Took me 6 hours to fix a stuck check valve on a lift bag setup

Was running a job last month in Norfolk and my lift bag wouldn't hold air. Figured it was a leaky valve so I spent 2 hours taking the whole thing apart and cleaning it. Nope, still stuck. Turns out the check valve spring had just worn out after like 8 years of use. Had to call the shop and wait for a replacement part, another 4 hours gone. Anyone else run into weird gear failures that ate up your whole day?

2 comments

2 Comments

river_rivera451mo ago

Dude, that sucks. I had the same thing happen on a job in Port Arthur. Spent a whole morning fighting with a stuck check valve on my lift bag too. Finally gave up and just took the whole valve body off, soaked it in penetrating oil overnight, and it popped right loose the next day with some gentle tapping. Way less time wasted than trying to muscle it off.

terry9141mo ago

Found that issue on a saltwater job once. The corrosion had welded the spring seat in place. Two hours of PB Blaster and a brass punch later it finally broke loose. Ruined my whole afternoon.