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OT Hydraulic Ram died!

270 views 1 reply 1 participant last post by  Little_W 
#1 ·
So I buy this press from Harbor Freight and used it last night to press some bushings into a my BMW control arms. Well when I went to play with it again, it wouldn't hold pressure. I could work the lever and the ram would extend about 1/4 inch until it would stall and no amount of levering can do anything. It as if the relief screw wasn't screwed in (it is...tight).

Any clues?

Thanks,
Fritz

Jeep...need I say more?
 
G
#2 ·
Not much to a hydraulic jack press. Lot of metal that almost never fails, oil that keeps the parts inside from rusting and seals - the weak links. I suspect that an O-ring seal has failed. It is letting the oil leak around the valve so the valve can not hold pressure. I'd pour the oil out of the jack into a clean/sealable jar and then unscrew the valve from the jack. I believe you'll find one or more of the o-rings broken. Take the o-ring to the local hardware store and get a replacement [and a can of jack oil] and re-install the o-ring in the jack valve. Put things back together, fill the jack with oil to the drain hole and check its operation. It's good to remember that the little o-ring is all that holds the jacked weight up. Good luck, it is not a big job. KEEP EVERYTHING CLEAN while you're working on the jack or it will fail again.WHOA! WHOA!! Don't touch that jack!!!! I'm new here, and in reading back through the questions I've found you only bought this press a couple of days ago. Take it back to Harbor Freight and get a new one. At least take the jack part back and get a replacement. I've got hydraulic jacks that are decades old and never needed work, certainly you can expect your new one to last a few days. TAKE IT BACK!!!!\

ED
 
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