What a jewel?

I was finally get it operational yesterday afternoon. A couple of new hydraulic lines and 10 gallons of trans/hydraulic oil and most functions livened right up. Still haven't moved the machine as it must have been empty as if all functions won't work citing the machine is still low in the reservoir. By the time all the cylinders are refilled and stroked purging the entrapped air, I didn't have enough oil with me.

I did leave the loader bucket raised full stroke to see if it stays there in the overnight hours.

PaulLind said:

From what I know, this model is a rare one, and it was very demanded in its time of glory. The BL700 was the baby of the Clark line. It replaced the little 603. The 602 was their big unit and had been in production since 1965. The 603 was their small unit. You can try to contact the guys from https://anguslifttrucks.co.uk/. They are interested in old models and are buying them for their collection. I think that they could offer a reasonable price for your old girl. I've bought from them a few forklifts, and they are great experts.

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Thanks Paul;

I'll look into that link for final disposition of this machine. My son is excited to have it at the present for jobs he is currently working with. Though originally purchased for the engine only to repower my manlift from gasoline to diesel, this machine is panning out to seemingly have some life left in it.

Yesterday afternoon I left the loader bucket elevated near full stroke in the air and it's drifted down to here:



Picked up 20gl of hydraulic oil suitable for the machine and will dump another five into it tomorrow and get everything stroking proper. So far no leaks I've noticed but the machine is setting on grass so kind of hard to tell.

I noticed with the loader bucket in the air I could see the valve stem for the left front tire is snapped off. It is a bolt in type so will remove the rim and get it back to the shop to install a new one I have on the shelf. Didn't get a chance to work with it today as other things going on.

Will the motor start at 60 degrees with out a snort of spring air.?
Bob

Bluox said:

Will the motor start at 60 degrees with out a snort of spring air.?
Bob

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Bluox said:

Will the motor start at 60 degrees with out a snort of spring air.?
Bob

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Yes, it seems to readily. Here is a short cold start video when the outside temp was 58 degrees and the engine hadn't been started in a couple of days. The tractor hydraulic pump is not connected as I'd not replaced the blown hose yet:


Here is another that is a short partial walk around:

Little time this morning. Screenshot of local temperature:



Bucket has dropped a bit more in the overnight hours:



Dumped in 10 gallons of oil to start off with:



Video of the front loader bucket stroking, and finding out the backhoe works but at 2:30 just as the rear bucket curls complete, it's hose blows and the bucket uncurls. Had to stop there till I can get a hose built up. Also discovered the rear swing cylinders are now in the rear bucket so he prior owner must have dropped them off. He told me when picking up the tractor they were in the shop to be repacked.

Just by that video seems to be a sound motor.
Bob

Bluox said:

Just by that video seems to be a sound motor.
Bob

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Agree as it starts easily when about 10 degrees warmer. Doesn't have any blue smoke at all. Hoses are a mess with many having the braid showing. Knowing it would lift the rear assembly gives me motivation to keep working with it.

I wish my 6V-71 in the large air compressor started this well but anything below about 75 degrees requires a snort of "Happy Juice" to start.

Backhoe comes off the tractor with pulling four pins and using the hydraulics for the boom and outriggers for support. One disconnects two 1.000" hydraulic lines via quick connects, and drive out. Problem is with a hydraulic hose blown, this is not possible. That on top of the old hose is very still and rigid so cannot get any bend to it. Once of the disconnects I was able o muscle free but the other no way. I'm going to cut the hose with a reciprocating saw and chain the boom up for transport. I'll then use my gantry at the shop to support the backhoe assembly and separate the tractor from it for renewing the hoses. They are really snaked around the king post and one of these has blown.

I'll make a "jumper" hose to bypass the rear valve body making it long enough to cut it in half and reutilize the crimp fittings again with the permanent install. The crimped ends are 1.000" NPT and the 7241A series quick connects are female so kinda easy to accomplish.

Both disconnects can be seen here:



Crimp fittings I'll use building up the new "jumper" hose:



Some of the crap I do to have fun in retirement when the grand daughters aren't available.

Should change the galvanized plumbing fittings for proper hydraulic ones.

Welder Dave said:

Should change the galvanized plumbing fittings for proper hydraulic ones.

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That too was a consideration as they are not original, nor proper for the tractor. Priority is to first get it back to the shop and do some evaluation of just how far I want to go with this thing. I found a coil of 1" hose in the shop so will attempt to get the "jumper" hose built up today.

Those are the only water pipe type fittings I've seen so far. All the others seem to be hydraulic types.

Going to attempt to chain binder the backhoe and bucket up for transport later today but it's supposed to rain a good portion of it.

Thanks,

No rain so far so ran over and chained the rear boom and bucket up after pushing the tractor back a bit out of the oil slick.




Found this on the rt. front tire after pushing the tractor back, so going to haul rather than drive the eight miles to my shop:



Back swing cylinders were not repacked. Talked to prior owner today and they need new rods and the glands bushed to hold seals. He wasn't going to go the expense and this is part of the reason it was traded.



I have a machinist buddy whom will repair these for me and I'll reweld the ends back on the new rod.

These look like they've been reworked in the past.

Managed to snap a photo of the snapped valve stem on the LF wheel. Snapped off clean at the base of the threads so must have impacted something:

It actually doesn't look like too bad of a machine. It looks heavy built.

Welder Dave said:

It actually doesn't look like too bad of a machine. It looks heavy built.

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Yes, it is heavy built. So much has been neglected on this but so much remains functional I'm not entirely certain which direction to take. It's been a real stranger to a grease gun and the joints are testament to that. Many of the zerks are painted over and the paint is unbroken from all those years ago. No valve spools are stuck but the front bucket shaft both operator handles rotate on is broken free of it's mounting making it a challenge to roll, or curl the front bucket. Very tight on it's bushing and almost took two hands to operate it but it's freed up a tad with use. I don't think it original but the shaft was welded to the dashboard unit where it was probably originally bolted but there is not longer a support present. The other end of the shaft is supported but I cannot remember how. I've sprayed a lot of penetrant up in that area to get things moving.

Getting the unit to lift the backhoe is promising. I did take the one end of the feeder, or return hose loose and start the engine wondering the effect. The engine died very shortly as the hydraulic pressure elevated. I didn't bring the engine up off of slow idle, but it killed the engine twice so definitely building some pressure. I don't know if there is a main pressure relief valve for the system, or if the machine relies upon the loader, or backhoe valves for pressure relief? Not really climbed around under it to pinpoint anything, so no certainty of any kind.

I would imagine the hoses for the backhoe have to be connected when the backhoe is on or off so you don't dead head the pump. This is common on 99% of machines with quick attach backhoes. Less than 20 seconds can ruin the pump. Aluminum pumps have been known to split the case. If it killed the engine is probably a good thing as dead heading the pump will usually blow the pump up as there's nothing to limit the pressure when the oil has nowhere to go and no other circuits are being used. Get an understanding of the hyd. system before you start the engine or it will make your choice on whether to repair it or scrap it real easy.

Welder Dave said:

I would imagine the hoses for the backhoe have to be connected when the backhoe is on or off so you don't dead head the pump. This is common on 99% of machines with quick attach backhoes. Less than 20 seconds can ruin the pump. Aluminum pumps have been known to split the case. If it killed the engine is probably a good thing as dead heading the pump will usually blow the pump up as there's nothing to limit the pressure when the oil has nowhere to go and no other circuits are being used. Get an understanding of the hyd. system before you start the engine or it will make your choice on whether to repair it or scrap it real easy.

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Yup. The reason for the "jumper" hose I've spoken of. I expected the engine to stall if there were no system relief valve incorporated. The engine was purposely slowed to just above being able keep itself running prior. Can't compress a liquid but as bad as the hoses are on this machine I would think one would let go before splitting this cast iron pump housing.

Went back over this afternoon and measured up for the "jumper" hose and seven feet in total will do it. This length will allow for cutting it in half and 1" NPT male ends crimped onto the bitter ends to be reconnected as normal. This of course once the backhoe portion has new hosing installed. The existing look pretty gnarly from age. These original hoses are just about 42" in length each with room to shorten the one I cannot disconnect as it's laying against the machine frame and inflexible.

Gotta love working on this old crap.

Well yesterday was a washout around here. Downpours most of the day and today looks much the same. However I did do some further evaluation and have ordered a 1" female branch tee, a one inch long 1" pipe nipple, a two inch long 1" pipe nipple, 1" 45 degree elbow, and a 1"X1/4" reducer bushing along with a 1/4" NPT close nipple for a 7241B fitting to use as a test port to match my pressure gauges setup. All those pipe fittings are hydraulic rated to rid the machine of the water pipe install.

Now knowing the machine will make enough pressure to operate it's functions, I'll start correcting the idiosyncrasies incorporated through it's service life with prior owners.

Swing cylinders should be picked up sometime this week when the hydraulics shop gets by this way.

Thanks,

Finally got that cantankerous SOB hose loose this afternoon. I took a 1" ratchet strap and hog tied the hose and winched it up to where it could be shoved into another position away from the tractor frame. I then took the lug wrench from my truck and while holding the collar back on the quick connect, was able to get the male plug to move just a bit. It was enough the collar would not slam back closed so again using the lug wrench, I placed the flat part of this on the hose end, and smacked the other end with a pipe wrench as had no hammer with me. Viola!! the connection separated so now both input, and outlet of the rear valve body are hanging free.

I could not get either end of the 7241A fittings to break loose from their hose threads but all I had was a 24" Rigid pipe wrench and a 20" adjustable wrench. I was laying into these connections with all I had but they'll not budge. I'll get them apart tomorrow as I'll drag my welder and torches behind my truck.

I did get the "jumper" hose built up today. Not going to worry about any kind of routing; just want to get the tractor home to work on it inside. I then called the hydraulics shop for an ETA when they would pick up my rear swing cylinders and was told "it could be next week" as the route driver is sick..... At that point in the game, "Bullshit" was called, and I tore into them myself.

Gotta love the condition of the hoses:





Going to need a new rod in this cylinder:





The cylinder with the scored rod had a bit of water in the bore but I think I can hone it out acceptably well. 3.5" bore, 1.5" rod, and about 21" of stroke with pressure relief/bumper cushioning at stroke bottoming. Pretty standard seal set and I really didn't notice anything too terrible bad in the glands so they should be alright for reuse also. We'll see once everything is cleaned up reasonable well. I stripped out all the soft parts and will run over to another hydraulic shop tomorrow afternoon and see if they can set me up with parts. I can test these to about 1500psi with my line boring pumping unit but it won't go any higher in pressure but that's probably enough to test with.

26 years now that old Dodge has made a pretty good workbench for me too.....

Wow I find this thread interesting, keep up the good work!