# Portable hydraulic unit



## MT hayer (Mar 1, 2014)

I am looking for, or am going to make a portable hydraulic unit. I am thinking with an electric motor, so I could use a generator or welder to run it. I could also use it in the shop and not need a tractor. 
The reason is when I go to move some equipment, it never fails it is down or not folded up. It would be nice to put this in the back of a pickup, and go move the piece, and not need to go find a tractor. I don't really want another gas engine to maintain. It doesn't have to be a high flow, but certainly 3000 psi or so.

Any ideas or thoughts on this would be great, thanks!????


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## Tx Jim (Jun 30, 2014)

Why not utilize an elect/hyd unit similar to my flat bed hay spear on my pickup? This unit states 3200 psi on port A. $232.99 This unit should cycle any double acting cylinder fine.


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## MT hayer (Mar 1, 2014)

Tx Jim, I sure have thought about one of them, yes. It is certainly an option. I have one for the jack on my swather trailer and works ok. They don't like regular hydraulic fluid like a tractor would have. The duty cycle on mine any way is not very long, as it will get quite warm.

I would rather have the 110 unit, and hopefully regular hydraulic oil will work in them. I have a disc and other pieces that wing up so with a small gallon per minute, they have to run a long time. I just think it would be handy.

The unit you show with the valve and everything in one is really nice. Many people had them on bale beds up here years ago. More then light use and cold weather, your batteries go down hill and very slow compared to a pump on the engine. Occasional use they work great! If I put a pump on each pickup for a just in case use, would be expensive! Thanks jim


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## Tx Jim (Jun 30, 2014)

I understand that weather isn't as cold here as Montana but I've utilize my bale spear bed nearly everyday to move rd bales & it has moved many bales even in 1 day since I installed it in 2010. I know the instructions stated to use auto trans oil but I never dreamed hyd wouldn't be fine in it.


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## Farmineer95 (Aug 11, 2014)

Repurpose a Craigslist portable wood splitter?


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## MT hayer (Mar 1, 2014)

I am not opposed to the idea. Never been around a wood splitter. They make them in an electric motor style or just engine driven? It just has to have a 3000 psi system and at least 2 gallon a minute pump. What do you think?


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## Farmineer95 (Aug 11, 2014)

3000 psi yes, but mostly engine driven. Some have a 2 stage pump where it has a higher flow up to say 1000 or 1500 psi? Then flow reduces and pressure goes up. It will likely have a large enough reservoir. Keep in mind when building your portable pump you may need a larger tank because of the different oil capacities of of a cylinder (rod retracted vs extended).
Look at a car hoist pump similar to Jim's trailer pump but 110v. Northern Tool online maybe.


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## Tx Jim (Jun 30, 2014)

Farmineer95 said:


> It will likely have a large enough reservoir. Keep in mind when building your portable pump you may need a larger tank because of the different oil capacities of of a cylinder (rod retracted vs extended).
> .


Double acting cylinders don't require a very large reservoir because the cylinders serve as a portion of the reservoir. My J&I bale spear bed has two 2-1/2 X 10 cylinders to operate the spears. The reservoir on a wood splitter also serves as an hyd oil cooler which wouldn't be required just to raise/lower an implement.


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## slowzuki (Mar 8, 2011)

I use regular hydraulic fluid in mine on my tilt bed. Plumbed the cylinders with quick connects so I could raise implements. So far haven’t used but did tilt the trailer with the tractor when I had a dead battery.


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## Farmineer95 (Aug 11, 2014)

Tx Jim said:


> Double acting cylinders don't require a very large reservoir because the cylinders serve as a portion of the reservoir. My J&I bale spear bed has two 2-1/2 X 10 cylinders to operate the spears. The reservoir on a wood splitter also serves as an hyd oil cooler which wouldn't be required just to raise/lower an implement.


Understood. If this unit is for unfolding/ lowering a field cultivator or other implement with multiple large cylinders on more than one circuit, the gallon or 2 of oil might run short.


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## Tx Jim (Jun 30, 2014)

Farmineer95 said:


> Understood. If this unit is for unfolding/ lowering a field cultivator or other implement with multiple large cylinders on more than one circuit, the gallon or 2 of oil might run short.


 Shouldn't run out of oil if the cylinders are double acting type cylinders IE oil leaves one end pf cylinder while oil enters opposite end of cylinder


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## Gearclash (Nov 25, 2010)

Tx Jim said:


> Shouldn't run out of oil if the cylinders are double acting type cylinders IE oil leaves one end pf cylinder while oil enters opposite end of cylinder


The rod takes up some volume. Extending a hydraulic ram with a 2" rod and a 73" stroke would require 1 gallon of oil from a reservoir, even if it was double acting.


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## Tx Jim (Jun 30, 2014)

I didn't consider a 6' long cylinder so you're correct in needing a larger reservoir.


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