saw blades - what you need

Posted on: 12 August 2015

Restoring and reselling old warehouse equipment is a good way to reuse old materials so they don't end up in the scrap yard, and to make a little extra money. Replacing the hydraulic pump on a pallet jack is a very easy procedure that amateur do-it-yourselfers should be able to do without any trouble. Here is how you can replace the hydraulic pump.

You Will Need:

• New Hydraulic Pump
• Ratchet Set
• Crescent Wrench
• Allen Wrench Set
• Snap-Ring Pliers

Removing Old Pump

Here are the steps you should take to remove the hydraulic pump:

1. Flip the pallet jack onto its side, so you can get at the bolt holding the pallet jack steering wheel to the bottom of the pump.
2. Remove the bolt holding the wheel in place to the bottom of the pump. The nut might spin around as you loosen the bolt with your ratchet. If this happens, securely attach your crescent wrench to nut and hold it steady so it won't spin. Remove the bolt and the wheel.
3. You need to remove the snap-ring holding the bottom of the pump's piston to the jack's bottom bracket. Take your snap-ring pliers and place the tips into the two holes on the snap-ring. Separate the handle on the pliers to spread open the snap-ring. Slide the snap-ring off of the piston.
4. The top pin of the pump is inserted into the frame of the pallet jack. You need to loosen the screw securing the pin to the frame with an Allen wrench. Loosen the screw until you can slide the pin out of the frame.
5. Slide the pump pin out of the frame, twist the pump away from the frame, and then slide the bottom of the piston out of the bracket.

Installing New Pump

Make sure you have a pump specifically designed for your particular pallet jack. Here is how you install the new pump.

• You should grease the bearings on the pump with a molybdenum or silicon-based grease before you slide the piston back into the bracket. This will keep the bearings lubricated and prevent them from freezing up after prolonged usage of the pallet jack.
• Slide the bottom of the piston into the bracket, twist the pump so the pin faces the top of the frame, and then slide the top pin into the frame.
• Replace the snap-ring.
• Put the wheel back on.

Turn the pallet jack back over and pump the handle to see if the piston rises up and down. You should also move a loaded pallet to make sure the new hydraulic pump can handle the pressure of the weight. For more information about pallet jacks, contact Garland's Inc. or a similar company.