Hyster H80C forklift questions

[JBI]

Hey Y'all,

I've been looking for a 5k to 8k forklift with pneumatic tires for awhile, something that will fit in my shop and I can take to jobsites. One of my customers is a scrap dealer, and they just got one in that they decided is too nice to scrap and are reselling instead. Want $1300 for it delivered to my shop. I'm wondering your thoughts about this - here are the details.

Hyster H80C, one of the data plates mentions 1969. Not running although it has spark, turns over OK, and tries to start. Just doesn't get quite enough RPM up to run without the starter motor spinning. I'm guessing it's an LP regulator issue, but obviously don't know for sure. Continental F227 flathead six. Not sure exactly how the trans works...there are two round pedals, one on the left and one on the right. Then there's a gear lever (N, 1-3) on the R side of the column as well as a forward / reverser lever right under the gearshift lever. Heck, it would be a help if one of you could just tell me if this thing is clutched or automatic. Hoping the left pedal is just an inching pedal, but no way to know without it running.

From the outside, the machine looks great. Good paint, not beat up, ROPS intact, etc. Engine compartment is just dusty. Engine oil looks good, hyd oil not on stick. Bearings in the mast are worn out and no sideshift, but I located another mast that has sideshift here:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/MASSIVE-lot...218386?hash=item33a25b34d2:g:WJoAAOSwBahVTMLT

The owner of that one has said he'll let the the whole mast (no forks with it) and any levers / hoses / valving associated with sideshift go for $750. It's a decent trip from here, about 800 miles.

This is something that will get used maybe an average of half an hour a week, so I don't really want to tie up a lot of money in it. If I put that mast on this forklift, I should have around $2200 in it by the time I pay for fuel. I know it's a pig in a poke, mainly wondering what you all think of these older machines. Were they decent? Easy enough to operate? Was Hyster using proprietary parts back then, or are parts for the hydraulic pump, etc available outside of the company?

A comparable, good running used machine will be in the $8k neighborhood from what I can see. That's room for a lot of fixin' if need be. And an older machine without the electronics is really what I need for my purposes. Thoughts welcome.

 

[willie59]

I've worked on a couple of old Hyster machines, not the H80C specifically, but I can tell you the older Hyster rigs are heavy and built like an anvil. The big problem you're facing is purchasing it not running. First of all, you don't know if it's something simple or a worn out motor causing it to not run. Second, since it doesn't run you can't check out the brakes, the drivetrain, the steering, and the hydraulic functions. From what you're describing with a N-1-2-3 lever and a fwd/rev lever, sounds like it's a manual transmission with a clutch. As for parts, aside from maybe a hydraulic pump, pretty much all components on any forklift is proprietary, built specifically for the machine. Yes, there may be a few parts common to parts outlets, but by and large most parts would have to come from Hyster.

 

[JBI]

Manual transmission, huh? I've never run a forklift with a manual. Wonder if that should be a deal killer or not.

As far as the mechanicals, I don't mind fixing a machine up on the side and have made decent money when my main work was slower by buying, fixing, and flipping smaller equipment (welders, generators, etc). But this is obviously more complicated and more of a potential money pit. Still, having seen the things people scrap just because they can't figure out something simple that's the real problem....well, help pull me back from the edge.

 

[willie59]

There were a whole lot of manual transmission forklifts out there, Clark and Yale made a pile of them, it wasn't an uncommon configuration at all back in the day, and they weren't difficult to operate with. As long as you're familiar with operating a manual transmission I wouldn't shy away from just because it has a crash box tranny.

 

[lantraxco]

The H80C's of that era were bulletproof, not up to Clark standards, but light years better than Towmotor/CAT and there were thousands of them made every year so parts should still be easy to get. Around here running they still bring better than a buck a pound usually (8K forklift=$8K)

I think the tranny could go either way but I'm guessing with a three speed it's manual, I vaguely recall the powershifts only being two speeds but like most things I remember it's from thirty years ago.

 

[JBI]

So on the manual trans's, did they use a wet clutch? Was it adjustable, were there issues with it? A manual trans is no problem for me IF it doesn't make using the forklift a total pain or add continual additional repair issues.

Is there anybody reading this who is thinking that what I might be getting into is a terrible idea? Or does it make sense if you were in my place?

 

[lantraxco]

Can't say for sure wet or dry clutch might have been either depending on year, the bigger Hysters had oil clutches with hydraulic boost because they took so much force to disengage. The clutches on the "H--C" series were not problematic and lasted years in full time commercial use in any case.

I would jump on it in a heartbeat, but that's just me.

 

[Delmer]

At least take a look at it. You can tell pretty easily if it's been abandoned, or strung along, abused and neglected for years, or if it's been in regular use until recently.

 

[JBI]

At least take a look at it. You can tell pretty easily if it's been abandoned, or strung along, abused and neglected for years, or if it's been in regular use until recently.

I did take a look at it yesterday. That's where the description in the first post comes from. Here are some pictures of it I took, if I can get them to load:

 

[JBI]

Another question - what is supposed to hold the rod end of the lift cylinder into the header? Are there parts missing on this thing?

 

[gtermini]

If you call your local Hyster dealer with the serial number and ask nicely, they might email you scans from the parts manual for the area of cpncern. I have a mid-80s H50XL and found the dealer to be outrageous on parts prices (typical). I was able to get the scan of the parts books for my transmission and looked up the parts online. I bought from a place called "solid lift parts" for less than half. I wasn't too upset putting chinese parts in it, and just looked everything over well before installing it. It took about a month to find a parts manual used and even longer for a service manual, but they're out there on ebay. Expect to pay a ~$200 for both.

That thing looks to be in good shape for the scrap yard. Having good rubber is a big positive. Barring any major mechanical issues, I think it's a fair buy if you're up to working on it and don't expect next day parts service on everything. With the cylinder end flopping, you're halfway to doing a repack job already. The only thing I don't like is that funky pulling/lifting/yarding hook welded to the top of the chain sheave. That point is meant to only be loaded in a strictly vertical direction. There is no mast rails to pull against there and since the weld's torn, I'd guess they pulled hard at some point. Hopefully they didn't tweak anything too bad.

Greyson

 

[lantraxco]

Normally gravity holds it in place, either somebody lifted somewhere they shouldn't have, or something got stuck while lowering the cylinder and it popped out. I think maybe when it was new it was tight and had a snap ring there.

That other upright is a free lift triple with side shift, well worth swapping on if you get that far.

I'm having flashbacks! LOL

 

[JBI]

What do y'all think of the idea of swapping the mast assembly from the ebay forklift (I linked to it in the first post) into this one? That would get me sideshift, some free lift by the looks of it and would do away with the cylinder issues on this mast. The carriage bearings / rollers / whatever you call them in the current mast are also shot - they're all whoppy-jawed.

That ebay mast assembly would cost me $750, another couple hundred in fuel, and a couple days' driving and wrenching to get. It might have issues of it's own, no way to tell until I got there.

Any more comments on this lift?

The other one I have an option on is a mid 1980's 5k (H50XL maybe?), ex-military with a diesel in it, low 3-stage mast with sideshift. Owner says it has transmission issues (claims it gets water in it and that once you drain the water and put new fluid in it's fine). Has been parked for probably 8 or 10 years. Having a hard time getting a price out of that guy but it's probably going to be comparable to this one. Already has the right mast on it. But the transmission issues could be big, kind of scaring me away from it. Obviously there's a difference in size and capacity, but I don't have specific loads in mind for either - just need something smaller than the big 12k I have now.

Both lifts only have forks that are about 40" long, so either way I'd be finding a replacement set of forks for whatever machine I got. Would want more like 5' minimum length, maybe 6' on the 8k so it could lift 30 yd dumpsters.

 

[JBI]

Normally gravity holds it in place, either somebody lifted somewhere they shouldn't have, or something got stuck while lowering the cylinder and it popped out. I think maybe when it was new it was tight and had a snap ring there.

That other upright is a free lift triple with side shift, well worth swapping on if you get that far.

I'm having flashbacks! LOL

Ah, thanks for the additional info, you were answering one of my questions while I was still trying to phrase it.

 

[gtermini]

The other one I have an option on is a mid 1980's 5k (H50XL maybe?), ex-military with a diesel in it, low 3-stage mast with sideshift. Owner says it has transmission issues (claims it gets water in it and that once you drain the water and put new fluid in it's fine). Has been parked for probably 8 or 10 years. Having a hard time getting a price out of that guy but it's probably going to be comparable to this one. Already has the right mast on it. But the transmission issues could be big, kind of scaring me away from it. Obviously there's a difference in size and capacity, but I don't have specific loads in mind for either - just need something smaller than the big 12k I have now.

If it's had water in the trans, expect to rebuild it, possibly worse. The water is most likely coming from the cooler inside the radiator. The clutch packs will be shot. Better part of a $1k in parts and about two days of your life if your not doing it for a living. Easy rebuild once you have it out.

What to expect...







Greyson

 

[JBI]

Boy does that look like fun. Not!

Truth be told, I don't really have any reason to think the transmission in the H80C is in working shape either. But it doesn't look like it's been sitting for 10 years like I know the smaller one has. Sitting still can do awful stuff to equipment. In the end, either could work for my needs. Maybe I'll just go eenie, meenie, miney, moe.

 

[JBI]

So I took an evening a couple days ago and went to look more closely at the other lift which turned out to be an H40XL. Ex military, has an Isuzu diesel in it. I was wrong about the 10 years; customer said it'd been run as recently as 2 years ago. Anyway...dumped 5 gals of diesel in, hooked up jumpers, primed the fuel system, and it fired up and ran smoothly on the 3rd attempt. Jumpers off, verified charging system working, hydraulics working (no leaks), and transmission went into gear. E-brake off, right wheel spun and left was frozen. Got the left brake unstuck, dug out in front of all 4 tires (had sunk about 2 inches into the gravel lot), and it drove right out of there. Transmission seems a little funky in forward but works good in reverse.

Brakes don't work - needs new master and wheel cylinders which are all dry. Tires aired on up and as far as I can tell, it should make a fine machine. About 4500 hrs on it, runs great. Owner priced it at $1800 delivered to my shop. I think I'm going to take this one rather than the 80. Get some new paint on it and it should be good to go.