Lock Valves for Outriggers

[redneckchevy9]

Not sure if this is the right category to post in, I'm sure not many of you guys here consider my truck a crane. I have fold-out outriggers on my boom truck (44" projection from edge of truck). These are the "lock" valves on them. I am not sure of the actual term for them. I am wondering how often a guy should replace them. I have noticed that lately when I swing a decent sized load over the rigger, I hear a click or 2. I am assuming that it is coming from that valve, they also seem to be not holding as well (if I have some shingles hanging out over roof & just sitting there while the guys unload shingles) Could the issues be related/separate? Don't know a TON about hydros, but been around them enough to know when something ain't right. Thanks.

 

[lantraxco]

I would suspect the cylinders would need repacking more likely than a lock valve wearing out or malfunctioning, but it could be either or both.

Cheers,
Lanway

 

[Tradesman]

Could it be the weight settling on the pins and bushings, I had a RO Stinger that could scare the crap out of me if I had the wieght on the opposite then come around, some times the stabilizer pins would squawk like she was comin apart. I had them apart and checked there condition, they where good, I chaulked it up to not having grease nipples.

 

[Knepptune]

Air in cylinder. When weight is off outrigger air expands and outrigger extends slightly. When you swing load over said outrigger and it compresses air outrigger will slightly retract. Popping and squeaky like its all gonna come apart. You see it more on outriggers that come out at angle then on the straight out and down outriggers.

 

[redneckchevy9]

Air in cylinder. When weight is off outrigger air expands and outrigger extends slightly. When you swing load over said outrigger and it compresses air outrigger will slightly retract. Popping and squeaky like its all gonna come apart. You see it more on outriggers that come out at angle then on the straight out and down outriggers.

Is there a way to prevent it. The yard guy who use to run it said that they replace those valves about every 2yrs, well I have been here 3 & they haven't been changed. I suppose I could replace them out & see if that helps - I'm sure that's cheaper than repacking the cylinders. I hate these riggers, cant adjust anything on them & sometimes I run into a case where the truck wont fit because I can't clear the outriggers. if I had the horizontal slide kind, I could at least adjust them.

 

[redneckchevy9]

Could it be the weight settling on the pins and bushings, I had a RO Stinger that could scare the crap out of me if I had the wieght on the opposite then come around, some times the stabilizer pins would squawk like she was comin apart. I had them apart and checked there condition, they where good, I chaulked it up to not having grease nipples.

I know what you mean Tradesman! If you are swinging around a full pallets of shingles (3,600 +/-) and that outrigger decides to let go a little bit, talk about a pucker moment!

 

[Tiny]

redneckchevy9
Is this a spring or air ride truck ? Only reason I ask is my old truck was air ride . Only two outriggers , If you picked up a max load over the back the air ride would try to adjust for the weight the truck was picking up and when you swung it over the side the air valve could not dump to air quicker than you could swing and gave me the sense the truck was going over . Once I got used to the idea of dumping the air before to boom went up I was fine .

Can't tell by your avatar if that truck is spring or air .

 

[Tradesman]

I know what you mean Tradesman! If you are swinging around a full pallets of shingles (3,600 +/-) and that outrigger decides to let go a little bit, talk about a pucker moment!

You made me think with your pucker comment about the first crane op I worked with, I remember a time when I was sitting on the ridge and he made a little mistake and got pretty close to me with the truss, gave me a bit of a scare, when I looked down at him he was grinning at me pinching his thumb and first finger in a gesture at me. later when I was on the ground I asked him what that meant he said it was my arshole pinching together " pucker power "

 

[dbl612]

outrigger jack cylinders are double acting, thus bleed all air out when they are cycled on installation. if you are getting air in system you have some abnormal problem. there is no air in the cylinders after initial cycling, the lock valves will not lock properly if cylinders are not bled on initial install and cycling.

 

[td25c]

That is the same lock valve our digger derrick truck uses. Its outriggers are box tube type with the cylinder on the inside & come down at about a 45 degree angle off the truck.So far havent had any trouble with them . Alot of good ideas ,Tiny had a good point if your truck is air ride. If I was having this trouble I would rigg the truck up in the yard with a load on the outriggers & put a mark on the outrigger tubing with chalk or soapstone then grab the load ,swing the load around the truck with a buddy on the ground watching & listening when the condition happens.Could just be air in the system.After I rebuild an outrigger cylinder I cycle it 6 or 8 times up & down and that gets rid of the air.Good luck with it and keep us posted if you find something redneckchevy9.

 

[redneckchevy9]

redneckchevy9
Is this a spring or air ride truck ? Only reason I ask is my old truck was air ride . Only two outriggers , If you picked up a max load over the back the air ride would try to adjust for the weight the truck was picking up and when you swung it over the side the air valve could not dump to air quicker than you could swing and gave me the sense the truck was going over . Once I got used to the idea of dumping the air before to boom went up I was fine .

Can't tell by your avatar if that truck is spring or air .

Spring ride all the way! Thats a great thought about air ride though, never would have came around to that idea.

 

[redneckchevy9]

That is the same lock valve our digger derrick truck uses. Its outriggers are box tube type with the cylinder on the inside & come down at about a 45 degree angle off the truck.So far havent had any trouble with them . Alot of good ideas ,Tiny had a good point if your truck is air ride. If I was having this trouble I would rigg the truck up in the yard with a load on the outriggers & put a mark on the outrigger tubing with chalk or soapstone then grab the load ,swing the load around the truck with a buddy on the ground watching & listening when the condition happens.Could just be air in the system.After I rebuild an outrigger cylinder I cycle it 6 or 8 times up & down and that gets rid of the air.Good luck with it and keep us posted if you find something redneckchevy9.

something I had planned on doing, but it is a hit & miss thing. Like this morning, had a few good stacks of lumber that I had to unload & had a to swing & extend out a good distance & nothing. The more I read what you guys are saying, I think that it is in the cylinder. Not sure if it makes any difference, but I replaced a leaky hose on one of them last fall.

 

[Knepptune]

It's air it will go leak down when a heavy load is on and come back up as weight is taken off. If it's a bad cylinder it will just gradually leak off. If you didn't cycle the cylinder when you changed the hose that's a good way for a little air to get into the system.