TRAILER WON’T UNLOAD Hydraulic System Troubleshooting
Luke Hierlihy luke@troutriverindustries.ca
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Contents Safety ................................................................................................................................................2 A few rules to remember ...................................................................................................................3 What pressure is the gauge at? ............................................................................................................4 Neutral ..............................................................................................................................................4 Neutral position with pressure greater than 600 psi ................................................................................. 4 Possibilities ............................................................................................................................................ 4 Neutral position with pressure less than 600 psi ...................................................................................... 4 Possibilities ............................................................................................................................................ 4 Unload ...............................................................................................................................................5 Unload position with less than 2800 psi .................................................................................................... 5 Possibilities ............................................................................................................................................ 5 Unload position with 2800 psi ................................................................................................................... 5 Possibilities ............................................................................................................................................ 6 Contact us .........................................................................................................................................7
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Safety The Trout River Trailer is not “just a trailer”, it is also a powerful machine with various mechanisms that could be potentially dangerous, the following are some general safety rules pertaining to trout river trailers: • • • • • •
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Never enter trailer with conveyor in operation When conveyor is running be sure to keep all body parts, clothing, etc. clear of inspection doors, conveyor belt, or any other moving parts; failure to do so could result in serious injury Be aware of the tailgate position, and stand clear when opening or closing When trailer is unloading be sure to stand clear of the rear of the trailer, as to not get injured from load exiting the tub Ladder is designed for a maximum of 250 pounds; do not exceed this limit. Top ladder rung is not meant to be a step, it is only there as a “hand-hold”; do not use as a step Trailer hydraulic system is designed to run in access of 2500 psi, this amount of pressure could be very dangerous; always take care when connecting hydraulic lines, that it is done properly, and replace any damaged hydraulic components immediately. Always be sure system pressure is relieved before maintenance o Always connect return line first and disconnect last Air system can also be dangerous, be aware of air lines, that they are not damaged, and relieve system pressure before maintenance When working on the trailer, be sure all power systems are disconnected, unless otherwise instructed or needed Always be aware of present dangers
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A few rules to remember •
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Trailer hydraulic system is designed to run at up to 2800psi@28gpm. Remember this as the “2828 rule” o “psi” stands for Pounds per Square Inch. This is a measurement of pressure. o “gpm” stands for Gallons Per Minute. This is a measurement of flow. o Trailer is equipped with a gauge to check hydraulic pressure o To check if system is running at 28gpm, it must be hooked up to a flowmeter Be sure your hydraulic tank is not empty or low on hydraulic oil A hydraulic system works as a loop. Fluid needs to be supplied, and returned. Power cannot be made without fluid continually flowing in said loop. Be sure BOTH, supply and return, hydraulic lines are connected to the trailer, or else the hydraulic system will not function properly Hydraulic pressure gauge is located either on the supply line at the rear of the trailer, or on the front end of the trailer.
Every step in this manual requires you to know the pressure of the hydraulic system, be sure you know where the gauge is and that it is functioning properly. Some steps may require 2 people
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What pressure is the gauge at? • •
When in “neutral” position? When in “unload” position?
Neutral Neutral position with pressure greater than 600 psi Possibilities •
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Return line is not hooked up properly o When fluid can’t return to the tank, the system will stay pressurized as the pump is still supplying fluid, but the fluid cannot go anywhere o Be sure return line is threaded on properly, not cross threaded, and that it is threaded on all the way Block in the lines, probably on the return side o Inspect the hydraulic lines past the pressure gauge for damages, kinks, or anything else that may restrict flow
Neutral position with pressure less than 600 psi Possibilities • • •
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Problem with pump o Troubleshoot pump Low on hydraulic oil o Check hydraulic oil level Supply line not hooked up properly o If the supply line is not hooked up properly, the valves in the hydraulic couplings may not open, this would result the fluid not entering the trailer hydraulic system o Check supply line connection o Inspect the hydraulic lines before the pressure gauge for damages, kinks, or anything else that may restrict flow Pump key twisted off o This should cause no pressure or flow o Probably caused by excessive pressure, the relief valve may be turned up too high
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Unload Unload position with less than 2800 psi Possibilities • • • • •
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Supply line is not hooked up properly o Check hydraulic connections Pressure is not turned up enough o Try turning up pressure (do not exceed 2800psi) Problem with pump o Troubleshoot pump Low on hydraulic oil o Check hydraulic oil level Possible leak between tank and pump o If a fitting became loose the pump would be sucking air, which would result in a loss of pressure and an increase in pump noise o Check all fittings between tank and pump (The pump sucks from the tank so these connections may not leak fluid out) Pressure relief valve may not be functioning properly o Adjust the pressure while watching the gauge and see if the pressure changes as it is adjusted ▪ Attach a flowmeter, turn relief valve up and down and see if the flow adjusts ▪ if the flow does not substantially decrease as the relief valve setting is increased, the relief valve is at fault and should be cleaned or replaced System may be running hot o If fluid is hot, it may cause slippage at the pump, this can also be caused by oil that is too thin. In normal operation with a good pump, the pump case may run 20 to 30°F more than the tank oil temperature. If greater than this, excessive pump slippage may be the cause. o Check diffuser in tank on return line Pump key twisted off o This should cause no pressure or flow o Probably caused by excessive pressure, this could be that the relief valve is turned up too high
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Unload position with 2800 psi Possibilities • •
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No flow (although the pressure is right, there may be no flow) o Attach pump to flowmeter to ensure pump is operating properly Load is overweight o Temporarily turn up pressure relief past 2800 psi to unload if overweight, although over pressure can cause damage. This is only recommended in emergencies Chain is seized o Check chain for rust o Temporarily turn up pressure relief past 2800 psi to unload if overweight, although over pressure can cause damage. This is only recommended in emergencies
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Contact us
I hope you found this helpful. For any questions regarding this procedure, or to request a different procedure, please contact me.
Luke Hierlihy Dealer support Representative luke@troutriverindustries.ca 902-853-1614 Troutriverindustries.ca