blew top cover off my E-60

[ram]

Hi everyone, very good information here and thanks for letting me in. I have been working on a used meyer 7.5 ft. 2 spring plow with an e-60 pump. Unit has a new motor and new slik stik. I have unit painted up and installed on my 96 f-150, I also installed new shocks and firestone coilrite airbags on front end. This is my first plow, I have driven block trucks with hydraulic boom and made repairs on these trucks for over 30 years. I have rebuilt many cylinders over the years and worked on electric over hydraulic systems. This background helped me get the old meyers running. My 1st problem was plow would not lower or angle right only go up. Reading lead me to installing a new a and c valve and 3 new coils. That fixed all my problems untill I was driving down the road and thought plow was not all the way up. I tapped the up button and plow went straight to the road. When I got out to see what had gone wrong I saw the top cover on lift cylinder had cracked into 3 pieces. I read on here the other day that meyers had a tech line. They do, guy said that pressure relief valve ball seat may not be tight or pressure was too high. Ball seat was a little lose, cleaned broken pieces of aluminum out of lift cylinder and installed new top cover. When I unscrewed pressure adjusting screw out it turned 7 turns. When I put it back in I screwed in 5 turns. I borrowed a 3000 lb gauge and when hit the power it maxed the gauge. I ended up 4 turns in at 1600 lbs. I read on here 1600 to 1650 lbs. Meyer tech said 2000 to 2200 lbs. Plow is working strong at 1600, what do you guys say on pressure. Also every plow I look at around here pump is mounted so lose that you can push it a couple of inches side to side. I feel slight preload on bottom and top mount will keep wear down. Does pump need to be mounted losely? One last ? do the runners or feet on bottom of plow help or hinder? No snow yet here in the Ohio Valley. Sorry for being so long winded and thanks for any response.

[Chuck Smith]

Plow is working strong at 1600, what do you guys say on pressure. Also every plow I look at around here pump is mounted so lose that you can push it a couple of inches side to side. I feel slight preload on bottom and top mount will keep wear down. Does pump need to be mounted losely? One last ? do the runners or feet on bottom of plow help or hinder? No snow yet here in the Ohio Valley. Sorry for being so long winded and thanks for any response.

1600 is fine. No sense in making it work harder. The pump mounting feeling loose is normal. It is due to the mounting holes in the top and bottom of the power unit being machined larger than the 5/8" mounting bolts. Might want to check the hole in the lift arm where it is mounted to the lift ram. JimL posted a great fix for egged out lift arm holes here in this forum. As far as the shoes (skids, feet, runners, anchors, door stops) most here don't use them when plowing pavement. Like I said, most don't use them, but they do reduce wear on the cutting edge. The problem is, they wear pretty quick too, and they are not cheap. The other problem I have had in the past was backdragging with them on, on pavement. A shoe dropped into a small pothole, that then became a bigger pothole. Plow slammed to one side, crossover relief groaned, scared the hell out of me. Shoes came off permanently after that.

That plow blade is old. The ST's went to three trip springs in the 80's. As far as the E-60, be careful with moisture build up in the motor. Look at the bottom of the motor for little plastic plugs. If they have not been removed, take them out. They let water out if it gets in there. Also, you might want to pull the brush cover on the motor and take a look, to make sure all is OK in there. The carbon brush springs rust and eventually snap. Better to catch it before they do. Seal the cover with a very thin bead of silicone when you put it back on. Make sure you cover the screw heads too.

Welcome aboard.

~Chuck

[ram]

Thanks Chuck, its a newer motor, I have not noticed any plastic plugs but I will look at that and also check brushes. I you ever heard of top cover blowing apart like that?

Bought the plow for $800.00 from a nice old guy that was picking up parts to build a plow. Basket case, laid around in garage for years. I think someone must have had there fingers in the pressure valve and screwed in to far. I hope that was problem.

I am taking the runners off and will throw them in truck. My driveway is gravel, they keep plow off gravel but runners dig into gravel anyway.

Thanks again, I know I am going to learn here.

[Chuck Smith]

you ever heard of top cover blowing apart like that?



Over the years there have been a few posts about it. Not often, but a few. Unlike a "normal" hydraulic ram, the lift ram on a Meyer pump has no packing nut. So instead of a steel nut or ring at the end of the stroke, there is the aluminum cap that holds it all together. With a giant hole in the center..... If I recall correctly, the others that blew happened without the plow on.

~Chuck

[SnoForce]

Another thing to check is making sure the plow is hitting the stops before the ram is fully extended. If it isn't hitting the stops the ram is forced against the top causing it to break. I know been there done that. Thanks to Jerre Heyer for the valuable info . John

[ram]

Another thing to check is making sure the plow is hitting the stops before the ram is fully extended. If it isn't hitting the stops the ram is forced against the top causing it to break. I know been there done that. Thanks to Jerre Heyer for the valuable info . John


That might be my problem. I may have too much slack in chain.

Thanks Randy

[ram]

I may still have some problems. The mounting carton I picked up used was for a F-250. We cut 2 inches off the bottom and raised mount up for ground clearance on my F-150. Last night I adjusted my chain. Ram was hitting top cover before stops were hitting. To center of hole in ram to top cover plate measures 7.5 inches maximum extension. I have to adjust chain with very little slack so stops hit and ram has 7 inches of extension. This must also mean that I bought a used E-60H. Everything seems ok for now. I hope there is enough slack in chain to compensate for ground rolling away from plow. Any ideas? Thanks for listening. Randy

[ram]

I just got an idea, if I were to weld a piece of 1/2 inch steel to say bottom stop, that may get me more slack in chain. Thanks for any advice.

[Chuck Smith]

I think the problem was more the incorrect pump adjustment. I never heard of the top cover blowing on an E-47, and I have no stops on mine. It is the old conventional mount though. My brother who plows like a maniac did a lot of things (read broke, bent etc) and he never blew a top cover off. He did have the plow trip once and have the motor literally fall off the E-60. It's a heavy motor to be mounted sideways with two little screws.

Keep in mind you can't have too much slack in the chain or the plow won't lift high enough to be transported angled. Meyer recommends 1 link of slack, I always have 2 links. I know you are saying slack in chain, but I think you mean limit the stroke of the lift ram so it does not top out....

~Chuck

[ram]

Thank you Chuck,

Yes I mean limit the stroke of ram, had at least 3 links, stops were not hitting and ram had reached full travel.

I may just be paranoid now. Have alot of time in this plow and want it right so I can forget about it and go to next thing on list or maybe wife's list. I do not intend to plow for other people. I live in country, long driveway, we own a small business and my dad at 82 years of age plows a 400 foot driveway with an old 14 hp economy tractor. Dad does not want any help but I plan on stopping by if we get 6" or more. Thanks for everyone's help. Randy