How to Work a Hydraulic Shop Press
Hydraulic shop presses are relatively simple machines, most commonly used for pressing automotive bearings into place. They are also used, however, for any situation in which a part must be removed or placed in an area of a vehicle in which gentle pressure must be applied without damaging nearby components. Another example of a use for a hydraulic shop press is to relieve tension from motorcycle spring assemblies.
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Instructions
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Position the item to be pressed on the steel plate below the bottle jack on the press. If you are pressing something into a sleeve, such as with an automotive bearing, you'll want to place a scrap piece of wood underneath the part you're pressing to prevent damage to the bearing sleeve.
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Insert the handle into the round actuator for the bottle jack, then work the handle until the hydraulic ram has pressed the item in place.
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Release the tension on the bottle jack's return spring by loosening the pressure release valve near the round actuator of the bottle jack. The spring will cause the bottle jack to compress again, raising the hydraulic ram and releasing the part you are pressing.
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Tips & Warnings
Keep a few scrap blocks of wood handy to cushion the parts that are being pressed. Too much pressure from metal on metal contact can deform some items.
References
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