When you need to fix a hydraulic cylinder, there are various elements that you need to make sure that you keep track of and pay attention to during the repair process.
#1 Watch Out a Tension Spring
When you have to remove a large cylinder, be aware that they may contain a tension spring. A tension spring can hold back hundreds or even thousands of pounds of force, and is not something to be messed with. A tension spring needs to be dealt with carefully so you don't injure yourself or your machine. Check and figure out if your machine has a tension spring before you begin working on the hydraulic cylinder.
#2 Use The Seal Groves
If you find that the seals on the hydraulic cylinder have either shrunk or swollen, or are damaged in another way, you are going to need to replace the seals. When you replace the seal, you are going to want to refer to your owner's manual to determine what size seal you need. If you can't find your owner's manual, then measure the seal grooves, not the seal itself, to determine what size seal you need to purchase. The seal groove should not change size or shape, which is why it is better to measure the seal grooves instead of the seal itself.
#3 Keep Sharp Objects Away
When working on replacing the seals on the hydraulic cylinder, keep all metal objects away from the shaft of the hydraulic cylinder. It is made out of soft material, and any metal object, even a screwdriver, could easily scratch the shaft and damage it, resulting in more work for you to get your hydraulic cylinder running again.
#4 Check The Rod
Finally, you should check out other parts of the machine when you are working on replacing the seals on your hydraulic cylinder. One of the main parts that you want to check out is the rod for your hydraulic cylinder. The rod can easily become cracked or pitted over time.
Carefully inspect the rod for signs of wear. If the rod is worn down in any way, you should replace it at the same time that you replace the seals on the hydraulic cylinder. That way, you don't have to open up the cylinder again to replace the rod at a later date.
When working on your hydraulic cylinder, be careful with metal tools, watch out for tension springs, use the seal grooves for measurement purposes, and check out the rod to see if needs to be replaced as well. Contact a hydraulic repair service for more help.
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