Thwaites Tusker Hydraulic fail

[MartinC]

Hello CMN!

Since April i'm a proud owner of an old Thwaites Tusker 30cwt Dumper with an hydraulic three-way tipper. Since some days, the hydraulic system seems to loose power and this morning it did no longer work at all.

After unloading the trough by hand i tried it again and it seems to move a little bit. I think there is air in the hydraulic system.

Does anyone know how to "bleed" the system and get ist back working? Is there any kind of manual available?

Thanks and best regards from Germany,
Martin

https://www.gutwalbig.de/der-dumper/

[essexpete]

When you operate the hydraulics is the engine speed pulled down?

Assume you have checked fluid level so I wonder if there is a suction strainer in the tank?

[Jeremy Rowland]

Hi Martin and welcome from what you have said, and I am guessing here, it sounds like you have a low hydraulic oil level? Someone on here should be able to help you with better advice.

Jeremy

[MartinC]

Thanks for your replies? Could it be so easy? I will check the oil level again asap. Does anyone know how „full“ the tank must be? I did not see an indicator mark…

When i am operating the lever, the engine is not pulled down. Simple nothing happens.

Regards, Martin

[MartinC]

Oh, that's embarrassing! I refilled three litres of oil and the hydraulics work again. However, I noticed that oil leaks from the pressure equalisation opening. Probably a hose is porous. I still have to investigate that.
Regards, Martin

[MartinC]

Good news - I‘ve managed to fix it!

After replacing a leaky hose (I think it‘s the tube which returns the unused oil to the tank) I found another „wet“ place. After I tightened the nut holding the supply tube on the pump (second picture, left), the hydraulic works like never before!

Thank you for pointing me in the right direction!

Regards,
Martin