Hydraulic Ram Pressure

[oldparker]

I have a 60 ton hollow ram for a Porta-power. Can someone please tell me how to determine how many tons of pressure I am getting when I have to get to the 15 tons of pressure installing D2 sprockets, and the 20 tons installing a D2 steering clutch pack? Thanks, John

[ROME/KG]

You will have to install a pressure gauge at the pump on the pressure line to the ram. Use a liquid filled gauge with at least 150,000 lbs psi plus pressure reading.

[Bruce P]

After you get the gauge installed then figure out how many square Inches your ram is. Then mutiply what your gauge reads, in pounds, by your square inches. Do your math ahead of time so you know where to stop. Hope this helps,

Bruce

[Old Magnet]

If it's like my 60 ton hollow cylinder or others it's pretty straight forward.
If it is driven by a 10,000 psi hand pump as most of them are then the 60 ton would be developed at the 10,000 psi maximum pressure.
At 5,000 psi you have 30 ton, at 2,500 psi you have 15 ton and so on......
You need a pressure gauge that reads at least 10,000 psi or a little more so you are not maximizing the gauge, probably a 15,000 psi rating would be best.

It is even possible to get a gauge rated in tons to match your cylinder/pump, usually sourced from the cylinder/pump manufacturer.

[bob]

Old Parker!!!!!! Don't press steering clutch hubs on anymore than 10 ton or you will split them.
Later Bob

[bruce oz]

hello ,the service book shows 15 tons for both sprocket and steering clutch hubs ,bruce oz

[Old Magnet]

Might as well add this 1956 chart to the mix.
Would agree it would be a good idea to back off to no more than 12.5 ton on the clutch hubs.

[bob]

Sorry for the way I said that. I have split 4 hubs. The first two when I didn't know the spec was wrong. I don't know why the second two split but both where on the same machine. They pressed on okay to 10 tons but split when tightening up the nuts. I hate to see anyone ruin parts, especially hard to get parts. Also the splines must be dry, oil will increase the force you get per ton.
Later Bob

[OzDozer]

Bob is right, and when Bob speaks .. you listen carefully. The tonnages for installation have been modified over the years, and the old charts are often declared obsolete by Cat. Bob is not only speaking from Cat recommendations, he speaks from vast experience fixing Cats.
I'll have to see what Cat literature I can find where the tonnage recommendations were modified.
The problem is, a lot of this technical info stuff is buried .. in, say, one paragraph in Service Literature, that says previous recommendations are obsolete .. and which paragraph, you need to find ..