How To Rebuild Hydraulic Cylinders
Knowing how to rebuild hydraulic cylinders is an important skill as systems that require them are found all throughout industries such as agriculture, construction, and manufacturing. Many different types of heavy equipment use them including bulldozers, cranes, loaders, and elevators. These ‘telescoping’ cylinders are in many ways the key components of these systems and without them they will simply cease to function. When you know how to rebuild hydraulic cylinders you can save yourself a lot of time and money so this is a very valuable skill that you can add to your list. The following will briefly explain how the process works.
Before you learn how to rebuild hydraulic cylinders, you must first understand a bit about how they work. The systems that use them consist of two basic parts: the pump and the ‘telescopic’ cylinder. The pump’s role is to create pressure which is then used by the cylinder to create action. The cylinder itself is basically a barrel that contains a piston which moves back and forth. As you can see, the basic idea behind how they work is quite simple and it basically allows very heavy loads to be lifted using very little effort.
You can best learn how to rebuild hydraulic cylinders by knowing the major reasons why they go bad in the first place. Before even getting to this step however, it is important that you have read the instruction manuals for this equipment so you are better prepared to understand the directions. First of all, it is very common for the ‘telescopic’ cylinder to become bent or broken. Examine the equipment and if this seems to be the case then the best thing you can do is simply replace it. It is very unlikely that you would be able to create a new barrel and straightening the piston is practically impossible.
In the case that the seal of the cylinder is simply broken the you have more options. The seal can be replaced; however you will have to open the entire assembly in order to do so. Having a diagram of the cylinder on hand will help the promise immensely. Try contacting the manufacturer of the cylinder to see if they have a repair kit which would include everything you need to repair it.
Finally, another reason why you would need to know how to rebuild hydraulic cylinders is if the piston rings are damaged. If this is the case they too may be replaced. You should have a repair kit for this task as well. The piston rings must be treated very carefully; once they are replaced, be sure to oil them and the assembly before you put it back together. Things may be a little more difficult for you if you have a multi-cylinder assembly, so be sure to contact a professional before attempting.
