new to all this and just pump my third job but my first 100 yarder and can not get spunge ball to suck back not sure what i am doing wrong when the man i got the pump from showed me after my frist job went great but seen thin i can not get it to move it is a 02 39m schwing try puting hose in bucket of water still nothing i have it in A fram thank for any help  

We do this when finished pumping put you tip hose in the holder,we use a soccer ball use a shovel handle and push it as far into your tip hose as you can, then pour 5 gallons of water down your tip hose you will need to elavate your last section at a 45 degree angle, start stroking in reverse, then raise your boom straight up in the air and stroke until the ball comes out in the hopper also with a steel rod tap on your deck pipe when it pings its clean it no ping it still full.

When you pump empty the hopper after the job give a few strokes back imediately after your finnished pumping empty.

Then wait untill the concrete stops dripping and then suck back the ball with a slow (but not too slow) speed. If the ball gets stuck due to some reason like very stiff crete or whatever than put the boom straight up (like 45-60 degrees will do) and then suck. But pay attention when you do that. The ball might suddenly come loose and go extremely fast through the pipes. They will then not be cleaned propparly so you will have to suck one more ball or pump water through the boom when you come home..

You don't have a Z boom do you?? Because with a Z boom its not possible to suck a ball when you have it i Z possition. (up/down/up/down) At least not on my Z boom. The sections should stand up/up/down/down   or    up/up/up/down

Another option with the Z boom is to fold the boom up and put it on the car and then suck a bal.

If you do like above it realy should work. If not something is wrong. Maybe the ball is no good. To hard maybe... or there is something in your pipes like buildup or some elbows are very out of line or something like that...

Good luck! Give us a word about the outcome ;-)

A 39 is not a Z boom. But my sponge gets stuck it the elbows sometimes. Turn the volume up and listen to the end of the hose. You will hear it trying to suck and once you hear it slide, then slow the pump down until it passes the deck into the 6-5 reducer. Then stop the pump. When you open the back end the sponge will be right there. If you suck it into the hopper, you will probably cut the sponge. Then you will need a new sponge. If you still cant get it back, try putting your hands over the end of the hose and it will try to suck your hands in. When you feel there is a lot of suction, take your hands off fast then listen to see if the sponge is moving. Usually this suction will loosen the sponge up where ever it is stuck. Make sure all your gaskets are not sucking air.

Make sure you have the right ball size and density. I use a walmart Poof foot ball, two actually. I just take the hose off in A frame. stick one wet foot ball in and suck it in a little, then dump five gallons of water in and another wet ball.Put the pump in reverse and listen you'll hear it going through the pipes. The water cleans the pipe so it will prime easier and suck back easier. If all else fails put your ball in plastic bag it will suck better. Some times if your sponge lets air through it it won't suck. Also make sure your system is tight. Good rear O ring and a good seal on your cutting ring.

How are your boom gaskets at the swivel joints? If they leak when pumping they will also leak when sucking the ball back.

All i can tell you is with the 32m and 38m putz that I run I suck back with a 8X8 square sponge. When the first mixer gets to your pump fill your bucket with your sponge in it with water let it soak the entire job when done I pump my hopper down as far as i can take I clean the tip hose off with the wet sponge then I squeeze all the water i can out of it shove it in the hose about six inches then suck bake slow it takes me about a min. to suck back never had a problem the slower you suck back the cleaner your pipes will be

1st thing,avoid pulling a ball back through the hose,the ball collapses and buildup in pipe/elbows happen.Until you master water wash always remove reducer.If your mud is drier than 4" spin and recycle the mud adding water till about a 6" slump,then pull.It was mentioned about worn gaskets leaking,the most overlooked is turret gaskets (oh joy).Normally they drip on trans and not seen,great time to check pipe/elbows then.If you haven't had the joy of blowing something in the turret you will love that one.Again it was mentioned to pull the ball slower,get less elbow buildup that way.It's all trial and error on your part,looser mud helps a bunch,rots of ruck.

Enjoy the weekend

Many is right if the mud is to tight its tough to create enouff vacuum to pull the ball back. On the outher hand if its to lose you might pull cream and leave rock. Any time I know that I've got to suck the ball I recirculate not olny to get the right slump but to rock the boom pipe . Still there's no better wash than a good old water wash lol

use soft 5 " balls opposed to hard balls. you also may find that you need to leave a little more concrete in the hopper to make an efficient seal at the cutting ring and wear plate, particularly if it is worn. trial and error is the best way to learn

...Also be sure the back water is full in the water box. If the piston heads are worn it can suck water past them and not allow enough vaccum to pull the ball & concrete back. 

smarty,you caught me sleeping,very true.

enjoy the long weekend

hey guys, good comments all around , i miss one thing though. NEVER AND I MEAN > NEVER < LET A MIXERTRUCK DRIVER WASH HIS TRUCK INTO YOUR HOPPER. It will create a airleak between your cutting ring and plate. It will make it impossible to empty your boomlines completely so there is to much weight of mud in the pipes making it hard to suck back any ball being it hard or soft.

I normally wet up the last yard to about a 4 and a half to a five. It's hard to suck back a 3. The wetter the better.

...and if for some reason you cant increase the slump of the last yard of concrete you pump.. Boom back to the hopper & recirculate and WeT iT UP!

your kidney seal could be worn,piston cups,cutting ring wear plate, build up in tip 90, or somewhere in the pipeline, if its not sucking water out a 5 gallon bucket I believe you have wear part issues.

the best way is to recirculate an wet it up to atleast a 6 then pump out kinda hard if u can an pump out as much as u can id always try an hit a few strokes where it was sucking air an soon as u turn the pump off put it in reverse an let it drain for a bit an if u can bring it to the back of the pump an lay the hose on the ground an keep the pump stroking in reverse the hole time an bring it as close to the pump as u can an unhook it an turn the elbow up an turn the pump down almost as slow as itll go an put ur first sponge in then pour a 5 gallon bucket of water in behind sponge an then put in a second sponge an when u get water in ur hopper the sponges are back ur pipes will look brand new everytime

get rid of that Concord pump, not sure thats what your operating, just a guess.