Discussion:
Forks only go down half way

Hi! I have a c187 s50xl - LPG - w/side shifter forks. The forks only go down half way. I replaced a leaky hose and filled up the reservoir. The forks will go up but still will not lower down passed half way. Any help is appreciated!
  • Posted 22 Mar 2016 10:01
  • By Donnieforks
  • joined 22 Mar'16 - 13 messages
  • California, United States
Showing items 1 - 20 of 26 results.
Unless you are blocking and chaining the mast so it will not come down I would not work anywhere near the front of the forklift. There is no telling with the symptoms that you are describing when it will come down. As bbforks suggested I would call in a service company that knows what they are doing.
  • Posted 29 Mar 2016 22:05
  • By Partsguy5
  • joined 13 Jun'12 - 409 messages
  • California, United States
Hello again I spoke to someone that used to work on forklifts. He mentioned that there possibly is a manual release for the forks. He wasn't certain where it was on the lift but suggested I remove any front cover plate to inspect it. Do you know if there is such a device? Thank you
  • Posted 29 Mar 2016 13:15
  • By Donnieforks
  • joined 22 Mar'16 - 13 messages
  • California, United States
Thanks. Where it's parked, nothing can hurt if the forks lower. I want to sell it, ironically it got stuck the day I was to show it to someone. Figures right?
  • Posted 26 Mar 2016 09:02
  • Modified 26 Mar 2016 09:07 by poster
  • By Donnieforks
  • joined 22 Mar'16 - 13 messages
  • California, United States
DON'T LOVE TAP ANYTHING! If whatever's sticking frees up, the upright 's gonna come down in a hurry. CALL A FORKLIFT COMPANY BEFORE YOU DO ANYTHING ELSE!
  • Posted 26 Mar 2016 08:57
  • By bbforks
  • joined 1 Mar'12 - 1,437 messages
  • Pennsylvania, United States
bbforks (at) Hotmail (dot) com
Customers love technology- until they have to pay to fix it!
B b ,,was not refairing to u ,! P
  • Posted 26 Mar 2016 08:56
  • By DAMO
  • joined 9 Jan'07 - 196 messages
  • DUBLIN, Ireland
One nice thing is that since the carriages up all the way I have real good access to all the control linkage and valves. I did see some more evidence of leaking hoses but as you mentioned the hydraulic fluid capacity wouldn't affect the the forks going down. I'm going to take a rubber mallet and give some love taps on all the valves. Makes it hard to park with the forks 25 feet in the air
  • Posted 26 Mar 2016 08:51
  • By Donnieforks
  • joined 22 Mar'16 - 13 messages
  • California, United States
Well DAMO- sorry it sounds like I don't know what I'm doing. Trying to diagnose a problem on- line & doing my best to cover all bases isn't the easiest thing to do. Why don't you add some input to the conversation rather than back seat drive.
  • Posted 26 Mar 2016 08:34
  • By bbforks
  • joined 1 Mar'12 - 1,437 messages
  • Pennsylvania, United States
bbforks (at) Hotmail (dot) com
Customers love technology- until they have to pay to fix it!
I think u need somebody who knows what there doing ,sounds like ur grasping at straws ,
  • Posted 26 Mar 2016 08:23
  • By DAMO
  • joined 9 Jan'07 - 196 messages
  • DUBLIN, Ireland
Well Don, I'm thinkin its time for a professional to come in & take a look. Don't start removing hydraulic lines with everything up in the air.
The valve in the line is the limit valve- designed to give the upright a " controlled " descent in case of a hydraulic line failure. I've never seen one have this symptom, but there's always a first.
  • Posted 26 Mar 2016 08:20
  • By bbforks
  • joined 1 Mar'12 - 1,437 messages
  • Pennsylvania, United States
bbforks (at) Hotmail (dot) com
Customers love technology- until they have to pay to fix it!
I think there is a lowering control valve between the valve and the cylinder. I don't know what it looks like, maybe next to the cylinder. Maybe something is wrong with that.
  • Posted 26 Mar 2016 07:07
  • By mrfixit
  • joined 11 Dec'08 - 1,434 messages
  • New York, United States
I removed the cover plate for a better view. Tilt valve bore goes up n down. So does the valve for hoist. Still nothing.
  • Posted 26 Mar 2016 06:20
  • By Donnieforks
  • joined 22 Mar'16 - 13 messages
  • California, United States
Your control handles for the hydraulics are on your dash, correct? You should be able to see the linkage that connects the handles to the control valve. Using the tilt handle as a reference, push the tilt handle fully forward & backward & watch how the valve goes fully up & down and in it's bore in the control valve. Do the same with the hoist lever & see what the valve does in it's bore.
Do the above with the engine off & the front if the lift free af any obstacles as the forks may come down.
  • Posted 26 Mar 2016 05:59
  • By bbforks
  • joined 1 Mar'12 - 1,437 messages
  • Pennsylvania, United States
bbforks (at) Hotmail (dot) com
Customers love technology- until they have to pay to fix it!
Yes all 3 cyls are fully extended. Thanks so much for trying.
  • Posted 26 Mar 2016 05:46
  • By Donnieforks
  • joined 22 Mar'16 - 13 messages
  • California, United States
Sounds very odd. An overfull reservoir wouldn't cause it not to lower. I think you might have to call someone in. The condition of sticking forks is a dangerous one. Especially because the reason is unknown. Are all 3 cylinder's fully extended or just the center one?
  • Posted 26 Mar 2016 05:37
  • By bbforks
  • joined 1 Mar'12 - 1,437 messages
  • Pennsylvania, United States
bbforks (at) Hotmail (dot) com
Customers love technology- until they have to pay to fix it!
OK.got a chance to try up and down. Went up all the way and now it's stuck all the way up. The dipstick is very hard to read, would an overfill cause it not to go down? I added fluid until the forks started to go up. Also there are 3 vertical cyls. 2 small dia ones on the sides, 1 lrg center
  • Posted 26 Mar 2016 04:57
  • By Donnieforks
  • joined 22 Mar'16 - 13 messages
  • California, United States
Hello mr. Forks. I had no access to the lift over the past few days. On my way down to check and get back to you right away.
  • Posted 26 Mar 2016 02:42
  • By Donnieforks
  • joined 22 Mar'16 - 13 messages
  • California, United States
YO-Donnie- You're keepin me hangin man???????????????????
  • Posted 26 Mar 2016 02:14
  • By bbforks
  • joined 1 Mar'12 - 1,437 messages
  • Pennsylvania, United States
bbforks (at) Hotmail (dot) com
Customers love technology- until they have to pay to fix it!
Hello again. I am going to check the chains and manually try to push the cylinder down. I will try your suggestions tomorrow. Thank you so much for your help I really appreciate it have a great night.
  • Posted 23 Mar 2016 11:44
  • By Donnieforks
  • joined 22 Mar'16 - 13 messages
  • California, United States
The only other thing I can think of is if the carriage jams in the channels. When the forks stop lowering do the chains go slack? Can you manually push the cyl down (not the carriage) once it stops going down on it's own?
  • Posted 23 Mar 2016 11:35
  • Modified 23 Mar 2016 11:36 by poster
  • By bbforks
  • joined 1 Mar'12 - 1,437 messages
  • Pennsylvania, United States
bbforks (at) Hotmail (dot) com
Customers love technology- until they have to pay to fix it!
I did some reading and everyone said to support the forks. So I used a 55 gallon drum and a block of wood to support the forks. Just to be clear the forks lower down to about the same height as the drum I used to it's not actually halfway. When I raise the forks and then lower it's tops abruptly almost as if there is a stop of some sort. I will try the repeated raising and lowering
  • Posted 23 Mar 2016 10:42
  • By Donnieforks
  • joined 22 Mar'16 - 13 messages
  • California, United States

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