marvinthemartian Posted September 9, 2010 Share Posted September 9, 2010 What bits of equipment would I require to recharge these? I have replaced some pipe lengths due to corrosion in the steering system, and also the hydraulic pump, lucky I had one spare! Also where would be the best place to get this reconditioned as the seals have gone. Cheers Simon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Farrant Posted September 9, 2010 Share Posted September 9, 2010 What bits of equipment would I require to recharge these? I have replaced some pipe lengths due to corrosion in the steering system, and also the hydraulic pump, lucky I had one spare! Also where would be the best place to get this reconditioned as the seals have gone.Cheers Simon Hi Simon, I assume you mean those fitted to a Leyland Martian? ........also same on Saracen / Saladin. The seals were an archaic design, alternative rings of rubber and leather as I recall, when we used to rebuild them. As the Routemaster bus also used them, it might be worth contacting a firm who deals in them, or contact a hydraulic ram repairer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marvinthemartian Posted September 9, 2010 Author Share Posted September 9, 2010 Ok thanks Richard, I will have a look to see what I can find. Is the charging gear a specialist item, or something that can be cobbled together quite easily? Simon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grasshopper Posted September 10, 2010 Share Posted September 10, 2010 Imperial engineering is the firm that rebuilds Routemaster hydraulic stuff, sorry don't have their number. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marvinthemartian Posted September 10, 2010 Author Share Posted September 10, 2010 Did a quick internet search last night, and found their website on one of the routemaster sites. Will have another look. Simon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cosrec Posted September 10, 2010 Share Posted September 10, 2010 What bits of equipment would I require to recharge these? I have replaced some pipe lengths due to corrosion in the steering system, and also the hydraulic pump, lucky I had one spare! Also where would be the best place to get this reconditioned as the seals have gone.Cheers Simon once you have the hydraulic side sorted out a local diving club will recharge the accumulators with nitrogen for you cost you a couple of pints Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
radiomike7 Posted September 10, 2010 Share Posted September 10, 2010 Ok thanks Richard, I will have a look to see what I can find. Is the charging gear a specialist item, or something that can be cobbled together quite easily? Simon From memory the accumulators are charged to 600 bar with nitrogen but the pressure drops off quite fast. The basic problem is that the pump is too small for the ram and at low revs the steering will go solid once the stored pressure has been depleted; I amost demolished my next door neighbour's house when I pulled up for the first time. Fortunately, Martian brakes are very good and saved the day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DP1981 Posted September 10, 2010 Share Posted September 10, 2010 What is the drop off rate of usable pressure? and do you get a warning? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Farrant Posted September 10, 2010 Share Posted September 10, 2010 (edited) To answer a few questions raised, when in service they were charged with dry compressed air. At the Workshops, we had a static compressor and they regularly charged up a supply of small cylinders, so that we could charge the accumulators in Saracen, Saladin and Leylands, of which there were a lot about in that period. Some other equipment came into use in later years that used nitrogen (oxygen free grade). I have used that gas to charge Saracen, Saladin and Routemasters during the course of my business. My recollection is on Alvis MV's, the pressures were to be checked every 6 months, the seals are not very efficient and a ram type seal would have been better, I knew an engineer who owned a Saracen and he got a hydraulic company to make a new piston with a proper modern type seal in it. Charging pressure is 500 psi + or - 50 psi. for the Saracens and Routemaster so would assume it is the same on Leyland. Edited September 10, 2010 by Richard Farrant Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bran D Posted September 10, 2010 Share Posted September 10, 2010 (edited) Ihave been topping up my saladin with gas from an Argon bottle used with a mig welder. Check it twice a year and put 500 psi into the accumulatlors as required. I found a recharge set on a dealers stall once, all it is is a regulator, hoses and a special connector for the accumulators. You can get the connector from this company if needed.: The connector no 2755 at the end of the list is the type used. http://www.tyre-equipment.co.uk/acatalog/Tyre_Valve_Connectors___Chucks.html#aS1801 Any suitable regulator will do, as long as you put slightly more in ie. 550 - 600 psi in, then adjust by letting gas out on the schrader valve. Edited September 11, 2010 by Bran D added information for link Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cosrec Posted September 10, 2010 Share Posted September 10, 2010 Memory bit vague now but our first martian cargo had only one accumulator it was charged using nitrogen and filled twice in 4 years. Second was wrecker version this had two accumulators and my mate filled it with compressed air from a compresser mounted on a Fordson tractor that he filled diving bottles with he used a screw on shrader valve fastened to a hydraulic hose. I am sure that he used to set blow off pressure on compresser to 2200 psi. we got the pressure from a handbook we had i gave the hand book away to another Martian owner so i cant double check we filled that vehicle about every 3 months. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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