Tangye/Epco engine-lifter - reassembly

So....

I made some progress with the roll-pins

As mentioned above I thought my only hope of getting a grip on them would be by using a MIG. I tried this on the really stuck-looking one in the ferrule on top but didn't achieve anything

After that I tried tapping the other one back & forth and was sure I saw some movement so moved on to hitting it with nails thinking it would be a complete waste of time (bent nails or widening the pin) but amazingly it worked

Once the pin was out I could lift the rod and finish disconnecting the pump c/w ram and put that to one side

Buoyed by my success I moved back to the top pin and that also budged eventually. I can't however seem to get the knob off the rod although I'm sure it's a separate part. I think it might be aluminium and has bonded to the steel rod but not sure. I've doused it with some penetrating oil and will try again another day.


I also removed the front wheels for cleaning and painting. Was pleased to dicover the holes in the castings are actually oilway (for lubrication of the 'axle' as when I stripped my Epco jack a while back which had similar wheels the holes didn't open out anywhere


got roll-pin out with a nail



pump then lifted away from frame



roll-pin went thru this rod on pump. was worried about hammering too hard and damaging this part



roll-pin also removed from knob



is knob separate from rod?



side of one leg and rear of frame next to be cleaned



main boom now removed with pump & ram on RHS



front wheels removed from frame


drilling in wheel should open at other side


nail passes thru drilling in wheel (for lubrication of axle)

So I was back working on the crane last night after spending most of the day trying to resuscitate the Gaffer's Kubota mower (since I'm now apparently responsible for it as I connected jump-leads wrong way round a few weeks ago) then fixing the roof of the barn that I pay him nearly £4K a year in rent on

Plan was to just wizzy-wheel the remaining original-paint parts but I ended up taking the main post off the frame and removing the rear (steering) wheels.

Removing the post from the frame was pretty easy. There are 4 bolts at the front which go into holes tapped in the frame (didn't make a note of the spanner size) plus 4 longer bolts at the rear which go right thru the box-section and have a nut on the other end. You could probably get then undone with the crane standing normally but it was much easier tipped on its side. These bolts/nuts needed a 1" spanner/socket. I got by with a 26mm on one end and the correct Imperial one on the other end. The bolts weren't tight at all and all 8 had a lot of oil on them which was a bit unexpected.


Next thing to tackle was the rear wheels. These swivel and are connected by a bar which connects to something in the middle which is turned by the handle above. The connecting-bar is held to the wheel assy's with a split pin on each end.

iirc I had at least one of these wheels off a few months back when the Gaffer thought he could build steps with it (but started at the bottom). I know the wheels were stuck/seized and I freed them off but have a vague notion that I noticed the 2 didn't match and only one was easy to remove and also there were no bearings underneath but I may be wrong on that.

Anyway. From the top we just see 2 very large nuts with serrated washer under them. One nut looks original as it is domed and the other is a normal-looking one quite a bit shallower.

So how do you stop the post of the wheel assy from moving when you need to undo the nut? Well the post has a slot in the top which would need an extremely large screwdriver to hold it but I found using the edge of a bit of angle-iron was good enough to get the nut moving and somehow got it off all the way. I expected the wheel shaft to just drop out the frame but found it needed to be wound out. I suspected it has somehow worn a thin thread into the frame or it was being held up by rust.

As mentioned above there were no ball-bearings visible. There are 2 concave plates between the underside of the frame and the wheel trunnion(?) but no BBs.

Moving on to the other wheel which had the domed nut. I couldn't get any grip on the slot of the post as the nut was kinda flush with it so tried wedging the post from underneath with a screwdriver and surprisingly that seemed to work but the nut would not budge even with a large shifter on it.

I noticed the top of the post was a bit flat and figures someone had peened it over to lock the nut. This wheel seemed a bit wobbly and am sure there was a gap between the nut and the frame so my guess was that someone previous could get the post to stay still while they tightened the nut and just used a hammer instead.

I then got the angle-grinder out and tickled the top of the post so the nut could come off but even with a huge amount of pulling on the shifter it still wouldn't budge and I also couldn't understand how the post was staying still under so much strain. The screwdriver was discarded as the wheel assy was locked solid.

So I was in a bit of a pickle but figured I could sacrifice the cool domed nut and just use a plain one like on the other side.

I sliced the sides of the nut off trying to not actually hit the male threads on the component and hey presto the nut came off. Only a slight graze on one side of the threaded thing.

So now I had the nut off but the post/spindle/shaft was locked solid in the frame. I hammered to opposite direction on the wheel-frame underneath and eventually it got moving and finished it off by hand. When It first started moving I heard a sort of plinking noise and then saw numerous ball-bearings dropping out from where the wheel lives.

So that was the whole thing dismantled (apart from the turny bit in middle that connects steering-handle to metal bar) and it was too late to do any more work.

I can now see both wheel assys are identical. Just one had a different nut on it and also that the posts are actually threaded into the frame. I knew from early on that the wheels swivel independently on the posts but had no idea the posts don't swivel. Makes sense really as the nuts would just come loose if the posts swivelled. That also explains why I was able to get so much leverage on the nut (despite it not moving). Will be interesting to see if it's easy to get them back in the frame and get locking-nuts on without the posts unwinding.

Anyway. I'm just about to search online for new domed nuts (or 1 normal nut). I think it's a 12TPI Whitworth thread and a 1/2" diameter.



crane getting a lot lighter for tipping over to access nuts etc



central post removed from base/frame



base is made from 4 bits of box-section with strengthening plates in middle and plates on top to hide gaps



odd nuts. post has slot in top to to hold/turn it




nut had to be sacrificed to get 2nd wheel off frame




turns out frame is threaded for wheel-posts



EDIT: I had noted the diameter of the 'shaft' of the wheel assys to be 3/4" and then, using my trusty Whitworth thread gauge, established the nuts were 12TPI but was thrown by markings on the 12TPI blade which said 1/2 and 9/16 so spent a while searching for 1/2" BSW nuts and even found domed ones called Coneloc but was puzzled as to why they all seemed to take a smaller spanner size than mine. The nuts from the crane are 1 1/4" AF but the listings were showing things like 9/16 spanner size.

So, luckily, before committing to buy I checked again and now see that a 12TPI x 3/4" fastener is actually 3/4 BSF. Or it could be 13/16" BSF which is 0.81" diameter (instead of 0.75") and also 12TPI.

I'm going to double-check the diameter of the post thing before ordering. Pretty sure I need the 3/4" ones tho

So I have found one of my old (discarded?) cameras and it seems to be working fine so have taken a few pics and edited the post above

Ok. So my bits and bobs have arrived and I guess that means am ready to put the crane parts back together.

Naturally there's the usual pics and examination of the new parts.

First up are the new screws that mount the pump to the base of the central post. As explained above the ones that have been there for decades were the right diameter but too fine a thread. So for £5.69 I have 4 new ones (5/16 BSW) and they look just right. The only strange thing is that the heads are the same size as the ones that came out. I'm not re-Googling all this but it was my understanding that same size BSF & BSW fasteners had different-sized heads. As the recently-purchased socket says it fits either 5/16 BS of 1/4W.

Next are the ball-bearings. I was quite surprised at the cost of these (£8.48 for 2 packs of 18) as am sure you used to be able to get small tubs of ball-bearings (Weldtite?) from bike shops for buttons. Like 200 of them or whatever. Anyway I had to measure them as I had seen in some buyer-reviews that the ones supplied didn't agree the size advertised. These look to be bang-on 0.25"

Lastly the new nut (£5.43) for one of the rear castors: Dimension across flats is the same, altho this doesn't really matter. The TPI is same (12). This isn't the easiest thing to capture on camera but any 'looseness' in the interface is to do with the gauge tilting a bit when pic was taken, rather than the teeth not meshing perfectly with the threads.

One strange thing is that the diameter of the inside thread isn't exactly the same between the new and old nuts. You can get tables which show what the minor & major diameters of the male & female threads should be but I wasn't looking for this as when you use the vernier internally you need to add a certain amount (which is stamped on the tool) on to the reading to compensate for the thickness of the prongs at the end. I was just looking for an equal reading.

Purely for simplicity I could see on the old nut that closest measurement on the scale was 9.1mm so decided to keep on that scale. Measuring the new nut it was nearer 9.3mm on the scale. This could be something to do with Whitworth threads having the top of the peak missing but (again without re-Googling the subject) iirc there was no other thread existing with a 12TPI x 0.75 thread. It's also weird the old thread is narrower as you's expect that one to have become worn and bigger than when it was new.

I'm sure the new one will fit fine. Just an observation



new bolts



new beside one of the old ones. same diameter, a little longer and 18TPI instead of 22TPI



heads are same size which was unexpected



new bearings and nut for the one castor



bearings are right size (1/4")



new nut will take same socket/spanner as old (domed) nut



old nut was 12TPI



as is new one



minor diameter of thread on old nut showing up as 9.1mm on scale (this is not true reflection of actual size)


whilst reading on scale for new nut is 9.32mm

Ok. So I was back on it tonight, after a pleasant day (good weather) fixing the roof of the barn, and only being interrupted by the Gaffer for 1 hour

So the plan was just to get the castors on. I put plenty grease on the races (don't ask me why it's blue but I've had it for years and it's Mobil, so presumably a good brand, and will be fine for something that is only going to move very slowly on just a few occasions) then counted out 32 balls and stuck them in then, before putting the races on top of the castors, practised screwing the castors into the frame.

This might sound strange but remember the threaded part can't be held from underneath and it's difficult to get something in the slot on top before it comes up high enough.

Strangely I found that spinning the castor sort of encouraged the thread to revolve and you eventually get it all the way up.

This is when the first issue came up... On the RHS castor (which had no ball-bearings and probably a replacement nut) the threads are worn at the top and bottom. It feels like it's threading in nice then goes loose. There's no way I'm delaying things by getting a new part made so I figured just putting the nit and lock-washer on would be enough to keep it tight.

I then moved to the other castor which has a good thread all the way. It wound in fine and I put the nut and washer i=on but didn't fully tighten things because even with the nut off the castor wouldn't swivel with the post threaded right in to the frame.

As I said a while back it looks like the post should be screwed right into the frame and the castor can just swivel around on the lower part of the post. It seems no tho. If the post is screwed right home the races must be squeezed too tight to allow movement. Backing things off a bit would allow the castor to swivel. Surely a basic tool like this doesn't need careful adjustment like with taper wheel bearings on a car for instance.

It then struck me that the post hadn't been lubricated inside the frame of the castor so I took the castor off again and as I wasn't able to get grease in easily just drizzled oil down in between the parts. This got the castor swivelling nice and when I screwed it back in it swivelled better but still too tight if screwed right home. So I guess you have to nearly screw it right home then out the lockwasher and nut on but if there is slack at the bottom how are the nut and washer going to lock? The post could possibly still swivel a fraction then the nut and washer would be loose.

After this I decided to oil the other castor and noticed this one has a lubrication hole in the frame (for the post). I was sure I'd seen this feature on the castors but as there wasn't one on the LH castor I thought I was mistaken.Bit weird to have it on one and not the other> Ialso found on this castor it was hard to get the nut to lock and for the castor to still swivel. Even with the post oiled and plenty grease in the races.

So. A bit of a puzzler but at least the castors are back on and I can fiddle about with them a bit more to get the best balance between tightness and free swivelling

Next visit I'll put the front wheels on and start assembling the crane itself



packing the castor races with grease



ball bearings added



thread on post of RH castor is no good at bottom. middle is fine



post oiled so it swivels easily inside frame of castor. this castor has lubrication-point drilled in frame but other one doesn't

So I was back on it last night. It really is all very straightforwards compared to doing car bodywork or re-lacing a motorcycle wheel but at least you get some quick(ish) results instead of everything taking years to achieve.

Anyway. I pulled an old camera out of retirement. This is one of the digital ones which takes AA batteries. Like the fatback widescreen TVs of yore. It's a Fujifilm FinePix A900 and iirc I used lesser versions of these years ago and always thought the pictures were brilliant despite it being lower megapixels than the more modern slimmer Li-ion types. I guess I haven't been using it as it takes batteries which seems like ancient technology now. But, with no other options right now I bought a pack of Duracell AAs and was surprised it was only £3 something for 8 of them.

So last night I basically lubricated the actual wheels of the castors. There are small holes in the castings for grease I guess but not sure how you'd get it down there so just use oil. I tried dripping it down the hole but it didn't seem to drain away into the required area very quickly so I just dripped it onto the axles and wiggles the wheels about and they are spinning nice now.

After that I put the base back on the deck and fitted the front wheels after giving them their 2nd coat of paint. As these ones have a removable axle (or is it spindle ?) I was able to grease them. I also wire-wheeled the bore inside the wheels as they were a bit rusty.

Next thing to do was bolt the centre post back to the base but before doing that I straightened the bracket for the pump-release rod and spent a bit time cleaning the old paint off the bolt-heads - even tho I originally planned to paint these.

Next was to put the boom back on. That pivots on a tube which slides down inside the main post. I also cleaned out the awkward bit on the boom between the lugs that the ram attaches to and gave that it's first coat of paint.

Last thing for the night was to clean the awkward bit on the steering handle and reattach that to the mechanism

In between all this I was mixing and stirring the big tin of paint and I'd say it is actually the same (lighter) colour so we'll never see what the deep purple would have looked like but what I'm worried about now is that this stuff isn't 'hammering-up' like the first time.

The very end of the first time was a bit thick and didn't give that wonderful hammered effect like it did initially but I thought 'hey doesn't matter as got a full nother tin to use' but I think this has lost a lot of its solvent and it's not working. Much like the absolute joke version of hammered Hammerite you get now that is 100% not hammered. It's just metallic paint



front wheel with 1st coat of paint and rusty bore



bores cleaned before lubricating and 2nd coat of paint




front wheels fitted



didn't paint underside of central post/base



not sure why bottom of tube has this bar across it




bracket for release-rod straightened out



area between lugs on boom quickly cleaned before painting



same with bit at bottom of steering handle

NB when I got home I thought hey I know what I'll do to beat these insane prices for 2nd hand digital cameras! I'll buy a fatback or 3 and was straight on Ebay to find ppl are selling them for between £35 and £65. Crazy