some work pictures

[TOM V]

Some pics from today, PC240 swing bearing replacement.

 

[crane operator]

On the swing bearing replacement- do you use both the jacks and the boom to drop the upper back onto the carriage, or just the jacks? I imagine its a tight fit, and a very slow process.

 

[dirty4fun]

Pictrues

Tom, These pictures have to be showing some of your best work yet, to me. I have wondered how this was done and the pictures sure have helped clear up a lot of questions in my mind. Looks like getting it apart would be a tough one, but back together all lined up and bolts lined up would be very tough, to say the least. Thanks much for taking time to share with us the great pictures.

 

[scholzee]

Tom very impressive and thanks for taking time to show us how things are done. How come the lower boxs behind the cab are your service truck are not open ??? every other one is LOL

 

[TOM V]

On the swing bearing replacement- do you use both the jacks and the boom to drop the upper back onto the carriage, or just the jacks? I imagine its a tight fit, and a very slow process.

I used both jacks and the digging equipment to set the house down on the carbody, it took about 10 hours to remove and replace the bearing. I finished tighting the bolts and installed the swivel this morning.

 

[dirty4fun]

Tom, I would of thought it would take a lot longer than that to do the job. Just looks like it would be a tough one to do, knowing what you are doing and being good at it has to help a lot.

 

[TOM V]

Tom, I would of thought it would take a lot longer than that to do the job. Just looks like it would be a tough one to do, knowing what you are doing and being good at it has to help a lot.

It took a total of 14 hours including picking up and loading the timbers. Plus the customers mechanic was a good helper.

 

[TOM V]

Some pics from a couple of todays jobs.

 

[FSERVICE]

Tom i was going to ask if you had a helper on that swing bearing. lol I changed 1 on a cat 375 last year, i had the company mech & his helper, we changed it in day & half. there was a couple broken off bolts to deal with also.

 

[TOM V]

A couple from this morning.

 

[curb guy]

Tom, I can't help but think that swing bearing would would be a dirty ,GREASY, cluster of a job.Never having done one myself,yet.One of our 690E's I suspect will be needing that treatment soon.How tricky is it to raise the upper structure with the machine hydraulics,the boom that is? Seems as if it would be a little unstable,or no?Also noticed you changed the slew ring,also. Is it common to replace it with the bearing? Just curious because I've heard of just replacing the bearings one by one....take an old one out and put a new one in,so forth and so on 'till they're all replaced.Sorry for all the questions but you brought this on yourself by posting all these photos! Keep 'em coming...I really enjoy checking out your work!!

 

[curb guy]

By the way,what is that thing sitting on your bumper in one of the above pics with the two hyd. hoses coming off of it??

 

[TOM V]

Curb guy, it's not that bad of a job, I took the house up about 3 inches at a time, cribbing up as I go. Every one of these swing bearing jobs I have done I changed the complete slew ring or bearing, it's not worth trying to replace the bearings in the ring. The thing on the back of my truck is a hydraulic torque wrench.

 

[DGODGR]

Tom, I noticed that you were adding the Hensley "top loader" type shanks to that excavator bucket. I have found this type to be a bit problematic. They often break the roll pin and the roll pin can be very difficult to remove (broken or not) when the center gets packed full of dirt. I have one 8" bucket for my TLB and the top loader is the only shank I can use when the (3) shanks are so close together. I have not found a good way to remove them once they are packed w/dirt. Even reverting to the torch is not very effective because the dirt inhibits the process of melting the roll pin. What do you do? I have found a pre-emptive measure that helps the removal of the roll pin. I inject silicone or RTV into the center of the roll pin prior to installation into the tooth and shank. The only real purpose is to keep dirt out and it remains flexible so it does not interfere with the way the roll pin functions. I little anti-seize, on the outside of the roll pin, helps too.

 

[curb guy]

Curb guy, it's not that bad of a job, I took the house up about 3 inches at a time, cribbing up as I go. Every one of these swing bearing jobs I have done I changed the complete slew ring or bearing, it's not worth trying to replace the bearings in the ring. The thing on the back of my truck is a hydraulic torque wrench.

Makes sense to me,about the slew ring. Thank you!

 

[Randy88]

Out of curiosity just how big is your shop and how much storage do you have in it for all the stuff you don't take along with you every day in your service truck? Also do you always work alone, even at your shop or do you have helpers? You get more work done than I've ever seen done by one person before, either you never sleep, or don't stop working to even answer the phone, who orders your parts, does the paperwork, send out the bills, chases parts down and all the time killer jobs it seems I have to do, not to mention waiting on parts to come in that are right, or do you have a dozen jobs going all at once waiting on parts and work those that parts come in on?

This is the single most informative thread on HEF, thanks for sharing with us, I can't tell you enough how much I enjoy it.

 

[TozziWelding]

Looks great Tom, I am hoping to get a truck your size in the near future I have 5000 pound crane and a 11 foot body and I out grew them both in a hurry. How are you liking the BOA bore welder, that is the one I have my eye on.

 

[TOM V]

Thanks Randy, no shop, no storage, everything is done on site or cutomers shop. Everything is in the service truck except the line boring equipment, which is in a gang box I crane in and out of truck as needed. I don't have a helper but I did last week for a day when I changed a slew ring. Most of the time I order the parts but the last few jobs the customers have been supplying the oem parts , which is fine with me. It really has been slow the last 4 years or so, but it is starting to pick for me this year, hope it stays this way, thanks and good luck.

 

[TOM V]

Looks great Tom, I am hoping to get a truck your size in the near future I have 5000 pound crane and a 11 foot body and I out grew them both in a hurry. How are you liking the BOA bore welder, that is the one I have my eye on.

Thanks Tozzi, the BOA has been good I have had it since 1997 and no problems.

 

[ohiofleet]

what make is your hydaulic torque wrench