TOPIC: Power Lift

Picked this baby up today and am on a mission to identify it. I haven't cleaned it up yet, but can tell it's a Power Lift brand. Doesn't look like any of the current models, at least with a quick search. I may disassemble it to clean it well, then see how it works, or may just try putting power to it, and see what happens. It's filthy, so over the next few weeks I'll be cleaning and playing with it.

Is it the kind of thing I might want to put on the Power Cat if I get it working?

Any ideas what model it is, and/or where I could find more technical info on it?

Thanks!

Frank

That's the one that was on Craigslist Frank?

Looked like a good deal.

Sure enough Bill. It was an excellent deal, no question about it! Real nice guy too.

Three wires, I assume the black is ground and blue and green are either up or down. Motor works both ways, but piston doesn't move. Need to clean it up some and figure out why the piston isn't moving. Good chance something is bad. Looks like it came from saltwater too.

Frank

Nice find, Frank. It looks like a VERY early CMC Power Lift. www.cook-mfg.net/ If your cleaning uncovers any numbers, CMC may be able to answer any questions, supply parts, etc. Good luck, hope it works with very little fussing.

BTW... check the fluid level.

Thanks Kerry!

This baby is pretty knarly, but at least I know what end is what - barnacles are on the bottom...

I get a chance I'll play with it tonight. I think 1st things 1st. Disassemble and clean, so it's not knarly, then start trouble-shooting. Gonna be interesting pulling apart...

Frank

looked like a good deal for the lo-doe Frank.

I agree Jim. We'll see how it goes. If I can get it working, I'll need some kind of adapter to attach my old narrow clamp motor to it I think. One thing at a time!

Frank

no adapter you should be able to use the bolt holes in the transom clamp you have and bolt it on (3 per side). Maybe a small piece of wood or something for the clamps but otherwise rely on the bolts.

That's down the road a bit Jim, but thanks man, appreciate it. Merc is on a stand in my shop right now, have some work to do on it. Way things are going, maybe I should just concentrate on that first! Actually, I have to lift it off the stand to remove the clamps and can check it out while it's swinging on my engine hoist. Maybe this weekend.

Frank

Started pulling it apart. Motor was easy to take off, 3 bolts and 2 brake lines. Big side bolt (1 1/8" heads) are kind of a bear to get started, but once started, not bad. Got a number of pins to punch out, but they are just under 1/2". I think they're steel pins in aluminum, but not sure. Need to come up with a way to get them out. Hole is bigger than 7/16, but will look for a punch that size, or make something up.

Motor works, but I think the piston is froze, so don't want to run the motor much till I can get the piston out.

Frank

I bet these babies been in there 40 years if they've been in there a day. Tried pounding them out, no luck at all. Cleaned around the rim, blew it out, and hit it with PB Blaster, gonna let it soak. Any suggestions for getting these babies out?

Once they're out, the unit comes apart.

Frank

Frank,
There are many ways to get something done, and others may be along with other ideas, but here are some I have used.
Assuming it's aluminium I would heat it with a torch. I would also find a piece of 1/2 diameter steel to use as a punch. Chamfer the edge so it won't dig into the aluminium as it goes through. Ideally you would machine a guide pin on the end to keep the punch centered on the pin when you start out, but it looks like they are depressed enough to keep the punch in place.
It would also help to have someone with a Vise-grips holding the punch so you could hammer more easily.
If you have an air chisel you can make a tool that can hammer the homemade punch. Grind off the end of a muffler tool for an air chisel. See the photo.
High frequency blows tend to break things loose better than one sustained push. It breaks the oxidation bond. I use mine to break things loose like that a lot.
The key is having enough heat to expand the aluminium quickly before the pin can expand also. That helps break the bond and enlarges the hole.
An oxy-acetylene torch with a rose-bud tip is ideal. See photo. Next would be a big propane torch plumbers use to thaw pipes. Last would be one or more, hopefully more, hand held propane torches.
Safety glasses for all involved as the homemade steel punch is soft and metal splinters are possible.

Plan B would be to try and drill them out. Free hand would be difficult. You will need a big drill motor. Better yet would be a drill press. Start with a drill bit that is slightly larger than the hole in the pin. Use plenty of oil. Keeping upping the drill size until you can take a sharp punch and peel the remaining pin material out. That should preserve the hole diameter.

You always need a plan C. Here is a Plan C, but I hesitate to describe it as it can bite back badly.
Plan C would be to cut the punch to about the same length as the pin for safety, find a good sized hydraulic jack, and find something the jack can't lift. Maybe a bulldozer, an eighteen wheeler, a basement beam?
Support the assembly so you wan't crack it, set up the jack and punch, and then heat the casting quickly. Use the jack as a press. You might get lucky.
I always have better luck with heat and vibration than my 20 ton press.
Be careful with this setup. Keep anything used for transfer of push from the jack to above it as short and straight as possible. It can be spit out like a bullet if it gets crooked, so keep your head well above the jack.
Good luck with your project.

Boy, those are EXCELLENT suggestions, thanks!

I think I'll try suggestion #1 first. I have some 1/2" steel stock around and could do that. I also have a monster floor drill press that will go down to 250 rpm, so maybe suggestion #2 next. Gee, maybe suggestion #2 1st...

I have a good friend who has suggested I bring it over and he'll press them out (suggestion #3).

I'll keep y'all posted, but thanks again, great ideas.

Frank

Got it apart! Let it soak in PB Blaster overnight, made up a wood block this morning, used a deep 1/4" drive socket that fit real well, 3# sledge, bingo! Thanks for the tips all. This will make it easy to keep disassembling. Pins are still in the block of fir (2 in each end), will split it tonight when I get home to rescue the pins.

Frank

It's a vintage CMC PL-65. Last piece I was cleaning had this black rectangle. Some PO had obviously done some painting. I was able to carefully scrape enough off to verify it. I emailed Cook Mfg. to see if they have a manual for one of these babies. We'll see if they respond.



Got it about ready to test, trying to figure out how to get it upright for a test. With lines on but not tightened, piston rod moves up and down but not easy like when a line is detached. Need to get it upright, tighten the three long threaded rods that hold the piston end cap, tighten the lines, fill with oil, put power to it, see what happens. I know the motor works, it's now a question of the pump.

If I can get this baby working, I wonder how to integrate my PT&T with it, and also wonder how or if I can get a low water pickup for the old Merc? Don't know much about this stuff.

Thanks!

Frank

and also wonder how or if I can get a low water pickup for the old Merc? Don't know much about this stuff.

Frank you wont need to jack it so high that you are in need of a low water pickup, & if you do want to get ALL you can get out of it by jacking her that far up you need to drop another $3-500 for a surface piercing prop a chopper or cleaver to take advantage of the height increase and with your hull & a jackplate I would upgrade the prop

additionally you should look into a water pressure gauge if your going to start jacking her up searching for mph
this searching for mph is where you start dropping the cash, a jackplate, PT&T, Hi Perf SS Prop, LWP nosecones etc can exceed the cost of our old rigs

Michael, a few inches of lift is really all I'm looking for right now. I want to integrate it with my PT&T, and would like some suggestions for wiring it, i.e., does it need relays or solenoids? How does the lift limiter work, i.e., it's got two wires - what do they hook to?

My son tried leaning on the lift to keep it from moving and it moved him...

Frank
you will need a relay are you good with an ohm meter so you can determine when the relay is open when you throw a 2 pole momentary switch etc etc to make a generic harness most likely a 50amp relay but you need the manufacturers specs really
once you factor in all the parts and materials to make a harness you might just be better off buying a harness with the relays wired in from CMC

I emailed CMC this morning for info about the unit Michael. We'll see if and when they reply. I have all the wiring stuff here and would rather make my own harness anyways, do that stuff all the time. I'll figure something out. I like the way my PT&T is set up with a couple solenoids, I could use that as an example. Not much different really.

Frank