TT-901: Vacuum Cup Replacement


Tech Tip-901: Vacuum Cup Replacement
Models Affected: All Vacuum Equipped Units

Vacuum Cup Damage and Replacement

Description:

On units which utilize vacuum extraction, the vacuum cups are the most frequently replaced items. This is due to tearing of the sealing edge of the cup, separation of the rubber from the metal backing plate, or bending/breaking the metal backing plate.

Recommendation:

When extracting a lift truck battery from either a lift truck or a charging stand, do not change the elevation of the roller bed, or rotate the extractor arm once engaged on a battery case. This causes the cup to slide along the battery case, typically leading the edge of the cup to curl or roll under. Repeatedly doing so will eventually cause damage to the cup assembly. To prevent this from happening, verification of the roller bed height and extractor arm position is critical prior to engaging the cup to the battery case. To help reduce curling of the cup edge, BHS recommends a silicone type lubricant be applied on the face of the cup to help the cup slide on the battery case. Using the vaccum cup as a hook to extract the battery by “hooking” the battery eye with the back of the vacuum cup will also lead to cup and mounting hardware damage. The vacuum cup should never be used in this manner.

Repair:

Replace the vacuum cup if it has been torn or is separated from the metal backing plate. BHS offers multiple cup options with a standard mounting layout. All options are available for use on any BHS vacuum equipped extractor. For more information on available vacuum cup options, refer to Tech Tip TT-937. To find out more about proper mounting and hardware, refer to Tech Tip TT-913.

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