Champ cb-50s fork truck

[bbaecht]

So I bought one in an auction. Got it home and got the engine running, and have questions. I've never owned/used one before, but have a need for it. My cb-50s has 3 floor pedals, one brake, one gas pedal, and one I would expect is a clutch. When I put it gear, and let out the clutch...nothing. I rev it up, and it will move. After driving it a bit last night, and not smelling hot clutch, trying to figure out the drive on this thing. Is it possible it has both a clutch and a torque converter? The pallet forks run right up the mast nicely. Will grease it up a bit. Anyone have any working knowledge of these fork trucks?
Thanks!

Bryant

 

[crane operator]

I have a larger champ. (12,000lbs capacity- 20' tall mast). Mine has two levers to the right of the operators seat, one is a reverse/ Neutral/ forward lever, the other is a 4 speed. How does yours forward/ reverse?

Mine is chrysler industrial engine, I think clark trans. Its built to last forever.

 

[tractormech]

Sounds like you have a torque converter or it would stall out instead of sit still till you rev it up. Look at the linkage on the clutch and you'll probably see it operating a valve instead of going to the flywheel housing

 

[bbaecht]

I have a larger champ. (12,000lbs capacity- 20' tall mast). Mine has two levers to the right of the operators seat, one is a reverse/ Neutral/ forward lever, the other is a 4 speed. How does yours forward/ reverse?

"Mine is chrysler industrial engine, I think clark trans. Its built to last forever." - Yes, I have those same 2 levers, reversed H pattern ( 1-4 ), and a reverse / forward lever. Mine has a ford 192 4 cylinder industrial engine in it. From what I can find, it should lift 6000lbs. FYI, if you have the serial, I think you can still get a build sheet on yours. I got one for mine, but they didn't have any other documentation when I called.

 

[bbaecht]

"

Sounds like you have a torque converter or it would stall out instead of sit still till you rev it up. Look at the linkage on the clutch and you'll probably see it operating a valve instead of going to the flywheel housing

" - I'll pull the floor cover off and see what I can find out about it. I tried 3rd and 4th gears, and it didn't want to move. Guessing maybe a low fluid issue with the TC?

 

[tractormech]

Could be low fluid or the converter may be weak. Put it in 1st gear and get up against something solid and rev it up and see if it spins a tire. If it does the converter should be in good shape. You can see if it pulls off strong on level ground and sort of figure the condition that way. That thing is heavy and it may be stalling the converter trying to pull off in the higher gears.. The "clutch pedal" is probably an inching valve or dumps the converter.Definitely check the oil though. And realize that thing is heavy-it will like the low gears best. Run it around and get it hot and test again and see if it's noticeably weaker-that will tell you what shape the converter is in.

 

[bbaecht]

Could be low fluid or the converter may be weak. Put it in 1st gear and get up against something solid and rev it up and see if it spins a tire. If it does the converter should be in good shape. You can see if it pulls off strong on level ground and sort of figure the condition that way. That thing is heavy and it may be stalling the converter trying to pull off in the higher gears.. The "clutch pedal" is probably an inching valve or dumps the converter.Definitely check the oil though. And realize that thing is heavy-it will like the low gears best. Run it around and get it hot and test again and see if it's noticeably weaker-that will tell you what shape the converter is in.

Thanks for the pointers Tractormech! Will put them to use this weekend pending the weather!

 

[crane operator]

"" - I'll pull the floor cover off and see what I can find out about it. I tried 3rd and 4th gears, and it didn't want to move. Guessing maybe a low fluid issue with the TC?

You would have to get up to speed in a lower gear, then make the shift to the upper gears. You won't be able to start from them.

 

[bbaecht]

You would have to get up to speed in a lower gear, then make the shift to the upper gears. You won't be able to start from them.

Thanks Crane Operator! Learning more and more each day about this beast. When making the shift, do I just let off the gas and shift it?

 

[bbaecht]

Sounds like you have a torque converter or it would stall out instead of sit still till you rev it up. Look at the linkage on the clutch and you'll probably see it operating a valve instead of going to the flywheel housing

Previous weekend muddy, so didn't make it up until this weekend. Did take the cover off. Here's a pic showing what you're asking about. It appears the pedal operates a valve on that manifold. I think you can see the linkage in the pic. So I started it up again this weekend, I got it to move at first, but then I operated the pedal as the engine was cutting out. And then I couldn't get it to move again. So guessing low on fluid...Is there a reservoir accessible for that TC? I also opened up the brake cylinder reservoir, and it was low. I'll take up my vac pump next trip, open the bleeders and get them primed.

 

[tractormech]

Make sure the valve isn't sticking.

 

[bbaecht]

Make sure the valve isn't sticking.

I did work the lever numerous times, and it seemed smooth in operation. Is there more to determining if the valve is sticking?

 

[tractormech]

make sure the spool is moving in and out

 

[bbaecht]

Sorry so long now, but I verified that the part that moves back and forth on the valve is indeed moving back and forth. I also took another picture, maybe this will help explain things. It's the hydraulic manifold. there is a metal line in the end of it, going up to the bell housing around where the torque converter would be...Would that line fill / feed the torque converter? Coming out of the bell housing is another line, lower part of the bell housing, and it connects to the hydraulic cooler on the back end of the fork lift.

 

[Jeff14889]

The 3rd pedal is usually the inching pedal. It removes pressure from the drive ckts.

 

[bbaecht]

Yes, the 3rd pedal ( inching pedal ) is linked to the middle valve in that manifold. What I'm trying to find out is if that line that goes out of the end of the manifold, that runs up to the connection in the bell housing, is that a supply for fluid to the torque converter? I'm trying to determine if I have a lack of fluid in the Torque converter, or if it's just bad. Currently, I have to rev up the engine fairly high for it to engage the TC and start moving the fork truck. Hoping it's just a matter of low fluid that I can somehow rectify by getting more fluid into the TC. I'm trying to find of getting fluid into the TC and a way to verify that the TC is getting fluid.