LaPlant Choate C61 Carrimor Scraper Thread

Hello all, I am starting a new thread for the LaPlant Choate Carrimor scraper. I’ll put all the pics here for future reference. Here is my Carrimor scraper, quite a rare thing over here in the U.K. First job is the hydraulic ram as the rod has extensive wasting and was siezed in the gland seals housing. We made a temporary spanner to undo the nut to get the piston off the rod. Nut size is 3-13/16” for scale, rod is 3-1/4” diameter. Wheels and tyres next on the list so it mobile. Chris

A few more from today Chris

Last few for now, Chris

A few pics from yesterday. Took the weight off the wheels and removed both of them, they are a 12,00 x 20 tyre size. Both rims need replacing as too much wasting. Would anyone stateside here recognise the hub / bolt pattern as a standard fitment in the USA ? 10 stud with a approx 220 mm hub and a PCD of 285mm Not a type I’ve seen before over here in the U.K. Chris.

Sounds pretty close to hub pilot truck wheels are over here. Cool project, I've always been partial to pull type scrapers and the machines like yours that do everything with one cylinder are fascinating to work out how the mechanical linkages work.

Are those tyre sizes available in the UK? If not then find a more common size and replace the centres with with the dimensions you need. It's not like they have to be road legal aye.

Had the Cat 977L out yesterday, helping move the scraper round a bit. Lots of pins and linkage to free off, still looking for tyres and the ram is in bits now. Chris.

I managed to get the gland seal collar pressed off the piston rod, gauge said 9 tons before it budged. As pics show the rod is wasted badly at one point. Thinking of building it up with weld and re machining to size, any recommendations for type of welding rod ? Have priced getting a new piston rod, so far we have EN24T £250 EN8 chromed rod £450 Stainless rod £780 All the above are for 1 m length and plus vat at 20% Even getting rod chromed is £450 for the size needed. Getting the ram re done at a hydraulic place comes in at£2250 plus 20% vat. Ideas / advice welcome. Chris.

Spray arc or just plain MiG welding and turning it down. Pre-heat and let cool slowly.

I'm guessing that cylinder is designed for older low pressure hydraulics maybe around 800-1200 PSI. If you're going to pull it with a more modern high pressure system like 2500 PSI you could replace the cylinder with a smaller one and have the same or more power. Could maybe even use 2 cylinders side by side. I think the cylinder rod is too far gone to build up. The whole length would have to be turned down and then it could be too small to seal even after it was hard chrome plated. If you know the stroke might be able to find a used cylinder off a Cat or other machine that could be adapted. If you want to keep the cylinder you could see if a hydraulic shop might have a cylinder rod from a damaged cylinder that could be made to fit. A lot could depend on what seals are available.

Welder Dave said: I'm guessing that cylinder is designed for older low pressure hydraulics maybe around 800-1200 PSI. If you're going to pull it with a more modern high pressure system like 2500 PSI you could replace the cylinder with a smaller one and have the same or more power. Could maybe even use 2 cylinders side by side. I think the cylinder rod is too far gone to build up. The whole length would have to be turned down and then it could be too small to seal even after it was hard chrome plated. If you know the stroke might be able to find a used cylinder off a Cat or other machine that could be adapted. If you want to keep the cylinder you could see if a hydraulic shop might have a cylinder rod from a damaged cylinder that could be made to fit. A lot could depend on what seals are available. Click to expand... Thanks @Welder Dave , yes have been asking lots of hydraulic places over here but nothing turned up yet. You are right about the cylinder being for early hydraulics, the book says 750psi. We found a hydraulic cylinder from a telehandler that was just a bit too long but by the time you start getting stuff altered at the hydraulic shop it gets unviable. Local hydraulic guy says the seals are no problem to get. More searching needed ! Chris

Hopefully you find something that will work. Shortening the rod on a cylinder wouldn't be too much trouble. Would depend on the cylinder how hard it would be to shorten the barrel.

What’s unviable? Cut the the yoke off, clean it up, shorten rod as desired and weld back on.

I believe CEE in Australia has cut cylinders down to replace a bad section on the open end.

Cylinder update ! Have tried many hydraulic places but to no avail. Decided to have a go at sleeving the piston rod with some finished thick wall tubing. Local steel supplier had some metre length offcuts so had one of those for not many coins. Turned down the original piston rod and pressed on the new sleeve. Got to about 9 tons pressing it on so quite a good fit. This may not be the correct way of going about it but the piston rod is still original to the scraper box and as it has a fairly low working pressure I’m sure it will be ok. Thoughts / criticism most welcome Chris.

I would think about placing an additional oring or something to seal the sleeve on the piston side. Could be sealed by pressing onto the rod but not sure

Concerning rims. Are the measurements correct which you stated? Sounds like trailer tires. Look for used tires 11.00 20 or 12.00 20. The rims alone you will never find cause almost nobody sells just the rims. Tbh the rims look not that bad on the pictures is the damage caused by rust that bad? I would ask a industrial or agricultural tyre shop first before throw them away

Nice work!

Still on with polishing up the new sleeve and have also chased out the threads on the rod and nut. It is a 2-2/2” UN thread type at 12 TPI. Cheers, Chris.

Nice work!