Must-Have Hydraulic Cylinder Repair Tools

If you've never done repair work on hydraulic cylinders, there are any number of online resources which can help walk you through the process. Of course, you will need to have all the necessary tools on hand, because the process will call for completely disassembling the hydraulic cylinder before you begin searching for any faulty parts. While you have the cylinder disassembled, it's a good idea to give it a thorough inspection to make sure there aren't other parts which are nearing a failure point as well. Then you can go back to your set of instructions for carrying out any necessary repairs and reassembling your hydraulic cylinder. If you haven't done the process before, it's a good idea to have an experienced person to guide you through it, or at least observe your efforts. If the hydraulic cylinder is not repaired correctly, it could cause damage to some valuable custom equipment, and you will have done more harm than good. The information below will prepare you for effective hydraulic cylinder repair so that you will be ready to do an expert job of it. 

 

Best Tools & Kits for Hydraulic Cylinder Repair

The best hydraulic cylinder repair kits for backhoes and skid loaders will include a number of individual tools that are essential for making efficient repairs. The ideal kit should include at least one or two drive gland nut wrenches, which should be adjustable from 1 inch to 6 inches in diameter. You'll also need four-piece U-seal installer tools to accommodate all four possible sizes, i.e. small, medium, large, and extra large. Your kit should also include a pair of angle tip lock ring pliers which are frequently used to extract external retaining rings such as those which are often found on attachment loaders, as well as some of the later John Deere backhoe models, and even some forest equipment cylinders. Your toolkit should also have a set of four pick tools which can be used to remove buffer seals, O-rings, backup rings, and u-seals. Next, you'll need a smooth type piston ring compressor which can be used for resizing Teflon piston seals after they have been stretched onto a piston, somewhere in the range of 2 inches to 5 inches. Finally, the ideal kit should include a small cylinder hone for those cylinders sized between 1 1/4 inches to 3 1/2 inches in diameter. You shouldn't have any trouble finding a number of kits which include these crucial tools since they are all commonly needed tools for hydraulic cylinder repair. There are many name-brand kits like this on the market, and with even a little bit of searching, you should be able to find something in your price range which will also satisfy your business requirements.

 

Hydraulic Cylinder Repair Tips

In both mobile systems and industrial systems, hydraulic cylinders are essential for picking, lifting, and gripping. That means they are a crucial component of any hydraulic system because they allow for the elimination of gears and levers. All hydraulic systems are comprised of components such as valves, filters, pumps, and cylinders, and hydraulic cylinders tend to be some of the simplest components of the entire system. For the most part, failure on hydraulic cylinders occurs as a result of damage to the seals or fluid contamination. It's also possible that there will be an internally corroded barrel, or that the hydraulic cylinder is exposed to either chemical influences or extreme temperatures. Regardless of the cause of the damage, there are some important procedures you should be aware of when attempting hydraulic cylinder repair. Before you begin the process, make sure that all surfaces have been properly cleaned, and that all hydraulic hoses and plugs have been disconnected. Then you should drain all hydraulic fluids from inside the cylinder, and you can begin your repairs. The tools which are generally needed for hydraulic cylinder repair are a proper seal kit, screwdriver, punch, rubber mallet, torque wrench, pliers, and emery cloth. The steps involved in cylinder repair consist of disassembling the cylinder itself to diagnose the failure because, repairing or replacing any components which have malfunctioned, and then rebuilding the cylinder.

 

6 Things you need to keep in mind when going through hydraulic cylinder repair

 

#1 The Effects of Weather

When you're replacing seals, remember that the seal will expand or compress in sync with environmental conditions

 

#2 Preventing Friction in Moving Parts

Hydraulic wear bands are generally used for guiding pistons, so assemble these because they will reduce metal-to-metal contact

 

#3 Visually Inspect for Damaged Parts

When you're disassembling the hydraulic cylinder, make sure to check for other failed parts

 

#4 Look for Underlying Causes of Damage

When you have a premature failure of rod seals, that generally will indicate some kind of bend on the rod

 

#5 Always be Careful When Working with Moving parts

Large hydraulic cylinders generally use high tension springs, so be careful when handling these types of cylinders

 

#6 Use the Right Tool for the Job

Make sure to use the best fitting tools when you're doing repair work because any kind of scratches on the cylinder will lead to issues like corrosion.

 

Hydraulic cylinder repair tools that are a must

Before you begin work on hydraulic cylinder repair, it's best to have all the tools you need right in front of you, so you don't have to stop and go search for something you need. That being the case, there are some must-have tools which you should always have on hand before you begin the work of disassembly, replacement, and reassembly. You will of course need a new seal kit, a set of angle tip lock ring pliers, a torque wrench, a rubber mallet, a punch, and a screwdriver. The size of any tools that you use should match the size necessary for any work on the type of hydraulic cylinder you're repairing. You can generally find all these tools in a hydraulic cylinder repair kit at some hardware stores, and certainly at specialty stores which support this kind of work. There are also a number of online outlets which offer all-inclusive repair kits, and when shopping for these, you'll just have to be sure about the sizes of all tools included in the kit.

 

Have Questions?

Contact the experts at Sapphire Hydraulics by filling out our online form or calling us directly at: (713) 331-1131