I switched from a manual to a hydraulic leveling system and it cost me a day and a half on a job site

I've been running a 50-ton Grove for 15 years and always swore by manual outriggers. Last month I got a call to set HVAC units on a rooftop in downtown Austin and the spot was tight. The hydraulics on the rental I used kept creeping down even after I set the brakes, and I spent 8 hours re-leveling between picks. I learned that clean hydraulic fluid and fresh seals matter way more than I ever gave them credit for. Has anyone else had trouble with creep on a newer machine, or was it just that rental being beat up?

2 comments

2 Comments

riley_price21d ago

Man, I gotta push back on that a bit. I've run hydros for years and never had creep unless the machine was legit abused or the fluid was dirty. @terrywilson is probably right about the water in the oil, but I think it's more about the seals wearing out from neglect than just humidity. A day and a half sounds like a nightmare, but I've seen guys skip the daily fluid check and then blame the machine. Maybe it's just me but I'd bet that rental sat around for months with the fluid never tested, and that's a rental problem, not a hydraulic problem. Manual jacks have their own headaches with leveling in tight spots, so I'd rather deal with a fluid flush than crawl under a crane in downtown traffic.

terrywilson21d ago

Honestly that 'creeping down' issue sounds like the rental had water in the hydraulic oil from humidity buildup.