36 replies to this topic

[liftmech]

More pictures- I forgot to mention how much wear we're seeing as we disassemble the monster. These are of the driveshaft-upper shaft coupling. We used a 150-ton ram and lots of heat to remove the coupling, and when it came off, we saw what we had been fighting.

1) face view of shaft galling (galling is when metal peels off in chunks like this).
2) side view.
3) inside of coupling- hard to see, but look near the bottom of the inside bore and you'll see streaks and burrs.
4) the rig we were using to push out the bolts. It's a 1.5"-thick plate with three 24mm bolts holding it in place, with a 25-ton ram to press bolts. Since I took the photo we added a 4x4 box beam held down by two 30mm bolts for added strength, and replaced the 25-ton ram with a 60-ton. Three bolts failed to respond to this treatment and we broke one of the 24mm bolts in the process. 120,000 pounds per square inch is a lot of force.

Attached File(s)

•  galled_mainshaft.jpg (205.92K)
  Number of downloads: 36
•  galled_mainshaft_side_view.jpg (122.76K)
  Number of downloads: 23
•  galled_coupling.jpg (177.8K)
  Number of downloads: 25
•  all_this_and_they_still_didn__t_budge.jpg (117.44K)
  Number of downloads: 40

[Kicking Horse]

Well John Look @ it this way,

@ least it won't fall a part.......

[liftmech]

True that... but I want it to come apart so we can finish the project before we open

[liftmech]

Alrighty- Everything's finally apart. The bullwheel is floating off two lifting beams we stuffed in the terminal, and I've got new bearing seals installed in their plates. Today we're finishing cleaning all the parts, and Tuesday we start putting it all back together. I've got pictures, but we're in the process of moving so the camera cable got packed already...

[liftmech]

Found the camera cable.

Attached File(s)

•  shaft_came_back.jpg (135.15K)
  Number of downloads: 39
•  sneaky_boom_operator.jpg (173.76K)
  Number of downloads: 29
•  upper_shaft_in_shop.jpg (184.08K)
  Number of downloads: 42

[liftmech]

Attached File(s)

•  missing_parts.jpg (157.52K)
  Number of downloads: 39
•  more_flaming.jpg (127.52K)
  Number of downloads: 33

[Bill]

Nice snow shot from the first one. :)

[liftmech]

Thanks. It didn't exactly make for a pleasant working environment, but we got it done. We're still waiting on 15 gallons of synthetic 80-90 for the gearbox, and today we'll tie up a few loose ends, but we're ready to move the lift again. By the time everything is finished (either today or Tuesday) it will have been two months since the project began.

[Kicking Horse]

don't you need the oil before the lift can be moved?

[Allan]

I don't know about this particular box, but our YANs have a 95 gallon capacity, so if he's just waiting for 15, I would say there is a bunch of oil in the box already so it could be run.

[liftmech]

We don't think we can run it, actually. It holds 70 gallons or so, but most of that is in a reservior below the main box and the nosecone/splitter box  splitter_box.jpg (142.41K)
Number of downloads: 43
is above that level. So we need the full capacity to get any into the nosecone, otherwise it will run dry for as long as it takes for the pump to prime the system.

[Allan]

Ahh Ok, I didn't think that 15 gallons would make too much of a difference... I forgot that 15 gal is 56 liters :)

[liftmech]

Yup- although in most boxes it wouldn't make much of a difference, as you say.
A wrap-up of the project: everything related to the driveshafts and gearbox is done; all I've got remaining is to rebuild the emergency brakes (which we had to remove to work on the driveshaft) and I can run the lift. The shaft is no longer blue, but black, and the upper shaft between the bearings and bullwheel is all nice 'n' shiny :---: I wonder how long it will stay that way? We broke several 3/4" drive ratchets, extensions, and sockets; one 3/4-ton chain hoist; ruined many slings, and generally caused mayhem. We even have a 'table of carnage' in the office that showcases our destructive talents, with all the busted stuff on it So there you have it- a somewhat long and involved project that most skiers will never notice.

[Bill]

Time for line work... :)

[liftmech]

Yessir. It's now snowing with several inches on the ground, but we can't blow it off and wait for a nicer day any longer. Because of the length of this project, we still have two-and-a-half lifts to fly (we did the grease lap on the Flyer already but didn't change any sheaves).

[liftmech]

A postscript: The lift runs like a champ and we seem to have eliminated an annoying rumble that was only heard upon startup. The yokes on the driveshaft were not aligned when we removed it (now they are) so we think that was the problem. All done now.