Harbor Freight Hydraulic 1000 lb lift cart

[Firstgear]

The directions that come with the cart say to lift the cart to the top and then remove a screw with rubber washer. This enables the unit to bleed air, but then they tell you to add hydraulic oil and fill up the cylinder until it overflows. When you do this it creates a hydraulic lock because you now have hydraulic fluid on either side of the piston and that table isnt lowering short of pushing fluid out.

Unfortunately I didnt figure this out until I had followed the directions, filling the cylinder with oil and then after I ended up trying to lower the cart and had oil forced out of the screw/seal I looked on line. There I found where other people had similar experiences! One guy even getting sprayed pretty good by the oil.

I ended up loosening the screw/seal and letting the cart down to the bottom, draining the oil. After doing that, I put the screw/seal back in place and got the unit back to the as received condition. I am a big guy so I sat on the table and put my leg through the push railing. I was able to sit on the table and lower it. I also was able to raise myself by pushing on the pump lever. The unit held my height position from low to high. So I am convinced at least right now with my limited testing that there is no need to add oil, that the instruction for adding oil is really for the lower screw that you really cant get at.

So, right now I am good with how it operates etc.

My plan is to use it for moving my very heavy rotary table (12" diameter) and a dividing head to the mill. I can use it to raise and lower the pieces I want to use. I thought I would share my experiences with this so that others might realize that the directions in the manual appear to be flawed.

 

[T Bredehoft]

Another great example of "Unintended Consequences" And how are we to know, other than the above and like reports!

 

[Illinoyance]

I wanted to use the table for an outfeed table on my saw. The handle was too high. It was originally made tofold down over the table for shipping. I reversed the hinge mechanism so now the handle folds down, away from the table.

My workbench and welding table have stringers just 9" off the floor. The lift table gts under them quite nicely when I need to move them. It has proven to be one of the most useful tools in the shop.





















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[Be_Zero_Be]

When I got mine it would not fully raise to the top.
I added too much oil (not provided) and when through the same cycle as Firstgear.
It is fine now and a is a useful tool.

 

[Reddinr]

I had similar problems. The instructions were trash and impossible to implement. Once I worked it out though it has been a great addition to the shop.

 

[Firstgear]

I had similar problems. The instructions were trash and impossible to implement. Once I worked out though it has been a great addition to the shop.

I’m hoping that others that have this issue can do a search and find this thread.....hoping to help someone else.