Tips/Advice on replacing boom and stick

[Kevin Cohrs]

Bought a 2016 Case CX490D with a cracked boom. Got extremely lucky and found a new takeoff boom and stick from a dealer that converted a machine to a long reach setup. We have the equipment to handle this kind of job "crane, telehandler, forklift". Looking for any tips to make this go smoothly as possible! Is there any way to not make a big oil mess while disconnecting the lines for the cylinders?

 

[Welder Dave]

Have all the correct size caps ready when you take the lines apart. That and having buckets to catch the oil will help a lot. I suppose if you had the equipment you could lift and lower the boom with specific hoses removed going into buckets but there's going to be some oil spilled no matter what you do.

 

[skyking1]

What he said. Get the caps and plugs needed to cover every line both ends. get a couple of bales of absorbent pads.
https://www.uline.com/Product/Detai...HpxIVxKW8exvf3DccphoCIbAQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

Get funnels and smaller jugs and try to catch the lines one at a time, then cap or plug. Have a few of those pads under the work and you will not have an oily mess.

 

[Kevin Cohrs]

Heres what Im working with...

 

[Welder Dave]

I would suggest reinforcing the new boom where the crack(s) are on the old boom. It would be a fairly simple job and you wouldn't need to open it up to repair anything inside. Basically just need a couple 1/4" oval reinforcing plates over the area where the crack is. One on each side of the boom. Would give a little more piece of mind that the boom won't crack again.
Maybe Nige or someone else has a procedure for replacing a boom they could post?

 

[John C.]

Put a vacuum on the hydraulic tank and you will only lose the oil that is in the hose. I have made big pans from old drums as well to catch oil on those jobs. The flange type fittings for the cylinders are standard sizes that you can get from any hydraulic supply houses.

I usually start removing items from the end of the stick and working my way back. You can leave the bucket on the stick and just pull the cylinder if you need it for the new stick. If the new stick has the cylinder already, I would leave the cylinder in place and cap the pipes after curling the bucket underneath the stick. It will all stand up on its own then. I believe the boom cylinders will stay with the machine. The top pin to the rods should slide in the boom so you can drop down the cylinder and leave them pinned in place. The boom will balance on the cylinder pin so you can sling it there. Pick the boom just enough to get the weight off the foot pin. Usually there is a threaded hole on the foot pin so you can use something to pull in out. I used to figure eight hours or less for two people with the right lifting equipment to make the change out.
Good Luck!