One cylinder fixed. One to go

I posted this on TSBB:

You remember the boom lift I bought? Well, it worked fine before we bought it, then worked great while I was getting the feel for it in my driveway, and learning how to use it, but the first time I actually put it to work on a job, the top cylinder started leaking like crazy. I guess the seals were so old and unused that a little bit of activity was all it took to make them fail.

Well, after three weeks in the shop (for a one-day job!), I finally got the cylinder back this week. Since I have Friday afternoons off, I set to work today, installing the thing back in place. I'm a small, out-of-shape, handicapped, middle-aged weakling, so I had to use my brains to lift the heavy part into place, because my back and muscles weren't up to the job. I hoisted one end with a rope, tied it off, and hoisted the other, then repeated until it was in place. All this for a job that a real man could do by just picking the thing up and putting it in place.

Well, it was finally installed, and I pulled the cord on the Honda motor. That darned thing is a creampuff. It always starts on the first pull.

I was told to fully extend the cylinder a few times to flush out any air bubbles before putting it to work. This required me to use both cylinders, because I had to maneuver around some obstacles. Well, I'd lift it up, and it would come right back down. I repeated, with the same results. I assumed it was because of air that hadn't bleeded yet, and continued to operate the machine. Then I saw the flood of hydraulic fluid... from the OTHER cylinder!!! Janice was right. She said if one had failed, the other would soon follow. I knew she was right, but I hoped to get some use out of the thing before spending yet another $150 to repair the second cylinder. Now I'll have to wait another three weeks before I can replace that upstairs window that's been haunting me for so long!

Pish!!! Well, I knew I was buying a fixer-upper. I was just hoping to use it for a while before putting a lot of work and money into it!

One thing we had hoped to use it for was viewing parades. The Sugar Cane Festival parades were a few weeks ago, but we had to sit on the roof, because the man lift was pooched. Maybe we can have it ready for the Christmas parade.