REBUILDING THE MODERN HYDRAULICS NON-SPRING RETURN CRIB JACK

 

STEP 1:  Clamp the jack in a sturdy vice 1/3 of the way from the jack top. 

STEP 2:  With the coupling pointing straight up, use a large screwdriver and a hammer to pry the seal in the top of the  jack out.  You will be discarding and replacing this seal with a new one.

STEP 3:  Remove the snap ring that is now visible at the top of the jack cylinder.

Step 4:  Remove the coupling from the side pipe on the jack.

Step 5:  Pull the piston from the cylinder barrel, use the screw top partially screwed into the piston if necessary to get a good pull on the piston.

Step 6:  Remove the cylinder from the vice and wrap the piston the piston with some type of protection and clamp it in the vice.

STEP 7:  Use the proper wrench to loosen and remove the nylock nut that holds the washer, cup seal, and bronze bushing onto the piston.

STEP 8:  Clean all parts in a parts cleaner, drying everything thoroughly.

STEP 9:  Remove the O-ring from inside the bronze bushing and replace it with a new one.

STEP 10:  Reinstall the bronze bushing on the piston after greasing the O-ring.  Install the new cup seal and the steel washer, Screw the jack top into the piston, and clamp the head of the jack top in the vice.  Reuse the nylock nut, and tighten it onto the piston with the proper wrench.  Be sure to get it tight!  To break the piston loose from the jack top, just use to wrench to try loosening the nylock nut.  The nut should stay tight to the piston and the piston should come loose from the jack top.

STEP 11:  Grease the cup seal, and slide the piston assembly into the jack cylinder.  With the piston partially in the cylinder, slide the top bronze bushing over the piston and into the top of the  cylinder.  Slide the piston all the way into the cylinder, and install the top snap ring.  Install the coupling, and test the cylinder by putting it under a load and pressurizing it.  IMPORTANT:  DO NOT TEST THE JACK BY FULLY EXTENDING IT!  YOU WILL DAMAGE THE JACK!  Install it under a heavy load.  If the jack does not leak or lose pressure, install the top wiper seal with a driver such as a large socket.

YOU’RE DONE!

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