Hydraulic Oil Change on a 2005 tri-axle Sterling dump truck

Discussion in 'Tanker, Bulk and Dump Trucking Forum' started by Menke, May 8, 2022.

  1. Menke

    Menke Bobtail Member

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    Apr 28, 2022
    Tennessee
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    Bought a 2005 tri-axle Sterling dump truck, and need to change the hydraulic oil. Can anyone tell me how to change the hydraulic oil and fill it back up. I can't get to the tank to refill it once it is drained unless the bed is up. My oil is milky and i am pretty sure its not been changed in a long time. I also have a cylinder that is mis-staging when it is coming back down. I have tried bleeding the cylinder but it still does it. Any help will be greatly appreciated.
     
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  3. W923

    W923 Heavy Load Member

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    Feb 28, 2022
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    Gotta love those settups
    I would probably open the bleader on the cylinder and take the hose off and lift the bed with another machine that way you can get all of the oil out. Usually milky oil is caused by water getting mixed into it. If it’s foamy but will clear up after setting a while it’s probably air. Is something leaking that’s causing these problems. Based on the complaint about the misstaging cylinder I would assume that something is leaking. I would recommend correcting this before changing 30 or more gallons of oil to have it getting ruined.
     
  4. Lazer

    Lazer Road Train Member

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    Double check for an access door or panel, that would give you sight of the reservoir tank fill cap when the bed is down.
     
  5. AModelCat

    AModelCat Road Train Member

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    Can't pump it in with a small pump?
     
  6. Oxbow

    Oxbow Road Train Member

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    Can you raise the bed, set safety stops and lower it on to them, un-pin the top of the ram and let the ram contract, and then drain and refill? Support the ram somehow laterally to lower it after un-pinning. I might drain and refill a bit, then drain to cycle the old out of the pump too.
     
  7. wis bang

    wis bang Road Train Member

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    Could the manufacturer design it to be hidden with the body down?

    I'd bet the milky condition and the non functioning stage may be related
     
  8. baha

    baha Road Train Member

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    Have you had a chance to get a 1/2 or 1/4 of a load in it and raise up and hold it up to look for any leaks between the stages?
     
    Badmon Thanks this.
  9. Menke

    Menke Bobtail Member

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    Apr 28, 2022
    Tennessee
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    Thanks for all the suggestions. The tank is right behind the cab in the middle under the bed when it is down. It doesn't have a site glass to see how much is in it. I have ran several loads in it and have not seen any leaks anywhere. I have bled the cylinder a few times and when I do it only has a little bit of air in it each time before fluid starts coming out. I may just have to take it to a shop and see if they can change the fluid in it. I don't really have the resources to do it by myself. I could drain the tank but I wouldn't be able to get to it to fill it back up and wouldn't be able to see how much is in the tank.
     
    baha Thanks this.
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