'91 Force 90 - Broken Tip Cylinder Fitting

[QuadManiac]

Hit reverse coming into the ramp the other day, and the prop pulled itself up out of the water... then tilt stopped working.

Got it apart, and I see that the top fitting on the cylinder has broken off, just in front of the yoke that holds it in place against the cylinder's circumference. (see pics below of the fitting I'm talking about)

This is an unusual fitting, it has a male cone which, when threaded through a yoke around the cylinder, compresses into a female conical hole in the side of the cylinder, and a female compression fitting at the other end to accept the hydraulic fitting. I've never seen one like this before.

Any ideas where I can get a replacement?

Thanks

 

[Bigprairie1]

Re: '91 Force 90 - Broken Tip Cylinder Fitting

...ok, no big problem here. This is simply a hydraulic fitting...'jic' or similar.
1st you have to locate a local industrial hydraulics shop. They are more common than you think. If anyone is running a backhoe within 30 miles of you there isn't one too far.
See if you can dismantle the line from both ends and take it with you in there.
As for where the breakage occured you may have to get/buy a tap that will resize the 'broken/stripped/enlarged' hole to one size larger (straight fittings..npt...whatever). This is very easy to do. If you can take the cylinder with you to the hydraulic shop they will probably do it. It takes about 5 minutes.
What will then happen is you will buy/install a bushing that will fit this new resized fitting and adapt back to your hydraulic line size.
..but first, find and source a hydraulics/industrial supply shop. 2nd dismantle what you can and get ready to take it with you in there.
The rest will get easier from there. The pressure generated by these systems is not massive....they are lifting cars or 6000lbs dozer blades. Hydraulic lines are beefy but this should be an easy fix for a good shop or you and a good shop.
Good luck.

 

[QuadManiac]

Re: '91 Force 90 - Broken Tip Cylinder Fitting

Great info! I was able to remove the fitting from the cylinder's yoke after i removed the cylinder from the assembly. The threads on the yoke and the hole in the cylinder are intact, so hopefully i can just get an exact replacement. The fitting apparently cracked at the hydraulic fitting end, there's none of it left. Just the part that threads thru the yoke and compresses into the cylinder is left. I suspect the hydraulic fitting was overtightened into the female threads at some point, and it just finally grenaded.

Anyway, thanks for the suggestions. I'll be looking for a hydraulic supply house on Thursday, figure i'll be back on the water Saturday. Good News!

Thanks again.

 

[Frank Acampora]

Re: '91 Force 90 - Broken Tip Cylinder Fitting

First: the reason it is built this way is because the cylinder wall is too thin to thread in a regular hydraulic compression fitting. So, they put on the strap and adapter. You should be able to get it at a Merc dealer because this part has not changed since Chrysler first started to put tilt on engines. If you can't get one at a Merc Dealer, try franz marine. He almost certainly will have one. If you can find an old junk Chrysler or Force, salvage one off it. If all else fails, contact me at tonyonmemory@yahoo.com. I have a few off bad cylinders.

 

[Bigprairie1]

Re: '91 Force 90 - Broken Tip Cylinder Fitting

...one more thing about the photo/jpeg you included.
The lower horizontal cast support piece (at the bottom, supporting all 3 ram/cylinders) looks like it has a crack in it just to the right off centre? Or is this just the way it shows in the photo?
Check it out, if it's cracked that will have to be repaired or in all likelihood replaced. (maybe it's just the picture...?)
Good luck

 

[QuadManiac]

Re: '91 Force 90 - Broken Tip Cylinder Fitting

...one more thing about the photo/jpeg you included.
The lower horizontal cast support piece (at the bottom, supporting all 3 ram/cylinders) looks like it has a crack in it just to the right off centre? Or is this just the way it shows in the photo?
Check it out, if it's cracked that will have to be repaired or in all likelihood replaced. (maybe it's just the picture...?)
Good luck

Astute eye there, Bigprarie! Not an issue though. The picture is from a unit that was for sale on Ebay. I used it as a reference only. Guess I won't be bidding on it, if i want a viable trim piston, lol.

 

[RRitt]

Re: '91 Force 90 - Broken Tip Cylinder Fitting

that's my picture and yes, it's okay if you use it. it's not a crack. the trim housings are not a smooth casting. They often have bumps and ridges across the front and cover.

as regards your fitting - go to NAPA and ask for a weatherhead 1441.

 

[QuadManiac]

Re: '91 Force 90 - Broken Tip Cylinder Fitting

Thanks for allowing the 'copyright' infringement, RRitt. AND many thanks for the fitting part number. Called my local NAPA and they have 1 in stock. I'll be picking it up in an hour.

MANY, MANY thanks to all who responded. I sure love this forum!

 

[QuadManiac]

Re: '91 Force 90 - Broken Tip Cylinder Fitting

Well it turned out that it WASN'T the 1441, the male thread diameter on the 1441 was too large. However, after Napa let me search thru their hydralic fittings parts bin, I found a double male with the right threads, and a double female that mated with it and also with the hydraulic line's fitting. All the mating surfaces are the correct type of compression fitting, so it looks like I'm on a roll, for less than $5. Thanks all.

 

[RRitt]

Re: '91 Force 90 - Broken Tip Cylinder Fitting

then go to another NAPA and maybe they will have the right part in the right bin. If you kludge together a bunch of adapters then it is going to stick too far out from your cylinder. The threaded aluminum is barely thick enough to handle what is already there. Give the tubing more fulcrum and it is sure to wallow out the threads.

 

[QuadManiac]

Re: '91 Force 90 - Broken Tip Cylinder Fitting

Of course, I hadn't considered misplacement in the bins, lol... thanks again. They had MANY bins, but unfortunately, most were empty. Had very little selection to choose from in making up a replacement. I agree, the original will be the best.