more than 40 degrees dump very suddenly.

 

[jwmorris]

The last part of this project is the hydraulics. The pump I have to use, only has a 1.5qt tank. It was already set up on top for a line that returns the other end of the cylinder, I assume to catch a spill if the seals leaked and a vent.

It does not have the capicity to fully extend the cylinder I am using.


My idea is to swap out the original fitting with one I modified that runs to the bottom of the tank as a pickup tube.

The idea is to fill the tank and lift the cylinder and add fluid as it goes up. Then as you let it down the lower pickup tube acts as a plunger to extract the extra fluid and draw it into the opposite end of the ram, for storage. Might take a few cycles to bleed everything of air. At that point the tank only needs to hold the extra 42ci that the 1.5" ram takes up.

Then as it extends, there will be plenty of fluid to operate and it works like a two way syringe.

The only problem I see is if the system "levels" itself and the pump/tank over flow, if they are lower than the cylinder.

Any thoughts on the idea?

Edit, the pump is power up and gravity down only.

 

[LD1]

I would either get a bigger reservoir, or figure out a way to but a 2 way valve in that system and make it power down. That is one of the things I wished I did when I built my dump bed, because it took forever to come down.... And if you can find a solution to make it DA, then your volume is sufficient cause you only have to replace the amount of fluid that the rod occupies.

 

[Dr Dave]

Have you checked on line for a larger resivoir? This might be the easy, cheap fix.

Dave