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Centering Howe 10"x2/5" full hydro ram

gt1guy

gt1guy

Apparently a racist
Joined
May 19, 2020
Member Number
241
Messages
3,275
Loc
New Iberia, La.
I have a brand now Howe double ended ram. Basically just out of the box. Loosening the hose caps I get no oil, not even a drip. Can't move it by hand. So I assume they only used enough oil to keep the seals from drying out. I need to center the shaft,. Basically sitting at full left lock.

Can I just hit it with compressed air through a dryer and one of the ports to center it? Thinking that would be the easiest way.

Or is there something I'm missing and I'll never get all the air out?

I always change fliuds on new systems after just a few hours and the steering would be no different. My friends call my crazy, I just say oil is cheap.
 
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I used air forever to move hydro rams. Usually it the ram is stuck all the way to one side it takes a bit to get it moving. I use air to cycle steering before final welding and to make sure everything clears.
 
Perfect. Thanks guys.:beer:

I figured it would be ok to do, but I'm not too proud to ask those who have done it before. I'd be an idiot not to.
 
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My howe ram was real stubborn and I popped a nozzle on there and it shot to the otherside. After the first time it was movable by hand.

I do have a wheel that migrates counterclockwise now tho but idk if that was an issue to cause it or the fact that it's a load reactive valve and street driven.
 
M92PV4U said:
Just be careful because air compresses in the cylinder and can cause a violent reaction when the ram moves bottoming or topping the ram out in the cylinder.
Click to expand...
Yup.
Blew a 4" rod a good ways across the shop with air. Piston and gland were jammed.
Set the regulator to maybe 40psi and once it broke loose, yee haw.

Was an $$ mistake, ruined the piston and rod. Granted the rod was already bent, but planned to straighten it till the huge gouge in the chrome.

Oh, and a huge mess of oil too.
 
It only needs to move about 3.5"-4" to be centered. Sounds like it might be a good idea to set up some kind of wood stop at 3" or so. Might help to avoid slamming the guts inside.

It's sitting just as it was when I opened the box, so it has never moved..........yet.
 
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