Dump bed issues

[NWPEZ]

I’ve got a 2011 ram 5500 with a third party dump bed installed when I bought it roughly 6 yrs ago. It’s always been super strong until lately. It started lifting super slow and now has gotten to the point when full won’t lift and pops fuse. I’ve checked battery, getting mid 12v range. Checked power at pump and was getting jumping numbers between 3.5-5 cleaned the ground and now getting 10 range at pump. But still it lags up about 5 inches up and pops fuse. Just trying to troubleshoot before I go pay someone a grand to do the same thing. If anyone has thoughts greatly appreciated.

 

[Reach]

Is that 10 volts at the pump when under load?

I suspect that the motor on the electric pump has worn out. If a couple of the winding wires break or short out, you will have that effect. We replaced a starter on a chipper earlier this year because of that problem. It was cranking very slowly, and drawing an incredible amount of power to do so. New motor, problem solved.

 

[NWPEZ]

Is that 10 volts at the pump when under load?

I suspect that the motor on the electric pump has worn out. If a couple of the winding wires break or short out, you will have that effect. We replaced a starter on a chipper earlier this year because of that problem. It was cranking very slowly, and drawing an incredible amount of power to do so. New motor, problem solved.

Yes 10 volts at pump under load. So I’d be looking at a new lift motor if that’s the case?

 

[Reach]

Yes 10 volts at pump under load. So I’d be looking at a new lift motor if that’s the case?

If your wire size is correct, that's a pretty considerable voltage drop. It seems like your motor is pulling too much current, which could be an indicator of an internal short.

You can try testing with a good multimeter to see what the resistance is between the positive terminal of the motor and the negative terminal, but you have to have a really high-quality meter to get an accurate reading because it is going to be less than 1 Ohm. You can also try replacing the motor, they are not that expensive.

One other thing to test, the cables between the battery and the motor. Flex the cables in your hand, see if you can find any nonbending spots in them. If you find a stiff section, that often indicates corrosion inside of the cable, and corrosion creates resistance which reduces your current flow and your voltage at the other end.

 

[NWPEZ]

Wiring is correct size but it is possible that there could be corrosion somewhere. I’ll do my best to trace lines. I don’t think my multimeter is quality enough to detect an difference. I’m pretty decent at wrenching but haven’t done any hydraulic work. Not to sound inept, that it matters anyway haaa. But the motor would be the entire unit power comes into with the hydraulic fluid tank correct?

If your wire size is correct, that's a pretty considerable voltage drop. It seems like your motor is pulling too much current, which could be an indicator of an internal short.

You can try testing with a good multimeter to see what the resistance is between the positive terminal of the motor and the negative terminal, but you have to have a really high-quality meter to get an accurate reading because it is going to be less than 1 Ohm. You can also try replacing the motor, they are not that expensive.

One other thing to test, the cables between the battery and the motor. Flex the cables in your hand, see if you can find any nonbending spots in them. If you find a stiff section, that often indicates corrosion inside of the cable, and corrosion creates resistance which reduces your current flow and your voltage at the other end.

 

[Reach]

Wiring is correct size but it is possible that there could be corrosion somewhere. I’ll do my best to trace lines. I don’t think my multimeter is quality enough to detect an difference. I’m pretty decent at wrenching but haven’t done any hydraulic work. Not to sound inept, that it matters anyway haaa. But the motor would be the entire unit power comes into with the hydraulic fluid tank correct?

Most multimeter are not quality enough to detect that difference, you need a pretty high-end meter to get an accurate reading on a motor winding. A megger would give you a really good number, but you are not likely to find many people around who have one, nor even know what one is. It's a very specialty tool. I haven't even used one myself since college.

The motor is not the entire unit with the hydraulic tank attached, the motor is only the round cylinder looking portion on the end opposite the hydraulic tank. The square block in the middle is the hydraulic pump, and the plastic tank is the hydraulic tank. Those components can all be replaced separately.

If you have a cheap pump unit on there, it might be just as cheap to replace the whole unit, but if the pump unit is quality, it is definitely worth replacing just the motor. We've done it both ways over the years between various trucks and dump trailers.

 

[Reach]

Wiring is correct size but it is possible that there could be corrosion somewhere. I’ll do my best to trace lines. I don’t think my multimeter is quality enough to detect an difference. I’m pretty decent at wrenching but haven’t done any hydraulic work. Not to sound inept, that it matters anyway haaa. But the motor would be the entire unit power comes into with the hydraulic fluid tank correct?

Also, don't think that you are coming across as inept. There's a difference between ignorance and ineptitude, ignorance can be fixed with knowledge, which is what you are doing by asking questions. That's what we are all here for, keep asking!

 

[NWPEZ]

Most multimeter are not quality enough to detect that difference, you need a pretty high-end meter to get an accurate reading on a motor winding. A megger would give you a really good number, but you are not likely to find many people around who have one, nor even know what one is. It's a very specialty tool. I haven't even used one myself since college.

The motor is not the entire unit with the hydraulic tank attached, the motor is only the round cylinder looking portion on the end opposite the hydraulic tank. The square block in the middle is the hydraulic pump, and the plastic tank is the hydraulic tank. Those components can all be replaced separately.

If you have a cheap pump unit on there, it might be just as cheap to replace the whole unit, but if the pump unit is quality, it is definitely worth replacing just the motor. We've done it both ways over the years between various trucks and dump trailers.

Copy that. Thank you very much for the response. I assume by the bed build and welds the whole pump unit isn’t very quality. I’ll look into options after chasing wires and take it from there. It’s only money right. Ha

 

[NWPEZ]

If you have any recommendation of companies for motor or entire unit be stoked to hear. Sounds like you’ve been down this road a few times.