If your construction equipment slides slowly in hydraulic cylinders, or. Just prepare the right tools and master some key steps, and you can completely repair it. This guide will take you step by step. You can see that there is obvious hydraulic fluid on the ground, which is not a small problem. Well, you don't have to pay for repairs or buy new hydraulic cylinders. The hydraulic cylinders are in your own workshop, which will save a lot of time and money. Help the equipment return to normal operation as soon as possible.
Proper diagnosis is essential before starting the rebuild. The hydraulic cylinder almost has a warning signal before it fails. Regularly check your equipment for these common symptoms. So, detect problems early.
External Leaks: This is the most obvious sign. A visible leak of hydraulic fluid around the piston rod as it extends and retracts is a clear indicator of a failed rod seal or wiper.
Internal Bypass (Drifting): Have you noticed your loader arms slowly sagging or a bucket gradually tilting down on its own? This is called "drifting" and is caused by a worn piston seal. The seal no longer holds pressure, allowing fluid to leak internally from one side of the piston to the other.
Reduced Performance: If the cylinder seems weak, slow, or jerky in its movements, it could be a sign of internal leakage or air contamination in the system, often caused by a failing seal.
There are many different cylinder designs, but the basic process of reconstruction follows the same core phase. Knowing this process, any type of cylinder encountered can be rebuilt smoothly.
Disassembly: When removing the cylinder, pay attention to the sequence and orientation of each part. To facilitate accurate recovery when rebuilding. This stage is also noteworthy if the cylinders are examined.
Inspection and seal replacement: thoroughly inspect each part for damage. Replace all old seals with appropriate sealing kits. Some old seals have failed, their sizes are no longer reliable, and the cylinder diameter needs to be remeasured.
Reassembly and testing: reassemble the cylinder in sequence and orientation and safely test its operation.
First, you must thoroughly clean the exterior of the cylinder housing and all connected hoses before you disconnect anything. Off-road machinery operates in harsh conditions, and caked-on dirt, grease, or mud can easily fall into the delicate internal components during disassembly, causing more damage than the original problem.
Once clean, disconnect the hydraulic hoses and immediately cap or plug the open ports on both the hoses and the cylinder. This prevents contamination from entering the rest of your hydraulic system. After removing the cylinder from the machine, find a clean, well-lit workbench to perform the rebuild.
Threaded head cylinders are common on heavy equipment and are identified by a large, threaded gland (or end cap) that holds the internal components in place. This gland often has holes or notches for a special spanner wrench.
Disassembly Steps:
Secure the cylinder barrel in a large vise, being careful not to crush it.
Use a spanner wrench (also called a gland nut wrench) to unscrew the gland from the cylinder barrel. This may require significant force.
Once the gland is unthreaded, carefully pull the entire rod, piston, and gland assembly straight out of the barrel.
To separate the components on the rod, you will need to remove the large lock nut on the end of the rod that holds the piston in place. This nut is often very tight.
With the piston removed, you can slide the gland off the rod.
When disassembling the O-rings and seals, pay attention to their sequence and position for ease of reassembly.
Reassembly Steps:
Carefully remove all old seals and O-rings from both the piston and the gland. It's helpful to take a picture with your phone for reference. Thoroughly clean all components and seal grooves.
Lubricate the new seals with clean hydraulic fluid and carefully install them, ensuring they face the correct direction.
Slide the gland back onto the rod, then reinstall the piston. Apply thread locker to the rod threads and torque the lock nut to the manufacturer's specification.
Lubricate the new piston seals and carefully guide the entire assembly back into the cylinder barrel.
Thread the gland back into place and tighten it securely with the spanner wrench.
This cylinder design uses a heavy-duty wire ring that sits in a groove to hold the head in place instead of threads. Rebuilding this type requires a special plastic removal ring, which is typically included in a quality cylinder seal replacement kit.
Disassembly Steps:
Start by fully retracting the rod. Remove the external steel wire ring from its groove at the end of the cylinder.
Using a soft punch and a mallet, carefully tap the head into the cylinder tube about a half-inch. This will expose an internal groove inside the cylinder barrel.
Insert the special plastic removal ring from your seal kit into this internal groove.
Now, you can pull the entire rod and head assembly out of the cylinder tube. The plastic ring acts as a ramp, allowing the head to slide past the groove.
Once removed, you can disassemble the piston and head from the rod just like with a threaded cylinder.
Reassembly Steps:
After replacing all seals, remove the plastic removal ring from inside the cylinder barrel.
Lubricate all new seals and the inside of the barrel.
To get the new, tight seals back into the barrel, you may need to use a band clamp to gently compress the seals on the head.
Carefully slide the assembly back into the cylinder until the head is past the internal groove, at which point the band clamp can be removed.
Push the head fully into place until you hear or feel the internal wire ring on the gland snap into its groove.
Reinstall the main external wire ring to lock everything in place.
Reconstruction is more than just an exchange of seals; it is an opportunity to examine deeper issues. During the disassembly process, please review these common questions carefully. Will cause a new set of seals to fail quickly:
Scratched or Pitted Rod Surface: Any defect on the chrome-plated rod will tear the new rod seal like a handful of documents. Slight scratches can sometimes be polished, but. Deep scratches or bent rods require professional repair or replacement.
Scored Cylinder Barrel: This is usually caused by contamination and can damage the new piston seals. Look for deep scratches inside the cylinder.
Worn or Distorted Seals: Are they just worn flat, or are they torn, fragile or deformed? This can be seen. If the fault is caused by normal wear or other problems, such as overheating or contamination. Look at the old seals.
Damaged Seal Grooves: Inspect the metal groove where the seal is located for any defects. Scratches or burrs that could damage the new seal during installation.
If you find significant damage to any hard parts, it is crucial to replace that component. Simply installing new seals in a damaged hydraulic cylinder will only lead to another failure.
Rebuilding hydraulic cylinders is a very time-saving and money-saving method. As long as the device is working properly, you can successfully restore the performance of the device. Pay close attention to details during safety, keeping clean, inspection, and reassembly.
Supriyo Khan
Supriyo Khan
Supriyo Khan
Supriyo Khan
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