Old Challenge cutter

[Pennypicher]

Have a old blue 30.5 cutter. Cut/clamp operation runs fine but foot pedal only brings clamp down 1/4". Enough to where the plunger in the rear catches it. If i unscrew the tension spring the clamp drifts and jumps back up.

 

[ReproElectroProspero]

Sounds like a hydraulic pressure problem. But first check for loose connections on the foot pedal linkage. If it's not moving properly it may not be fully engaging the hydraulic system. Then, check your hydraulic fluid. May need to be topped off. If not low, could have air in the system and need to bleed it. Might also need to check for the pump's output pressure, a weak pump may not move the fluid enough. Finally, could have malfunctioning valves. A valve that barely moves could be restricting fluid flow and causing something like this. To be honest I would contact a local service person for this. Hydraulic issues in old challenge cutters can be a huge pain to troubleshoot. For the old models, the fluid that filled them from the factory no longer exists, and there's no guarantee an equivalent replacement will work just as well.

 

[MailGuru]

Be careful!

Those old Challenge cutters (especially the 30.5" (305) were supposed to be pulled and removed from their installations a long time ago. Most technical repair people have been prohibited from their respective companies to work on them. The malfunctioning valves have been deemed too dangerous to work on.

 

[ReproElectroProspero]

Be careful!

Those old Challenge cutters (especially the 30.5" (305) were supposed to be pulled and removed from their installations a long time ago. Most technical repair people have been prohibited from their respective companies to work on them. The malfunctioning valves have been deemed too dangerous to work on.

This is a great point that I should have added. We run a Challenge Champion 305 from the 70s, and only one person in our area will work on it. And even they say when they see valve or fluid trouble beyond something a basic adjustment will fix, they're going to recommend we replace and won't attempt to fix.

 

[Stickman42]

Be careful!

Those old Challenge cutters (especially the 30.5" (305) were supposed to be pulled and removed from their installations a long time ago. Most technical repair people have been prohibited from their respective companies to work on them. The malfunctioning valves have been deemed too dangerous to work on.

Parker hydraulic valves were the concern. Apparently someone had a serious accident as a result of a malfunctioning valve. There's a bulletin on the Challenge site about this. I scrapped two 305's about 10 years ago.