← Troubleshooting

Why is my crane boom 'drifting' down with the joystick in neutral?

TR-005 · Troubleshooting
Boom drift is typically caused by internal hydraulic cylinder seal failure allowing oil to bypass from the rod side to the head side of the cylinder.
Boom drift occurs when hydraulic fluid bypasses worn or damaged internal seals in the boom lift cylinder, causing the boom to slowly lower even with the joystick in neutral position. The most common culprit is deteriorated piston seals or worn cylinder bore surfaces that allow pressurized oil to leak from the rod chamber to the head chamber.
Reference: ASME B30.5 Mobile and Locomotive Cranes standard
Remember: "SEALS SLIP = Boom DRIPS down" (Seal failure lets oil slip from rod to head side)

Keywords

boom drifthydraulic seal failurecrane cylinder repair

Operators: Add your profile to get matched with jobs. Free.

Add My Profile Job Alerts

Was this helpful?