How not to die under an HD6G loader

Hi gals & guys,

I have noticed that working on the motor of my HD6G is a huge pain with the loader in the resting position.

I have also noted that the bucket can be raised and will hold itself up for several days.

Nevertheless, I simply dont trust it to stay up, or someone to not come bump the hydraulic control. If it came down with my head under the hood in would easily chop me in two.

So, is there a pin someone can insert somwhere. That mechanicaly keeps it suspended. I assume that OSHA did't regulate such things back then, but i doubt there were many mechanics that would trust it even when it was knew!

Ideas appreciated.

Sincerely,

Leo
New HD6G owner.

I assume you mean to clamp it around the cylinder shaft, with ends resting against the clevis on one end and the body end cap on the other?

Something like this i assume


http://www.emersonjacks.com/products/safety-equipment/cl-30-safety-cylinder-locks

Thanks Eric,

It seams as if I take a lot less chances sice the birth of my son. He has probably saved my life at least a half dozen times when I would have otherwise thought to take a short cut "because it will never happen to me". At most I have probably lost an hour or three cumulative by skiping those half dozen short cuts.

I have a piece of box tube that would work if i cut off one side. Walls look to be 1/4" thick. I was thinking a couple of grade eight bolts maybe at each end and one in the middle should do the job.

What do you guys think? Should i make one or two?

Leo

The box tube would work good to make a support from. One is common, but having two may give you more piece of mind if you were going to be under it for extended projects or if kids are around. Look at where the end sets on the cylinder gland when you build them. I don't know what the glands of your cylinders look like and this may not be an issue. Make sure they set flat when loaded and don't crush any raised areas of the gland, you might have to make a custom foot to fit the gland.

New Idea,

What does everyone think of mounting some high pressure valves on the drain side of the cylinders right at the cylinders.

Better yet mount them on both sides. Then when you lift the bucket simply shut off the valves. The only way the bucket could come down is if both the cylinder valve and the hydraulic controll failed on both sides. I suppose the seals on the piston could also fail, but you would still have the added displacement of the rod going back into the cylinder to hold it back unless the rod seals also failed.

Thats a lot of stuff to fail before the bucket could accidentally come down on you.

Just now thinking of this, it could be a big issue glad taking the safe route

Edited by DougG - 31 Dec 2018 at 9:06am

Use the KISS acronym. Keep It Simple Stupid! Don't add a bunch of valves. That will give you at least 8 more connections that could leak. A simple cylinder stop made out of a u channel is more than sufficient. I run heavy equipment for a living. Most of the ones that come with our equipment is a simple u channel with one pin in the middle. The pin is just to hold it in place. If the cylinder settles or a seal fails, all stress will be longitudinal trying to compress the channel from the ends. No actual leverage trying to pull it out of place to warrant anymore than one pin in the middle or one at each end, if the ends of the channel sit squarely on the cylinder housing and the clevis end.

Great advise everyone and much valued. I worked construction back in the 70’s and surrounded be heavy equipment daily. I was a pipe layer on crew working on underground projects. Have seen many short cuts made and safety overlooked. These comments are critical in a literal way.

Check out the photos on 'Recovering HD-21G for collection' on this page for angle iron supports.

My uncle had a john deere 400 backhoe. The deere mechanic was working on the wabble stick and decided to pull on the leavers while standing on the ground . He was crushed between the boom and out rigger . He was layed to rest a few days latter.

Here's a picture of a cylinder support that is on one of our loaders at work. The black part is the bolt that holds it in place. Kinda hard to see, but if you can see the but welded on the top left, that is what holds it in place when in use.
Hmmm, for some reason pic is turned. Left is top.

Edited by truckerfarmer - 12 Jan 2019 at 9:50pm

I think it is like mentioned in my ford  8n tractor manual .it states always lower the draw bars when done because some one or by it self can come down un anounced and take some one out. they also say there are only two safty features the ign key and your brain .