ESCO - Tire Changing Equipment

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Test
Monday, May 9th, 2011 07:59 AM - By Andy Mathys
Posted in category Technical Articles

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The preview of the article goes here.Test

ESCO 10455 jack stands
Monday, May 9th, 2011 08:10 AM - By Andy Mathys
Posted in category New Products

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ESCO Model #10455 Jack Stands

If you are a customer that currently uses a 22 ton service jack then you may want to consider owning a set of ESCO 10455 22 ton jack stands.

It is not uncommon for a service person to jack up a load to do service work and have the jack sustain the load until the work is completed. That can turn into a dangerous way to work. It can be very difficult to keep the load centered on the lifting point of the jack for any length of time. The actual lifting areas on these types of jacks are relatively small and it doesn’t take much for the load to shift to the outer edge. When this happens you can have damage to the jack which in turn can put the service person in harm’s way.

An inexpensive solution to this potential problem is the use of the 10455 ESCO jack stands. These heavy duty jack stands totaling 44 ton (22 tons each) are designed to hold and sustain a load for the entirety of the job, however long that might be. This will help create a safer working environment for the service technician and keep the jack in service longer. This will translate into money saved which is important for everyone.

ESCO Balancing Beads and Balancing Liquid
Wednesday, January 6th, 2010 04:39 PM - By Andy Mathys
Posted in category New Products

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ESCO Balancing Beads and Balancing Liquid

California, Vermont, and Maine, have banned lead weights. Will more states follow? Probably. Will there be a nationwide ban soon? More than likely. Let’s not forget that lead weights have been banned in Canada and Europe as well. With this push to ban lead weights, a tire technician’s options are as follows:

· Tire balancing machines. Great way to balance tires but also very expensive.

· Steel weights. With the steel weights having less density, they will have to be larger. They will also rust and can scratch wheels if installed incorrectly. This could present a cosmetic issue. Steel weights are also more expensive than lead weights.

· Balancing compounds. Many to choose from, some better than others.

ESCO has added two new options to its product line, ESCO Balancing Beads and ESCO Balancing Liquid. The balancing beads and balancing liquid are not only very effective ways to balance tires but also affordable. For more information please call 1-800-352-9852 to talk to an ESCO Customer Service representative.

Point Load on Hydraulic Rams
Thursday, December 3rd, 2009 03:08 PM - By Andy Mathys
Posted in category FAQ

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Point load on ESCO rams and jacks

Point load on cylinders, rams and jacks can cost you hundreds of dollars, or worse, the health and well being of your service tech.

What is a point load?

· A point load happens when the jack, cylinder or ram is extended under load and the load is not centered on the lifting point.

Why is a point load bad?

The most important reasons a point load is bad:

· It is a very unsafe way to lift a load.

· It can cause injury or death to the service technician should the cylinder, jack or ram kick out from under the load.

· A point load will also cause extensive damage to the walls of the cylinder and piston rod and almost always to the protective saddle on the top of the piston rod.

How does a point load happen?

A point load can happen the following ways:

· Improper lifting. The Cylinder, Jack or Ram was not centered to the lifting point.

· Load shift. Caused by uneven ground or an uneven lifting point. (Please refer to the ESCO jack plates and Cribbing set.)

· Continuous load support through entire job caused a load shift.

How can a point load situation be avoided?

You can avoid a point load situation by taking the following steps:

· Lift from and against a flat surface.

· See to it that the Cylinders, Jacks and Rams used for lifting are centered to the lifting point.

· The Cylinders, Jacks and Rams are not designed to sustain a load for any length of time. You must support the load with cribbing or jack stands of proper tonnage capacities.

Please refer to the OSHA regulation for servicing tires, wheels and rims.

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10030 ESCO Pyrosafe valve
Wednesday, November 4th, 2009 11:20 AM - By Andy Mathys
Posted in category New Products

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10030 ESCO Pyrosafe valve

Wow! This photo is a real attention getter isn’t it? A multimillion dollar haul truck up in flames. Let’s hope the driver got out in time. How could something like this happen? When a loaded haul truck is moving it generates a tremendous amount of heat in the tires. As the heat increases so does the internal air pressure. Eventually when enough heat and air pressure build…..BOOM! You now have what you see in the photo. Not only is there the potential of loss of life the cost of replacing the haul truck is in the millions.

Could this have been prevented? The answer is Yes! By installing the ESCO 10030 Pyrosafe valve. The Pyrosafe valve threads into the face of the wheel that supports air and is designed to release the internal air pressure when it reaches 190 psi or when the temperature reaches 200 degrees, well before serious damage can occur. The ESCO 10030 Pyrosafe valve is easy to install and the installation will not void the warranty of the wheel assembly. Call an ESCO customer service representative for more details. 800-352-9852.

Lead weight ban
Tuesday, October 20th, 2009 03:07 PM - By Andy Mathys
Posted in category Did you know?

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Did you know……….

California bans lead wheel weights

California officially has banned the sale of lead wheel weights. It looks like a federal bill will follow California's lead

Probably, according to Modern Tire Dealer Editor Bob Ulrich. In his latest blog, he outlines California SB 757, and how that may impact independent tire dealers and fleets across the country. As of the first of the new year, dealers in California will not be able to install lead wheel weights. Are you next?

For more on this hot-button topic, click and read "Schwarzenegger signs bill banning lead wheel weights" in the B.O.B. blog on www.moderntiredealer.com. And let us know what you think by leaving a comment!

Not just California. Maine, Vermont and Canada and Europe have banned the use of lead wheel weights.

Looks like balancing compound that you put into the tire might be the way to go.

What are your thoughts on this subject?

Service tips for ESCO 10 ton rams
Thursday, October 15th, 2009 11:12 AM - By Andy Mathys
Posted in category Technical Articles

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Service tips for ESCO 10301 to 10305 10 ton, 10,000 psi. Hydraulic Cylinders

Here are a few tips that will help prolong the life of your 10 ton, 10,000 psi.,Hydraulic cylinder:

· Use coupler dust covers when not in use. This will help minimize internal contamination. Dip couplers and diesel fuel or kerosene and wipe off with a clean towel daily.

· Make sure that the recommended hydraulic fluid in your air hydraulic pump is clean. Check the fluid periodically and change the fluid as needed. This will help the seals in the cylinder assembly last longer. This will also prevent contamination build up in your hydraulic lines. Any AW32 hydraulic oil is recommended. Transmission fluid is not recommended, it may damages seals.

· Push or lift from or against a flat surface. Hydraulic pressure that is applied and not centered against the lifting or pushing surface becomes unstable and is called a point load. This prevents a point load situation, which can cause damage to the cylinder assembly or potential injury to the tire technician.

· Do not exceed more than 80% of the maximum stroke available when extending the piston rod of the cylinder assembly. When the piston rod reaches maximum stroke, the brass rod bearing (located on the base of the piston rod) will bottom out on the stop ring(threaded at the top of the cylinder body). Constant hydraulic pressure against the stop ring can cause it to partially blow out. If the job requires that you exceed 80% of the maximum stroke, it is recommended that you use a ram with a stroke that is the next size up. ESCO has a full line of 10 ton rams ranging from 2”, 4”, 6”, 8” and 10” strokes.

ESCO Jack Plates
Thursday, October 15th, 2009 01:30 PM - By Andy Mathys
Posted in category New Products

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OSHA Required ESCO Jack Plates

OSHA regulation 29CFR 1926,305 requires that when lifting loads with hydraulic jacks that you must block the jack with a firm foundation.

When using ESCO high tonnage jacks, one of the things you want to insure is load stability. The importance of load stability cannot be understated. It can be the difference between tool failure and most importantly the safety and well being of the service person. The working conditions that the service person faces each day can be rough, from inclement weather to rugged and unstable terrain. We can’t do anything about the weather but, we can help battle the rough ground conditions. Load stability starts from the ground up. ESCO offers a line of jack plates to help keep the ESCO high tonnage jacks under load. The ESCO jack plates are 12” x 12” to provide a larger lifting “foot print” and are 1” thick for strength. They are strong but light weight. The plates are corrosion resistant and will not absorb moisture. They will not mushroom or warp. The ESCO jack plates are available in 3 different tonnage capacities. The 10751 for 55 ton jacks, the 10753 for 20 ton jacks, and the 10754 for 100 ton jacks. The ESCO jack plates are also available in “kit form”, the 10755 which includes the 10751, 10753, and 10754.

ESCO Bead Breakers
Wednesday, September 2nd, 2009 02:23 PM - By Andy Mathys
Posted in category Technical Articles

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Do you have a bead breaker that breaks the bead on single piece, two piece and 3 piece wheel assemblies? Does the tool push or pop off the wheel under hydraulic pressure? Are the replaceable teeth or the bead breaking foot bending or breaking under hydraulic pressure? This could be caused by the bead breaker running out of sequence. In other words the bead breaker foot will start to extend before you reach the maximum clamping pressure needed to properly clamp to the wheel. The problem can be taken care of by replacing the spring and ball in the sequence valve. Here are instructions for the installation of the ball and spring in the sequence valve.

1. Remove the sequence valve body, located at the base of the main body behind the bead breaker foot, with a ¾” wrench. Part #21599

2. Remove spring and ball and discard. Part #16724 (spring) #10375 (ball).

3. Clean out port area and ball seat area with parts cleaner and blow dry with air gun.

4. Inspect ball seat area for possible damage. If there is damage to the ball seat it can be repaired with a seat honing tool. If a honing tool is not available then the main body of the bead breaker will need to be replaced (very rare). Part #64250

5. Drop in a new steel ball. Then using a brass punch, seat the ball with a slight tap with a hammer.

6. Drop in new spring. Part# 16724

7. Replace copper washer, if necessary. Part# 10261

8. Tighten down valve body.

ESCO Air Hydraulic Pump Air Motor contamination
Wednesday, September 2nd, 2009 02:52 PM - By Andy Mathys
Posted in category Technical Articles

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One of the most common problems a tire technician can face every day when using his air operated hydraulic pump is outside contamination of the air motor. This contamination, more often than not, will come directly from the air compressor. The compressor will build up sludge in the air tank over time, and if it is not drained on a daily basis this sludge will end up in the air motor of your air hydraulic pump. The sludge contamination will wear air motor seals prematurely and will directly affect the operating efficiency of the pump and will lead to an eventual failure.

What can be done to minimize this problem?

· Drain the air compressor daily.

· Install an in line “moisture block” or regulator lubricator filter in the air line from the air compressor.

· Change the filter in the air inlet of the pump periodically.

· Squirt a few drops of Marvel Mystery Oil into the air inlet side of the pump daily.

· Have the air motor serviced by a trained repair technician.