Hello everyone, this is my first post here, and yes, I did use the search function before waiving the white flag with this post 
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I own a 2005 Bil-Jax (Haulotte) 3632T boom lift with the old-style outrigger cylinders (inset end-caps, flush to edge of cylinder wall) and am wondering if anyone here has had any experience taking the d*mn things apart!
Here's a couple photos of what I'm talking about:
Note there's an allen-key'd grub screw that fixes the end plate to the cylinder, preventing sideways movement.
The outrigger cylinder attached to the arm assembly.
My first problem began with the grub screw REFUSING to budge, even with aerokroil penetrating fluid. So, I chose the next best option, drill.
Note the drill hole. That's where the grub screw USED to live. Ignore the two threaded holes for now.
I still don't have any exploded diagram of this cylinder design, even after signing up for and getting a Haulotte online catalog account (which I presume is what their dealers use to order from). But, after drilling deeper than I had any right to, I think I have a good idea of the side-profile of the end cap.
At the bottom of the hole, note how there's a clear separation in the cylinder wall and inner end-cap? My drill bit chewed through the larger, threaded portion, which the side-profile of the threads IS visible on the bore wall (my camera wasn't precise enough to capture the visible threads).
So, I see that this end-cap is larger at the end facing the camera, but tapers downwards as the large threads end and the smaller circumference portion goes deeper into the cylinder body (I'm imagining a wine corkscrew, large at the top, but narrower the further in the bottle neck it is).
Also, I know I didn't compromise any of the end-cap's ability to hold back hydraulic fluid, as I was able to extend/retract the cylinder with this hole drilled to this point with no weeping or loss of pressure.
Remember how I said to ignore the threaded holes? That's because I'm the one who drilled and tapped them, they aren't factory. The slanted hole near the back of the splash guard, I suspect, is a place where a punch tool can be used to literally knock the end-plate loose/tight. As you can see the round divot, I attempted to do just that, but the end-cap just REFUSES to budge even a slight bit.
I have relieved this cylinder of hydraulic pressure and it is open to atmosphere. I can rotate the piston around, ensuring that no hydro-lock is hindering the end-cap from spinning. And I aerokroil'd the **** out of the end-cap, even using the drilled hole as a place to let the penetrating fluid wick up everywhere it could inside the threads.
I chose to resort to my BMW fan clutch removal tool (not my exact one, just a generic pic) because the lower bar has holes that line up with the two I drilled and tapped. But, even with a lot of hammering, and even an 8' long steel cheater bar, I only managed to shear my grade 7 bolts that were holding the clutch tool to the end-cap.
ALL that being said...has ANYONE here EVER disassembled one of these type of cylinders before? I don't even care if it's Bil-Jax, just ANY hydraulic cylinder with flush end-caps?
And, if so, do you have any tips or tricks you might be able to share? I'm thinking that I'll drill and tap the remaining two holes, for a total of four, and then fabricate a four-hole "wrench" out of 1/8" bar steel from Lowes and a welder.
.I own a 2005 Bil-Jax (Haulotte) 3632T boom lift with the old-style outrigger cylinders (inset end-caps, flush to edge of cylinder wall) and am wondering if anyone here has had any experience taking the d*mn things apart!
Here's a couple photos of what I'm talking about:
Note there's an allen-key'd grub screw that fixes the end plate to the cylinder, preventing sideways movement.
The outrigger cylinder attached to the arm assembly.
My first problem began with the grub screw REFUSING to budge, even with aerokroil penetrating fluid. So, I chose the next best option, drill.
Note the drill hole. That's where the grub screw USED to live. Ignore the two threaded holes for now.
I still don't have any exploded diagram of this cylinder design, even after signing up for and getting a Haulotte online catalog account (which I presume is what their dealers use to order from). But, after drilling deeper than I had any right to, I think I have a good idea of the side-profile of the end cap.
At the bottom of the hole, note how there's a clear separation in the cylinder wall and inner end-cap? My drill bit chewed through the larger, threaded portion, which the side-profile of the threads IS visible on the bore wall (my camera wasn't precise enough to capture the visible threads).
So, I see that this end-cap is larger at the end facing the camera, but tapers downwards as the large threads end and the smaller circumference portion goes deeper into the cylinder body (I'm imagining a wine corkscrew, large at the top, but narrower the further in the bottle neck it is).
Also, I know I didn't compromise any of the end-cap's ability to hold back hydraulic fluid, as I was able to extend/retract the cylinder with this hole drilled to this point with no weeping or loss of pressure.
Remember how I said to ignore the threaded holes? That's because I'm the one who drilled and tapped them, they aren't factory. The slanted hole near the back of the splash guard, I suspect, is a place where a punch tool can be used to literally knock the end-plate loose/tight. As you can see the round divot, I attempted to do just that, but the end-cap just REFUSES to budge even a slight bit
.I have relieved this cylinder of hydraulic pressure and it is open to atmosphere. I can rotate the piston around, ensuring that no hydro-lock is hindering the end-cap from spinning. And I aerokroil'd the **** out of the end-cap, even using the drilled hole as a place to let the penetrating fluid wick up everywhere it could inside the threads.
I chose to resort to my BMW fan clutch removal tool (not my exact one, just a generic pic) because the lower bar has holes that line up with the two I drilled and tapped. But, even with a lot of hammering, and even an 8' long steel cheater bar, I only managed to shear my grade 7 bolts that were holding the clutch tool to the end-cap
.ALL that being said...has ANYONE here EVER disassembled one of these type of cylinders before? I don't even care if it's Bil-Jax, just ANY hydraulic cylinder with flush end-caps?
And, if so, do you have any tips or tricks you might be able to share? I'm thinking that I'll drill and tap the remaining two holes, for a total of four, and then fabricate a four-hole "wrench" out of 1/8" bar steel from Lowes and a welder.
