Holmatro Cleaning and Inspection on the Cutters Tool

Greetings everyone, I had to do an Inspection on this while at work, it hasn't been serviced for over 1 year and the last time I did clean and grease one of these was 3 years ago, normally I'm not doing it although the few employees that does this cleaning no longer works for the company. I can honestly say that a lot could go wrong if you do a short cut or not wipe all the grease off from the joints.

This is the Instructable on Taking apart Holmatro's Spreaders and Cutters. (or Jaws of Life for short)

Tools needed are simple:
Allen Wrenches.
Flat Head Screwdriver.
36mm or higher socket.
Breaker Bar and Torque Ratchet for the Socket.

Tools Not Allowed:
Screw gun.
Drill.
Hammer.
Chisel.
Punch.
Grinder.
Anything with Heat.
If there is a problem needing a tool from this list, stop working on it and get a hold of ur nearest Holmatro Dealer.

Steps 1 through 9 is the Spreader.
Steps 10 through 12 is the Cutters.

Step 1: Spreaders - Taking Off Cap

Most mechanics does short cuts. This cap is First! loosen with Allen Wrench of proper size, this is 4mm.

Step 2: Spreaders - Clip, Nut, and King Pin

The Hidden Locking Clip is the reason here short cuts is a no on the Cutters and Spreaders, The Clip should be held down by Gravity, if not use flat head screw driver.

The Crown Nut is metric, shouldn't be cranked too tight.

Step 3: Spreaders - Washers

2 Washer on the outer side of the blades, remember the outer sides, these ones in the picture has scratches on them but are flat, this is an example of how bad your maintenance could show, grease from the King Pin with dirt from whatever you've used the Spreaders for, can destroy washers and leave metal shavings to scratch the main arm of the Spreaders; which by the way is not a replaceable part since it's the main unit, and also scratch the Blades. The Blades are replaceable and has a fix in a later step.

Step 4: Spreaders - Removing Pins

2 Pins that opens and closes the Blades, they are screwed in by 1 screw each, the screws are hand tightened by a flat head screwdriver, so un screw those all the way, a clean pin falls out easy, a dirty set would need to be pushed with the flat head screwdriver, once pin is removed, the Blade is then free.

Step 5: Clean Up Time!

Time to clean everything here, including the unit that every piece goes on to, leave no dirt or grease. The threads on the Screws and King Pin can't have balls of dirt.

Check for stripped screws from over tightened and misused.

Inspect The Blades of the Spreader, is there damage? mine is perfectly fine.
Check the hole for the King Pin for scratches.
Check the hole for the Pin, it does more movement with the pin.
Check the Blade for dents and chips, the blade shouldn't show damage.

YOU ARE NOT ALLOWED TO:
-Sharpen the Blade
-Grind the Blade
-File the Blade
-Torch the Blade
-Repair the Blade
Doing so of the following will destroy the metal content. The Blades is a High Strength Steel, it is best to call the nearest Holmatro Dealer and exchange for new ones.

Step 6: Spreaders Reassemble: Start With Pins

Reassembling using the same pictures backwards. I'll show the steps and remind you not to over tighten the 2 screws for the pins and that there is a notch on the piston controlled arms, the holes on the pins for the screw must align up for the screw to nicely go in and snug tighten with a flat appearance. If you Crank too hard, you risk stripping the head.

Step 7: Spreaders Reassembling: Washers and King Pin

Washers on the outside of the Blades, then align the holes for the King Pin, push the King Pin up the hole with the grove on the Arm, allowing the Threads to pop up the flat side of the hole... too confusing? Follow the pictures in order, and make sure the end of the King Pin is inside the Groves to lock itself in place for the next step.

Step 8: Spreaders Reassembling: Crown Nut, Clip, and Cap

The Crown Nut is tightened on by hand all the way down, no half way then use tool.

If it's crossed threaded or not going easy, Don't Bother, Call the Dealer...

Tighten with Torque Ratchet till clicks, tight enough the Spreader is in one hand and the Ratchet is in the other while everything is sitting on the table flat.
Don't use a vice.

Next the Locking Clip has Six different ways of going on, if the pattern is off, spin the Clip till it falls in. I had to give the Nut a small crank to let the Clip drop. Less then 5 Degree Turn Crank.

Once the Clip is in place, put the cap on and Screw it on, don't over tighten or you'll strip the hexagon hole, there is no fixing that.

Step 9: Grease

Last Step, Grease using appropriate Grease gun and Grease, use holmatro user manual for type of Grease for your model. As you can see my work is a fan of Harbor Freight with the Grease gun. It does the job, just like their 90 AMP Flux Core Welder; Follow Directions!

Step 10: Cutters - Cap, Clip, Crown Nut

As you can tell I took the pictures of the Cutters while taking it apart, you can see how bad the Grease use is.

The Cutters is the same as the Spreader, follow pictures.

Unscrew the Cap.
Take the Clip off.
Unscrew Crown Nut.

Step 11: Cutters - Pins

The Second Picture shows its over use and lack of cleaning, The Washers are Flatter then normal.

Take out the King Pin.
Remove Washers.
Unscrew both Pins, the screw holds the pin in place.
The Blades are Free.