This may not be very specific to my Chevy 1.5 ton but I thought I'd ask, as I'm sure there are quite a few folks familiar with lifts.
I've got a short wheelbase '59 Viking 40 that has a dump bed on it. For what I know, everything looks to be there: PTO enclosure, cable to tranny, cable to PTO and the hydraulic lift itself.
Problem is, I don't know many details on maintenance or how it works...and I'd rather learn than guess
I've got the basics: pull the cable that goes to the transmission to disengage the input shaft from the truck's driveline and engage the PTO shaft. Engine powers PTO for the pump. I'm guessing the other cable is pulled to control how much/fast fluid is supplied to the lift, causing it to extend. Pushing it 'closed' would prevent forward fluid flow and allow the lift to contract.
Can anyone point me to a good primer on a setup that would be similar to what I have? I'm curious on how to change fluid, etc.
A little about what I've observed: There is one massive line (maybe 1-1.5" in diameter) from the PTO to the 'fixed' end of the piston; not a long run, maybe half a foot? Then there's a longer, more flexible line, about 1/2" in diameter that runs from the PTO up toward the far end of the piston. This line is cut...or possibly cracked, as it is currently in two pieces. It looks more like someone cut the line to me. It'd be good to replace the line as a whole anyway, as it doesn't seem to be as flexible as it should be. There is also a very long cable that is attached to the same lever on the PTO as the cab-cable. I'm guessing that as the bed lifts, the cable tightens and prevents the lift (or bed) from overextending. Sort of a self-shutoff.
No rush on this, I'm mainly curious at this point! There's a few other things I've got to work on first...like getting the truck to stop and start on its own (in that order...however tempting it is to work on the engine! :-D)
Thanks!!
--Denney
