Engine hoist load leveller

[rfs1957]

Good question.

I didn't do the maths *, but which ever charts you look at, at the recommended NGK tightening figure of 30Nm or 22 ft.lbs for 14mm plugs, it appears that we are already putting a figure of between 2.100 lbs and 2.800 lbs stretch on what is effectively a bolt.

I think that suggests we apply a one-tonne pull on the plug thread every time we tighten it.

So I'm happy with it, although lifting on just one might feel like tempting providence !

* - I cheated by approximating around the 9/16" x 18 TPI shown on these tables, other ones and tabulators I looked at seemed to be of that order of magnitude too.

[rfs1957]

The most horrible aspect of these cheapo engine-cranes, and many other unspeakable hydraulic devices from the Far East, is the fact that the bleed or lowering valve is generally operated by the end of the operating arm.



I see that nothing much has changed in 40 years since my first jack ; you are expected to get this slotted tube over the T-piece, and adjust the bleed by rotating a bit of 20mm pipe two feet long.

They must really think we're stupid. Really stupid.

Here's an easy tweak.



Remove the T-valve and put a bolt in its place to stem the leak.

I wasn't wholly confident how the nose of this did the business, and it was surprisingly well machined in comparison with the rest of the junk construction, so I elected to modify it rather than make another, longer, one.



Knock out the cross-piece, and bore a 5mm hole down the valve about 6mm deep.



Turn a nose on a similar bolt - I used an M10 socket-screw with a bit of parallel shank.



Push the two together with a bit of flux and Sif-bronze them together.



Add a suitable knob.



Should be a million times easier to operate, and also easier to dose more gently.

[johnetype]

The most horrible aspect of these cheapo engine-cranes, and many other unspeakable hydraulic devices from the Far East, is the fact that the bleed or lowering valve is generally operated by the end of the operating arm.

I see that nothing much has changed in 40 years since my first jack ; you are expected to get this slotted tube over the T-piece, and adjust the bleed by rotating a bit of 20mm pipe two feet long.

They must really think we're stupid. Really stupid.

Rory, as ever a lovely well executed mod to something that's been annoying many of us for years but in fairness to our Far East suppliers, I suspect that all they did was copy a poor bit of UK or European design on a cheap piece of hydraulics from 50 years ago.

[AshM]

That’s the thing about Rory’s projects.

I always end up thinking “why the hell have I put up with that over the decades...”.