Can't keep it up

[Bone]

Bought my Sears bike lift in 2005. Yesterday I jacked it up to it's highest position empty and watched it slowly go back to the floor. I always use the safety stops noticing it's auto lowering when I stopped pumping the up pedal.
No problem getting it up keeping it up it needs help  
The oil has been changed yearly any suggestions.

[hubcapsc]

Mine sinks down too. A fellow at Church said it might be fixable
by tearing it down and replacing o-rings. I wonder if there are
high-quality hydraulic jacks we could get to replace the cheapo
ones that come with our cheapo motorcycle lifts?

-Mike

[Bone]

The Made in China on the cylinder caught my attention.
I'm going to ask around and see if any one rebuilds cylinders.
I used my floor jack to raise the bike enough to change the front tire.

[hubcapsc]

The Made in China on the cylinder caught my attention.
I'm going to ask around and see if any one rebuilds cylinders.
I used my floor jack to raise the bike enough to change the front tire.

The fellow at Church was looking into a side business of rebuilding
bottle jacks... he decided there was no money in rebuilding cheap
jacks, it is so cheap to just get another cheap jack.

I just googled "hydraulic jack leaks down", there's a lot of people
talking about it on a lot of forums, but all their pictures are
replaced with:



-Mike

[old2soon]

My yellow H/F M/C lift duz the same thing. Goes down slow enough so It's Not really an issue. Maybe a couple jack stands or custom built wood stands at the proper height for the tire change? RIDE SAFE.

[John Schmidt]

Mine will also lose a bit of pressure overnight but it doesn't really create a problem if you're only lifting the bike so the rear tire is just a 2-3" off the floor as needed to change it. Putting jack stands under the frame would alleviate the "sinking" problem. I only raised mine 2' off the floor once, saw 800lbs. sitting up there while I wrestle with the wheel and said "no way." Let it back down to about 3" and went to work. Once I got a centerstand I've never used a lift to change out the rear, only the front.

[da prez]

  If I have a bike on a stand for an extended time or a customer bike , I made a safety with a piece of threaded rod with a piece of angle iron welded on and a piece of tubing with a radius that fits into the jack frame . The bike will not move. When removing , the jack needs to be pumped up. I will try to post a picture  later.

  As for the long hydraulic cylinder , farm and fleet or a good farm supply . Take it with you and get someone with grey hair to wait on you. They can locate by size and stroke.

                                        da prez

[sandy]

I have a Dunwell lift which was a high end cold rolled steel lift. It began leaking down a few years ago. I use the lift's locks but also add a 4X4 in the lift's braces. Simple solution for my garage.

[hubcapsc]

  If I have a bike on a stand for an extended time or a customer bike , I made a safety with a piece of threaded rod with a piece of angle iron welded on and a piece of tubing with a radius that fits into the jack frame . The bike will not move. When removing , the jack needs to be pumped up. I will try to post a picture  later.

A board 



-Mike

[gordonv]

I have one too, doing the same thing, leaking down. Was going to throw it away.

Someone suggested check the oil level, replace the old oil, and at the end, rebuild (replace the O-rings).

Haven't done it yet, don't need the lift yet. But a good reason to have a lock out or to place the bike onto stands, after you get it into the air, so it won't come down unexpectedly on you.

[The emperor has no clothes]

Irony = a guy named Bone posting about not able to keep it up. 

[gordonv]

Irony = a guy named Bone posting about not able to keep it up. 

And then a guy with both the names of Meat and Head bring up the irony of the whole post.
                                       

[Ken Tarver]

Hey guys,
Can't keep it up? That's what she said. Bleed it. Take the rubber plug out of side of cylinder. Open the release valve or hold down the release peddle. Now pump the lift lever or peddle multiple times. This will bleed the air out. Ok now, fill the cylinder with hydraulic pump oil till it runs out the hole where you removed rubber plug. Put rubber plug back in. This should fix your lift. (I have the Sears one also). Just worked on mine recently too, and another style lift that was given as payment for a tire change.
For best result use the hydraulic pump oil, not fork oil or auto trans fluid. A quart will be more than enough, with plenty to spare for next time. If your jack is leaking then that's another issue of course.
Mine was leaking, I replaced the O-ring in the top of the pump pedal valve. Could not find correct o-ring at auto parts store, nor in the 318 piece o-ring kit from HF. Found the correct size in plumbing dept. at Lowes.
#83 O-ring. Have had this Sears lift 16 years, has more than paid for itself.
Always use the safety stops, just sayin'. Cheers.

Ken

[Firefighter]

My sears floor jack has leaked down since new. Also have trouble with the handle slipping instead of turning the raise and lower valve.

[Hooter]

This post is going where I thought it would. Try what Ken suggested, it worked for my lift . I won't say jack in this post.

[Bone]

Guys thanks for the posts I knew the humor would happen with the subject of my post. My lift is identical to the picture hubcapsc posted. Firefighter mine has 2 pedals one for lift and one to release the pressure for down.
Ken Tarver you might have the solution I have the new tire mounted so time permitting I'll try bleeding the pump. The last time I had the bike on the lift with the safety engaged the handle fell to the floor my heart rate doubled. Looking at the picture the entire black frame had been released because the cylinder went completely down. No leaks. Now it happens every time without any thing on the lift. That sounds like air to me now that you mentioned it in your post.
The lift jacks up to it's highest level but no way was I going to try lifting the Valk.
Thanks again,
I'll get back after the Bleeding attempt.

[Bone]

Took time this morning my curiosity made me. Didn't help I pump it up 7 inches to the first stage
stops not engaged and it slowly goes back to the bottom. Maybe I'll try it again I know air can be
hard to remove.

[da prez]

  many say to put stands under the bike. What needs to be done is block the jack , then use stands for stability.

                                          da prez

[Ken Tarver]

Mike
I've done that board trik too when wanted a height difference than what's factory made on the lift.

Ken

[Ken Tarver]

Bone
Try bleeding the air again.
And try this, get rear of lift up so
that cylinder bottle is vertical.
Lower lift arms all the way down.
Remove rubber plug.
Release valve open.
Pump lift handle many many times.
Fill hydraulic pump oil to bottom of
rubber plug hole.
Place rubber plug back in hole.
Then try the function again.
Still no workie?, may be other
problem internally.


Ken

[Bone]

Thanks again Ken I believe I found the problem. I tried to bleed again using your instruction. The piston tries to go up while I'm pumping to remove air. I was going to put a c-clamp on the cylinder top to bottom my 8 inch clamp was an inch short. So I grabbed a piece of chain and secured the cylinder.
Wiped every thing down during clean-up and noticed fluid under the release pedal. Pulled the pedal cleaning that area. I could not make it leak around the push pin. Put it back together pumped up the lift a few inches and it slowly went down to the bottom    Under the release pedal it was dripping wet.
Must be the seal or O-ring. I haven't any need for the lift right now I'll find out what it needs and repair.

[Bone]

Purchased the #83 O-rings at Lowe's and installed one. Did the bleed thing again.

The leak was stopped the rack still descends to the stop.

I can live with it using a 4x4 in the rack for in between the stops.

Time to ride.