BER : Beyond Economic Repair. By scrapping it you are still giving it a new future but in a different form, better than abandoned in the woods. Your videos are very watchable.
This is the first of your video's i've watched twice because i can't stop laughing, especially the "Either they gave him a medal or they shot him on the spot" remark almost killed me, great humor in a crap situation ... "a day not laughed is a day not lived" just remember that Wes ... well done and carry on my man!.
I'm sure you know that financially the only choice is the scrapyard. Personally, I love saving old machines and can't bring myself to get rid of any of them. I love your channel. I've learned a ton of really useful information from you.
Greetings from Australia, and keep up the good work. The phrase "Throwing good money after bad" comes to mind. If you can get out from under this disaster and even make 50 bucks, go for it. There is nothing to suggest the untested parts of this machine are any better than those whose condition you have already investigated. Elsewhere there will emerge a bargain that will make you question why you even considered resurrecting this pile of scrap. Cheers.
@Watch Wes Work I know this video is four years old now. I searched the rest of your videos and I see no more on this machine unless I missed it. So I assume it went off to the recycler. I don't own a fork lift, never even drove one. But... as for the number of people who watch these sorts of as you say niche videos... this series for me is a restoration video. I do a lot ( most of it on all my stuff) of my own service work and I learn a lot about mechanical technique from professionals like you. I no longer watch television so I prefer these mechanical videos and the restoration videos you and others do. I find them most informative and entertaining. I see this video is at almost 51,000 views so about 12,500 average per year and well more than the 40-50 you estimated. There is a large audience of people like me that search out these multi part restoration videos. Boat, bulldozer, tractor... a fork lift which I will never have a need, and it doesn't matter. A lot of great information comes forth. I like your channel because I like your matter of fact approach as a seasoned professional. I like your analysis. I like the fact you make a few mistakes and leave them in the video, and usually have a self deprecating quip. "Don't mind me folks, it's my first day... Jesus Christ". Funny stuff. Your wife is a doll, I love your dog and you are living the dream with a wonderful son and a place in the country. Keep it up. I'll be watching. Thanks so much for bringing us along. I have a small channel too so I know the difficulty and time it takes to shoot and edit while working on something. It's not easy.
You are not an Idiot! I watch all your movies. You are a (movie wrong) video star. I am a writer, and people say my stuff is good, hell I got a C- in English class (thank God for spellcheck). You did this to help others, and it certainly does present a business decision outline for a beginner. I don't understand how RUclips pays for your commitment but I hope you keep truckin'. I love your stuff.
The explanation on cost versus value at the end is the best. Many people don't think about this. Thats where the "I know what I have into it" people come from. Rarely what you put into something can be recovered when you sell, especially on old equipment like this.
Just wanted you to know regular viewers re-watch your old videos and as an old fart who did machine work on Clarks for decades I was nodding my head throughout, just as I did long ago when watching the first time. They're a hornet's nest of problems. Made me a lot of money in the 80's and 90's though. Merry Christmas to you and yours.😀
Although it would make good video, You got to know when to cut your losses and take even a small profit than a massive loss. Great video in so much as very informative anyway. I am a retired mechanic, but never worked on a forklift. Good to see how all the systems work Keep it up. Eddie from Scotland
Excellent video Wes, please keep them coming. I have a 1950's Yale that was sitt'in in what appeared to be a lake for some number of years. Paid $500.00CAN for it. Threw in a battery, and with a wee bit of patience it started right up. Ugly as hell, leaks a bit of everything, but it lifts. I put one new tire (solid) on it, and a new air filter. The engine was cast in 1955. Mind you, I've seen no hacks like yours so far.... Cheers, Daniel
Wes- i enjoy your talents and videos. Smart kid. Scrap this forklift. You will have more time and money in it than you will ever get out of it. Gordon.
you must have been very frustrated when you tore down that forklift and saw the damage some previous person did to it. ive watched a number of your videos and that is the first time i have heard you drop the F bomb. good luck with the fork lift.i enjoy your videos even if you have a potty mouth lol.
@@jbz2079 that’s not the point William is making, it’s not about right or wrong, he’s just noted something out of the ordinary for Wes’s videos because he generally keeps it G rated, likely to keep YT from demonetizing his vids. Regardless, this is the first time I’ve heard it myself and I’ve been around for a minute.
I must say, Wes: your skill to point subject of discussion by finger in frame (second minute of video, for example) is pretty high: very accurate and informative! By the way, 6:07 pretty handrighting
I’m going back in time with your videos,and they are enjoyable,your videos have got more professional,but they are now and were at the start a very enjoyable journey,thanks for your time and energy,ps the electronic stuff,are you speaking Klingon,wow we’re did that come from ,respect.
Hello sir.. I appreciate your videos and knowledge, I would have to say you are far beyond average intelligence, I agree with most here in that it’s best to let this one go and make a little profit till something better roles along. Thanks again for the great content and God bless.
It all depends on why you are doing the salvage: To make a profit or you enjoy doing all the work with little (if any monetary rewards). If you want to turn a profit; scrap it and sell everything that you can to cut your losses, chalking this up to an education for the next purchase. On the other hand if you enjoy renovating these old machines and are not too keen on making a profit or a small loss then by all means continue. For myself I love to watch old machines being resurrected. The trick is to find a sponsor willing to pay for all the work and parts. Thumbs up on the video...good luck with the decision.
i verry much liked your calculation of your job, makes it choosing quite easy i am goin to try that on my next ''flipping'' project. keep it going verry interesting!
More than that Wes. Sometimes your the bug other time your the windshield. And if ever you find yourself swimming in a cesspool just paddle your way out and keep your mouth closed. I totally agree with your assessment of the big ugly forklift work what magic you can and scrap what you cant work with. Better to cut your losses than invest in a turd.
Wes, I'm building a garden tractor from parts from a Hyster electric forklift. I kept the drive axle and the steering column (hydraulic), some hoses and hardware from the lift truck. I will make it hydrostatic, using a variable piston pump and a Charlynn motor. My engine is a Kubota WG600 3 cylinder gas engine (18 hp). My steering axle is from a Toro reel mower, and my rear wheels are 15" mud tires welded to military style 6 lug centers. I'm soon to complete this, but getting the parts was half of the fun.
Best just to let it go. I'm a forklift engineer in the UK and the problem with forklifts is they get expensive real quickly if they have been neglected. Absolutely no money in flipping old trucks anymore - there was 30 years ago when they cost a lot more new but sadly not anymore.
Wes Johnson no trust me, there isn't. Get involved with the big stuff and it's easy to end up tens of thousands of dollars out of pocket. The repair and parts cost become astronomical. The only people who make money from flipping old beat up forklifts are the scumbags who bodge em up to run, fresh coat of paint and sell the polished turds on ebay/auction as 'refurbished' and let the new owner discover the hidden horrors. It was a different story 20-30 years ago but sadly not the case anymore. You have to really know forklifts to make any money on them.
You have to use the right loc-tite, 620, which is made for loose cylindrical fits. Can fill up to .010" diameteral clearance. I have had excellent permanent results with the product. The downside is disassembly when you can't easily heat the loc-tite to weaken the bond. Also you have to be aware of the temperature limits for the applications since heat can degrade the bond.
Wow You're an Awesome Mechanic But Holy yo0u must have Really Deep Pockets Lol. But as a Fellow Yankee I love you're Videos you're so knowledgeable Keep them Videos Coming
Forklifts get treated terribly by operators in general . Then there's no maintenance until it doesn't work or run . Then the repair work is often poor , fast , rough and cheap as possible . Amazing they last as long as they do . Except for the cracked block , probably due to running with no coolant , I've seen nothing unusual . Nice video . Thanks
Hi Wes, I like your breakdown and the main thing is that you are not doing the rebuild for a hobby otherwise you afford to waste time as it has no cost. The machine also needs a large amount of part replacements just to get back to standard before rebuild/repair of remaining Oem parts. So now it becomes a restoration not just a repair/rebuild. The figures don’t lie time time cut losses and move on.
Sorry to hear this. If something is for sale and not running, it is only worth what someone will pay for it. Usually less than scrap value. I have lost money on things I have restored, rebuilt, repaired and even made things with makings loss.
On fixing the forklift I agree with where you’re going, run to the exit. I heard you mention several times in the cost review you thought several numbers were light and are probably right. Take the small win (scrap, motor rebuild and sell, forks etc) and move on. Love you’re work by the way. Not sure I was one of the smarter ones but numbers don’t lie.
I learned a lot from my first motorcycle project a 1982 HD Sportster that had been neglected. I spent up to $1,500 over the $2,700 purchase price to replace repair and perform maintenance on it. That's at least $1,000 more than what you can expect to sell it for used. I learned a lot about project time manage and resources you put in. Though it was my main interest to have a machine project more than the outcome of a sale it did open my eyes to selectivity of the projects you find.
Its too bad you didn't pass up the lift in the first place, and latched on to that 2nd engine for a small flip. Thank you for sharing. We all get to share the experience. The blackboard cost analysis was an excellent tool.
That looks like a real money pit, if you can break it for parts and get the scrap transported free then cut your losses and try to cover your cost to date . Your still likely to have parts hanging around for ages. I have been there. All the best from the UK
Enjoy your videos on this project and the Continental rebuild, Wes. I have a similar issue. Bought an old Dynahoe Model A backhoe with A Continental 244 in it. I believe the piston has broken in the #1 cylinder (can push it straight down by hand in the cylinder). The cylinder is slightly scored. Amazingly, no cracks in the deck that I can see. The old Borg Warner gear box has some rust that leached in through the gearshift, but some penetrating oil has cleaned most of that up. The torque converter and reverser shuttle both work, though we were not able to drive the machine (engine wouldn't run long enough). The hydraulics work okay, but four or five hydraulic cylinders need to be rebuilt. The brakes need to be gone through completely. It also needs a seat, steering wheel, gauges, starter and alternator, fuel pump. Though we are not going to flip this machine (we will use it to develop our property), we may will want to sell it someday when we are finished with it. Running, these tend to go for about $5k, so we are right on the line in costs, we think (not counting our time, which means nothing to us anyway). We bought it for $900, so we can scrap it and get our money back out of it, if we decide to. We estimate it will take every bit of $4k to make it useable again (including what we bought it for). Assuming an extra $1k just in case, we are right on the line. Have to pull the engine to see the crankcase and will make a final decision then. Great info on this engine! In your sourcing, who had the best prices on rebuild parts for the F245? Thanks.
I found most of the parts through Reliance. Some of the gaskets I had to buy from Montes in Chicago. Prices are not terrible, but it's getting hard to find the parts at all.
thanks for the videos! prevented a lot of digging on my end. We have the same forklift with the same ugly green military green paint scheme with all of the same problems except for we have a F244 continental 6. I can say it is a good machine running. we have sloppy bell crank in the steering as well. i may rip apart to repair. our machine has been thru what looks like a war or two. I think what you are finding is "Hoo Rah!" combat style repairs. as ours has many of the same type of repairs and globbed on welds. I frequently pick up over 12000lb machinery with ours and it works great but like a pile of dog S#IT.
If the only tool you have in the toolbox is a hammer, then every problem you encounter, will present itself as a nail. Only these guys had a welder, and an angle grinder in their toolbox. After applying said toolbox to the fork lift for some time, you will eventually run out of tapered holes, and threaded connections. And after all when you think about it, throwing weld on something until it sticks, is pretty similar to using the red loctite, it can still be disassembled if you just apply a bit of heat to it. xD
Big ugly forklift well at those prices and time spent I think it is a good idea to sell what you can for spares and at least get a little something for your time if nothing else good luck young man
I like saving old stuff, but there has to come a point where its just not worth any more time and money... redoing a 1963 towmotor at the moment, just to give to a local air museum, because 'i felt sorry for it'...but it wasnt in bad shape other than steering and cosmetics. all up with paint/tires/new power steering setup, should have under 1k in it, maybe 30 hours tinkering with it, but it should be a beautiful example of a ugly duckling when done:) had the steering been any more involved, I was going to walk away, put it back in the dumpster it was headed for, cut the losses... but steer axle rebuild was near free, steering box/linkage under 200, looking fairly economical to redo... time to order the other two tires(bought rears early, had to know know steering would feel...) should have it driveable again if I put a few more evenings into it, then time to strip/fill/paint...
Someone removed the power steering cylinder from one truck with a torch and welded into this truck. Also , that cylinder has to be CUT apart at a hydraulic shop in order to rebuild it , Clark expects you to just buy a new one whenever it starts leaking. (Which is why someone jury rigged a used one in.) There was no way to make this truck right for less than 7.grand. You were right to scrap it. When we evaluate a non-running truck for trade in value we look at the trans oil, if we see burnt oil or , even worse, brand new oil *we just assume the whole drivetrain is shot. *The only time people change the trans oil is when it stops moving.
My chime in is 1. Do you need it? 2. Specifically do you have a job you need it for that in one years time makes more than its value in its present condition running? So you would have to repair the engine to use it and then those big tires would fail so ditch baby. I know skid loaders are all the rage but that old front loader out in the woods if you could find a cheap Detroit 3-53 engine would make some farmer in your local area happy that needed a dedicated loader for manure movement that that would fit on his farm. Skidloaders just fit a lot better loading manure and all around hauling and people who have one wonder how they managed without it. Not the same can be said about that front loader unless you could revise the front bucket into a skid loader attachment unit that locks on a bale spear, a bucket, and a grapple. It would be as useful as a 5445 Massy tractor with a front loader and a heated cab. This fork truck may not work on a farm depending how fast you can drive it and be multi-function which it isnt.
I like your chalk board analysis. I vote junk it and take the $1000. But this was 3+ years ago. I'll look to see if there is a follow up videos so I can see you final decision.
From the looks at how poorly that machine was cared for I would have to believe that who ever owned it gave the guy who " fixed" the steering a medal.. They obviously never spent a dime on maintenance so this guy saved them a big chunk of change.
The bike I'm working on has quite a few of those fixes like this where I just sit there, stare at it, and wonder what the hell they were attempting to do or thinking they were doing
Wow, I thought my '67 Clarke C60 BUFF was a POS, it was a creampuff in comparison to this! Sadly, even after putting a new set of tires on it, propane system, ignition, etc, it don't work on soft dirt, so I had to sell it. My driveway here is gravel and soft dirt.
Cut and run. I used to get cars that needed motors or transmissions, but were in otherwise good shape. I would only buy them if I had access to their history. I knew lot of guys that where less careful and ended up getting badly burned.
This is old news I know but I thought to drop a comment. You are not the first to take a bath on a misaligned project. It happens quite often. The trick is to grab the money and run. Licking your wounds is for later when the mess is behind you. Really if you had patience with this jaloppy, you could part it out and maybe pocket a dollar or 2 . Darrin at Mustie1 made out like a bandit with his forklift find. That is the luck of the draw. Don't lose faith. Your find will come. Cheers.
my guess with that sleeve between the bearings is someone was trying to compensate for a worn casing instead of building up the wear and re machining to proper size. Scrap it. If they did a butcher job once they more than likely did it in other things.
I have a Clark cfy80 forklift and I am trying to remove the wheel assembly to access the brakes. I have removed the outer bolts and the inner nuts, however it is still on there real good. Am I missing something? Can you share your thoughts. The wheel assembly looks exactly like the one in the big ugly forklift videos. Thank you!
Humble beginnings on the channel. That first forklift series probably averaged 75 view after a week. My latest forklift series has averaged over 75,000 views after a week. What a difference 3 years makes!
My opinion would be to scrap it and find a running forklift that you can verify the motor works, trans works, brakes work, and hydraulics work. Then it would be worth fixing up.
Don't know what you decided to do with it but its hard to see an investment in time and energy come to naught. It seems the best thing to do, unless you have a long term need for that machine, is to scrap it and spend some money on the old machine which will probably do 90% of what you would need it for. I just sold my nice Kubota tractor. I had wanted one for years. Finally bought it and then decided it would be cheaper to just rent one when I needed to do a job. Its just convenient to own, but then you got to fix flats, keep the battery up, change fluids and make payments. Unless you use it everyday it just isn't a good decision to own.
You know I'm not smarter than you, but they don't always have so much wrong with them. Bought a mid 70's 25k Hyster for 8500 with delivery included. It needed all it's filters and fluids, and was pouring oil from the main lift cylinder as well as the steering cylinder. These were just leaking gland seals thankfully, so didnt have to tear the cylinders apart. It also had solid rubber tires on it and after who knows how many years of abuse the tires were spinning on the rims. Found a forklift mechanic who for $150 came down and helped repack the leaking cylinders. He also knew of a seal shop that had all the seals for the leaking glands at a whopping cost of $25 dollars. Then found a few 10.00x20 Daytons on craigslist that bolted right on. The truck tires are a little light, but they work well enough and have good mud grip tread. It needs the parking brake fixed, but other than that, it's been a very good very cheap reliable machine. And at the last RB auction I saw a smaller 20k Hyster of the same vintage with a Detroit (mine has a Perkins) sell for $20,000. But your analysis of why fixing and flipping junk is spot on. Really like the series as I'm looking for a smaller inside forklift and the budget I'm working with means I'm looking at "vintage" iron....
That's what I thought when I bought it. The C500-40 I have sat outside for 6 years in a hay field. I cleaned the points, changed the oil, put in a new battery, and it fired right up. I later replaced the brakes and freed up the parking brake linkage and a few of the rollers in the mast. There are some leaks, but it runs great and is very reliable.
At best it's a temporary solution. The only way to fix it correctly is to either build up the journal and machine it, or make a sleeve and press it in.
Don't sell yourself short, you are definitely above average! I'm one to throw money at fixing stuff, but there is a limit when you are throwing good money after bad. TBH, I probably wouldn't have gambled the $1650 myself, without an inkling of signs of life. My honest opinion, as much as I hate to say it, is it's scrap unless you want a work of love. You'd be money ahead to just buy one of the other working lifts locally.
My opinion is to sell what you can and get some of your money back that you have already spent on the machine. Business wise your time spent on this machine you could be making money on other projects. You already have time in it that you will never recoup. I would scrap that machine and look into buying a machine that doesn't require as much time and money to fix. Your time is valuable.Good luck.
Holy molly!!!!! deja vu today......12/20/17....similar circumstances....sold my Clark forklift today to a guy for parts. looked at all the comments....too funny. (I bought a John Deere 380 forklift last month.....crazy luck.....same as my other 2 John Deere's 300 series!!!! )
If they f#$k up that hyd steering the rest is posberly driven into the ground. If it was me I will get something to spin that hyd pump to see what story It has to say before going anymore.
Idk if you can count labor time when it’s a project and add it into the cost. I understand why you would and why it’s necessary, but this is what you work on when you don’t have customers or your own time. Yes you feel like you want to be compensated but it shouldn’t add to the price. My opinion is scrap it and make some money back. A few hundred dollars is more than you had. Lol
BER : Beyond Economic Repair. By scrapping it you are still giving it a new future but in a different form, better than abandoned in the woods. Your videos are very watchable.
For what it’s worth “Been there, Done that!” Cut your losses and hope for better on the next one. BTW, enjoy watching your videos.
This is the first of your video's i've watched twice because i can't stop laughing, especially the "Either they gave him a medal or they shot him on the spot" remark almost killed me, great humor in a crap situation ... "a day not laughed is a day not lived" just remember that Wes ... well done and carry on my man!.
I have fell in love with one too many pieces of equipment. You are doing a great job of staying objective and working it out logically.
I'm sure you know that financially the only choice is the scrapyard. Personally, I love saving old machines and can't bring myself to get rid of any of them. I love your channel. I've learned a ton of really useful information from you.
Greetings from Australia, and keep up the good work. The phrase "Throwing good money after bad" comes to mind. If you can get out from under this disaster and even make 50 bucks, go for it. There is nothing to suggest the untested parts of this machine are any better than those whose condition you have already investigated. Elsewhere there will emerge a bargain that will make you question why you even considered resurrecting this pile of scrap. Cheers.
@Watch Wes Work I know this video is four years old now. I searched the rest of your videos and I see no more on this machine unless I missed it. So I assume it went off to the recycler. I don't own a fork lift, never even drove one. But... as for the number of people who watch these sorts of as you say niche videos... this series for me is a restoration video. I do a lot ( most of it on all my stuff) of my own service work and I learn a lot about mechanical technique from professionals like you. I no longer watch television so I prefer these mechanical videos and the restoration videos you and others do. I find them most informative and entertaining. I see this video is at almost 51,000 views so about 12,500 average per year and well more than the 40-50 you estimated. There is a large audience of people like me that search out these multi part restoration videos. Boat, bulldozer, tractor... a fork lift which I will never have a need, and it doesn't matter. A lot of great information comes forth.
I like your channel because I like your matter of fact approach as a seasoned professional. I like your analysis. I like the fact you make a few mistakes and leave them in the video, and usually have a self deprecating quip. "Don't mind me folks, it's my first day... Jesus Christ". Funny stuff. Your wife is a doll, I love your dog and you are living the dream with a wonderful son and a place in the country. Keep it up. I'll be watching. Thanks so much for bringing us along. I have a small channel too so I know the difficulty and time it takes to shoot and edit while working on something. It's not easy.
i'm impressed with your cursive writing
You are not an Idiot! I watch all your movies. You are a (movie wrong) video star. I am a writer, and people say my stuff is good, hell I got a C- in English class (thank God for spellcheck). You did this to help others, and it certainly does present a business decision outline for a beginner. I don't understand how RUclips pays for your commitment but I hope you keep truckin'. I love your stuff.
The explanation on cost versus value at the end is the best. Many people don't think about this. Thats where the "I know what I have into it" people come from. Rarely what you put into something can be recovered when you sell, especially on old equipment like this.
Just wanted you to know regular viewers re-watch your old videos and as an old fart who did machine work on Clarks for decades I was nodding my head throughout, just as I did long ago when watching the first time. They're a hornet's nest of problems. Made me a lot of money in the 80's and 90's though. Merry Christmas to you and yours.😀
Although it would make good video, You got to know when to cut your losses and take even a small profit than a massive loss. Great video in so much as very informative anyway. I am a retired mechanic, but never worked on a forklift. Good to see how all the systems work Keep it up. Eddie from Scotland
Excellent video Wes, please keep them coming. I have a 1950's Yale that was sitt'in in what appeared to be a lake for some number of years. Paid $500.00CAN for it. Threw in a battery, and with a wee bit of patience it started right up. Ugly as hell, leaks a bit of everything, but it lifts. I put one new tire (solid) on it, and a new air filter. The engine was cast in 1955. Mind you, I've seen no hacks like yours so far.... Cheers, Daniel
I've enjoyed the series, and hate giving up on something too. You made the right call, not an easy one.
Wes- i enjoy your talents and videos. Smart kid. Scrap this forklift. You will have more time and money in it than you will ever get out of it. Gordon.
you must have been very frustrated when you tore down that forklift and saw the damage some previous person did to it. ive watched a number of your videos and that is the first time i have heard you drop the F bomb. good luck with the fork lift.i enjoy your videos even if you have a potty mouth lol.
Nothing wrong with the description Fucked, it commonly used to describe some so broken or hacked that it's no longer usable or fixable.
@@jbz2079 that’s not the point William is making, it’s not about right or wrong, he’s just noted something out of the ordinary for Wes’s videos because he generally keeps it G rated, likely to keep YT from demonetizing his vids. Regardless, this is the first time I’ve heard it myself and I’ve been around for a minute.
I must say, Wes: your skill to point subject of discussion by finger in frame (second minute of video, for example) is pretty high: very accurate and informative!
By the way, 6:07 pretty handrighting
Your videos are amazing, always give them a like before they even start.
I’m going back in time with your videos,and they are enjoyable,your videos have got more professional,but they are now and were at the start a very enjoyable journey,thanks for your time and energy,ps the electronic stuff,are you speaking Klingon,wow we’re did that come from ,respect.
Enjoyed the journey with you, I agree with scrapping it out.:)
Yep.
Hello sir.. I appreciate your videos and knowledge, I would have to say you are far beyond average intelligence, I agree with most here in that it’s best to let this one go and make a little profit till something better roles along. Thanks again for the great content and God bless.
Man that is some gnarly work ON that steering Linkage @Watch Wes Work
It all depends on why you are doing the salvage: To make a profit or you enjoy doing all the work with little (if any monetary rewards). If you want to turn a profit; scrap it and sell everything that you can to cut your losses, chalking this up to an education for the next purchase. On the other hand if you enjoy renovating these old machines and are not too keen on making a profit or a small loss then by all means continue. For myself I love to watch old machines being resurrected. The trick is to find a sponsor willing to pay for all the work and parts. Thumbs up on the video...good luck with the decision.
Wes: “…Let’s see if this video gets 40 views…”
Me:
Me: ”Classic Wes, with the evergreen understatement.”
Good reason why that forklift was left in the woods outside ! Someone major Magivered It ! 👍👍👍
i verry much liked your calculation of your job, makes it choosing quite easy
i am goin to try that on my next ''flipping'' project. keep it going verry interesting!
More than that Wes. Sometimes your the bug other time your the windshield. And if ever you find yourself swimming in a cesspool just paddle your way out and keep your mouth closed. I totally agree with your assessment of the big ugly forklift work what magic you can and scrap what you cant work with. Better to cut your losses than invest in a turd.
Wes, I'm building a garden tractor from parts from a Hyster electric forklift. I kept the drive axle and the steering column (hydraulic), some hoses and hardware from the lift truck. I will make it hydrostatic, using a variable piston pump and a Charlynn motor. My engine is a Kubota WG600 3 cylinder gas engine (18 hp). My steering axle is from a Toro reel mower, and my rear wheels are 15" mud tires welded to military style 6 lug centers. I'm soon to complete this, but getting the parts was half of the fun.
Best just to let it go. I'm a forklift engineer in the UK and the problem with forklifts is they get expensive real quickly if they have been neglected.
Absolutely no money in flipping old trucks anymore - there was 30 years ago when they cost a lot more new but sadly not anymore.
There might be some money in the big lifts, like 10 tons and up. Certainly not this one.
Wes Johnson no trust me, there isn't.
Get involved with the big stuff and it's easy to end up tens of thousands of dollars out of pocket. The repair and parts cost become astronomical.
The only people who make money from flipping old beat up forklifts are the scumbags who bodge em up to run, fresh coat of paint and sell the polished turds on ebay/auction as 'refurbished' and let the new owner discover the hidden horrors.
It was a different story 20-30 years ago but sadly not the case anymore.
You have to really know forklifts to make any money on them.
You have to use the right loc-tite, 620, which is made for loose cylindrical fits. Can fill up to .010" diameteral clearance.
I have had excellent permanent results with the product. The downside is disassembly when you can't easily heat the loc-tite to weaken the bond. Also you have to be aware of the temperature limits for the applications since heat can degrade the bond.
Wow You're an Awesome Mechanic But Holy yo0u must have Really Deep Pockets Lol. But as a Fellow Yankee I love you're Videos you're so knowledgeable Keep them Videos Coming
Forklifts get treated terribly by operators in general . Then there's no maintenance until it doesn't work or run . Then the repair work is often poor , fast , rough and cheap as possible . Amazing they last as long as they do . Except for the cracked block , probably due to running with no coolant , I've seen nothing unusual . Nice video . Thanks
Hi Wes, I like your breakdown and the main thing is that you are not doing the rebuild for a hobby otherwise you afford to waste time as it has no cost. The machine also needs a large amount of part replacements just to get back to standard before rebuild/repair of remaining Oem parts. So now it becomes a restoration not just a repair/rebuild. The figures don’t lie time time cut losses and move on.
Great video series, X2 on way more issues then you were hoping for. It will be a nice ingot of metal.
When there’s profanity on a Channel that normally has none, someone’s is mad at someone. I’ve been there and know just how you feel.
Sorry to hear this. If something is for sale and not running, it is only worth what someone will pay for it. Usually less than scrap value. I have lost money on things I have restored, rebuilt, repaired and even made things with makings loss.
On fixing the forklift I agree with where you’re going, run to the exit. I heard you mention several times in the cost review you thought several numbers were light and are probably right. Take the small win (scrap, motor rebuild and sell, forks etc) and move on. Love you’re work by the way. Not sure I was one of the smarter ones but numbers don’t lie.
I learned a lot from my first motorcycle project a 1982 HD Sportster that had been neglected. I spent up to $1,500 over the $2,700 purchase price to replace repair and perform maintenance on it. That's at least $1,000 more than what you can expect to sell it for used. I learned a lot about project time manage and resources you put in. Though it was my main interest to have a machine project more than the outcome of a sale it did open my eyes to selectivity of the projects you find.
Its too bad you didn't pass up the lift in the first place, and latched on to that 2nd engine for a small flip. Thank you for sharing. We all get to share the experience. The blackboard cost analysis was an excellent tool.
That looks like a real money pit, if you can break it for parts and get the scrap transported free then cut your losses and try to cover your cost to date . Your still likely to have parts hanging around for ages. I have been there. All the best from the UK
Yep I agree, get out while you still can. Too many unknowns left still untouched
Enjoy your videos on this project and the Continental rebuild, Wes. I have a similar issue. Bought an old Dynahoe Model A backhoe with A Continental 244 in it. I believe the piston has broken in the #1 cylinder (can push it straight down by hand in the cylinder). The cylinder is slightly scored. Amazingly, no cracks in the deck that I can see. The old Borg Warner gear box has some rust that leached in through the gearshift, but some penetrating oil has cleaned most of that up. The torque converter and reverser shuttle both work, though we were not able to drive the machine (engine wouldn't run long enough). The hydraulics work okay, but four or five hydraulic cylinders need to be rebuilt. The brakes need to be gone through completely. It also needs a seat, steering wheel, gauges, starter and alternator, fuel pump. Though we are not going to flip this machine (we will use it to develop our property), we may will want to sell it someday when we are finished with it. Running, these tend to go for about $5k, so we are right on the line in costs, we think (not counting our time, which means nothing to us anyway). We bought it for $900, so we can scrap it and get our money back out of it, if we decide to. We estimate it will take every bit of $4k to make it useable again (including what we bought it for). Assuming an extra $1k just in case, we are right on the line. Have to pull the engine to see the crankcase and will make a final decision then. Great info on this engine! In your sourcing, who had the best prices on rebuild parts for the F245? Thanks.
I found most of the parts through Reliance. Some of the gaskets I had to buy from Montes in Chicago. Prices are not terrible, but it's getting hard to find the parts at all.
thanks for the videos! prevented a lot of digging on my end. We have the same forklift with the same ugly green military green paint scheme with all of the same problems except for we have a F244 continental 6. I can say it is a good machine running. we have sloppy bell crank in the steering as well. i may rip apart to repair. our machine has been thru what looks like a war or two. I think what you are finding is "Hoo Rah!" combat style repairs. as ours has many of the same type of repairs and globbed on welds. I frequently pick up over 12000lb machinery with ours and it works great but like a pile of dog S#IT.
The F244 is basically the same motor, just older. I knew it was a project, but it was a lot more rough and ready than expected.
Scrap it. Figures don't lie. Live and learn ya can't win them all. P.S. really enjoy your recordings
ugh brought back memories could hardly look at it lol
If the only tool you have in the toolbox is a hammer, then every problem you encounter, will present itself as a nail. Only these guys had a welder, and an angle grinder in their toolbox. After applying said toolbox to the fork lift for some time, you will eventually run out of tapered holes, and threaded connections. And after all when you think about it, throwing weld on something until it sticks, is pretty similar to using the red loctite, it can still be disassembled if you just apply a bit of heat to it. xD
Big ugly forklift well at those prices and time spent I think it is a good idea to sell what you can for spares and at least get a little something for your time if nothing else good luck young man
I like saving old stuff, but there has to come a point where its just not worth any more time and money... redoing a 1963 towmotor at the moment, just to give to a local air museum, because 'i felt sorry for it'...but it wasnt in bad shape other than steering and cosmetics. all up with paint/tires/new power steering setup, should have under 1k in it, maybe 30 hours tinkering with it, but it should be a beautiful example of a ugly duckling when done:)
had the steering been any more involved, I was going to walk away, put it back in the dumpster it was headed for, cut the losses... but steer axle rebuild was near free, steering box/linkage under 200, looking fairly economical to redo... time to order the other two tires(bought rears early, had to know know steering would feel...) should have it driveable again if I put a few more evenings into it, then time to strip/fill/paint...
Someone removed the power steering cylinder from one truck with a torch and welded into this truck.
Also , that cylinder has to be CUT apart at a hydraulic shop in order to rebuild it , Clark expects you to just buy a new one whenever it starts leaking.
(Which is why someone jury rigged a used one in.)
There was no way to make this truck right for less than 7.grand.
You were right to scrap it.
When we evaluate a non-running truck for trade in value we look at the trans oil, if we see burnt oil or , even worse, brand new oil *we just assume the whole drivetrain is shot.
*The only time people change the trans oil is when it stops moving.
My chime in is 1. Do you need it? 2. Specifically do you have a job you need it for that in one years time makes more than its value in its present condition running? So you would have to repair the engine to use it and then those big tires would fail so ditch baby. I know skid loaders are all the rage but that old front loader out in the woods if you could find a cheap Detroit 3-53 engine would make some farmer in your local area happy that needed a dedicated loader for manure movement that that would fit on his farm. Skidloaders just fit a lot better loading manure and all around hauling and people who have one wonder how they managed without it. Not the same can be said about that front loader unless you could revise the front bucket into a skid loader attachment unit that locks on a bale spear, a bucket, and a grapple. It would be as useful as a 5445 Massy tractor with a front loader and a heated cab. This fork truck may not work on a farm depending how fast you can drive it and be multi-function which it isnt.
L o L Ghosts of the Mechanics past !!!! 🤗🤗🤗
I like your chalk board analysis. I vote junk it and take the $1000. But this was 3+ years ago. I'll look to see if there is a follow up videos so I can see you final decision.
I hope you finish the renovation. Make it like new. I love to watch.
Spoiler, I just got the engine block back from the machine shop...
Junk it first loss is the least lost !!
NEVER LOVE SOMETHING (SOMEONE) THAT WON'T LOVE YOU BACK. CUT YOUR LOSSES.
Interesting article. Thanks.
From the looks at how poorly that machine was cared for I would have to believe that who ever owned it gave the guy who " fixed" the steering a medal.. They obviously never spent a dime on maintenance so this guy saved them a big chunk of change.
The bike I'm working on has quite a few of those fixes like this where I just sit there, stare at it, and wonder what the hell they were attempting to do or thinking they were doing
Wow, I thought my '67 Clarke C60 BUFF was a POS, it was a creampuff in comparison to this! Sadly, even after putting a new set of tires on it, propane system, ignition, etc, it don't work on soft dirt, so I had to sell it. My driveway here is gravel and soft dirt.
Cut and run.
I used to get cars that needed motors or transmissions, but were in otherwise good shape. I would only buy them if I had access to their history. I knew lot of guys that where less careful and ended up getting badly burned.
Well that sucks was getting interested in open for the rebuild better luck next time
I don't know if you did scrap it but to me i think that would be the best option
K... probably less work to fix that loader at this point lmao Good on you though for carrying this through to the end. Be a great machine in the end.
This one got scrapped.
This is old news I know but I thought to drop a comment. You are not the first to take a bath on a misaligned project. It happens quite often. The trick is to grab the money and run. Licking your wounds is for later when the mess is behind you. Really if you had patience with this jaloppy, you could part it out and maybe pocket a dollar or 2 . Darrin at Mustie1 made out like a bandit with his forklift find. That is the luck of the draw. Don't lose faith. Your find will come. Cheers.
Man oh man I can't imagine the anger you must have felt I havent seen such bad workmanship in a long time.
0:10 I nearly inhaled my chili!! LOL
my guess with that sleeve between the bearings is someone was trying to compensate for a worn casing instead of building up the wear and re machining to proper size. Scrap it. If they did a butcher job once they more than likely did it in other things.
it would make a good anchor part what you can and scrap it
1.4K views - far cry from 40! I agree with your assessment. What was the final result?
Melted.
Gotta know when to walk away, and know when to run
I have a Clark cfy80 forklift and I am trying to remove the wheel assembly to access the brakes. I have removed the outer bolts and the inner nuts, however it is still on there real good. Am I missing something? Can you share your thoughts. The wheel assembly looks exactly like the one in the big ugly forklift videos. Thank you!
That machine has been "wankleized"!
Wow, not sure if ive seen a worse weld in my lifetime!!! Ouch, somebody was practicing!!!!and they failed their test!! LOL
no part 6?
"40 views"
Hah!
You're now up to:
20,048 views
You rock man, you underestimate your badassness.
Humble beginnings on the channel. That first forklift series probably averaged 75 view after a week. My latest forklift series has averaged over 75,000 views after a week. What a difference 3 years makes!
Give it a go
Awesome
Put a heim joint in where the ball is welded
My opinion would be to scrap it and find a running forklift that you can verify the motor works, trans works, brakes work, and hydraulics work. Then it would be worth fixing up.
Hope everything worked out
Don't know what you decided to do with it but its hard to see an investment in time and energy come to naught. It seems the best thing to do, unless you have a long term need for that machine, is to scrap it and spend some money on the old machine which will probably do 90% of what you would need it for. I just sold my nice Kubota tractor. I had wanted one for years. Finally bought it and then decided it would be cheaper to just rent one when I needed to do a job. Its just convenient to own, but then you got to fix flats, keep the battery up, change fluids and make payments. Unless you use it everyday it just isn't a good decision to own.
I scrapped it and used the money to rebuild the engine which was installed in another Clark forklift in Romania. The world is a strange place!
Cut your losses. Take whatever profits you can, by whatever means necessary.
On a brighter note,,,,,how’s the dishwasher doing?
Probably gave him a medal, then ignored him when he wanted to more permanently fix all those temporary fixes.
You know I'm not smarter than you, but they don't always have so much wrong with them.
Bought a mid 70's 25k Hyster for 8500 with delivery included. It needed all it's filters and fluids, and was pouring oil from the main lift cylinder as well as the steering cylinder. These were just leaking gland seals thankfully, so didnt have to tear the cylinders apart. It also had solid rubber tires on it and after who knows how many years of abuse the tires were spinning on the rims.
Found a forklift mechanic who for $150 came down and helped repack the leaking cylinders. He also knew of a seal shop that had all the seals for the leaking glands at a whopping cost of $25 dollars.
Then found a few 10.00x20 Daytons on craigslist that bolted right on. The truck tires are a little light, but they work well enough and have good mud grip tread.
It needs the parking brake fixed, but other than that, it's been a very good very cheap reliable machine. And at the last RB auction I saw a smaller 20k Hyster of the same vintage with a Detroit (mine has a Perkins) sell for $20,000.
But your analysis of why fixing and flipping junk is spot on.
Really like the series as I'm looking for a smaller inside forklift and the budget I'm working with means I'm looking at "vintage" iron....
That's what I thought when I bought it. The C500-40 I have sat outside for 6 years in a hay field. I cleaned the points, changed the oil, put in a new battery, and it fired right up. I later replaced the brakes and freed up the parking brake linkage and a few of the rollers in the mast. There are some leaks, but it runs great and is very reliable.
"Gave him a medal or shot him on the spot", Wes you slay me.
Yea that thing is cocked. Any way to bench test the transmission?
You can’t use regular loctite. That’s where everyone goes wrong. They make special bearing retaining compound that DOES WORK!!
At best it's a temporary solution. The only way to fix it correctly is to either build up the journal and machine it, or make a sleeve and press it in.
I can imagine out in the field fabricobble it back to working again.
Why not bore an sleeve the calipers?
I would have to say (with all due respect ) when you said you put new oil in the engine I was thinking you were wasting your money! Dave
There's always that tiny chance...
scarp it. unless it was your grandpas boyhood bicycle always cut your loss
Don't sell yourself short, you are definitely above average! I'm one to throw money at fixing stuff, but there is a limit when you are throwing good money after bad. TBH, I probably wouldn't have gambled the $1650 myself, without an inkling of signs of life. My honest opinion, as much as I hate to say it, is it's scrap unless you want a work of love. You'd be money ahead to just buy one of the other working lifts locally.
My opinion is to sell what you can and get some of your money back that you have already spent on the machine. Business wise your time spent on this machine you could be making money on other projects. You already have time in it that you will never recoup. I would scrap that machine and look into buying a machine that doesn't require as much time and money to fix. Your time is valuable.Good luck.
Scrap time!!!!!
Wreck it you are right😢
Holy molly!!!!! deja vu today......12/20/17....similar circumstances....sold my Clark forklift today to a guy for parts. looked at all the comments....too funny. (I bought a John Deere 380 forklift last month.....crazy luck.....same as my other 2 John Deere's 300 series!!!! )
Well, they can't all be winners. I wanted to show the reality, not white wash the situation.
What did you ever decide on that ol' girl Wes? Is she a goner or still on the healin' bench?
If they f#$k up that hyd steering the rest is posberly driven into the ground. If it was me I will get something to spin that hyd pump to see what story It has to say before going anymore.
Idk if you can count labor time when it’s a project and add it into the cost. I understand why you would and why it’s necessary, but this is what you work on when you don’t have customers or your own time. Yes you feel like you want to be compensated but it shouldn’t add to the price. My opinion is scrap it and make some money back. A few hundred dollars is more than you had. Lol