Want your hydraulic cylinder to run well and cost less? It’s not easy, but with timely and proper maintenance, you can make it last much longer. This guide shows you when it needs care and how to repair it the right way.
Time for Repairing the Hydraulic Cylinder
Regular Maintenance
Your repair cycle depends on how often you use the hydraulic cylinder and the environment it’s in. If you use it a lot or work in a dusty place, you’ll need repairs more often. Check it every day. Do a minor repair every 3 months and a major repair once a year.
In a minor repair, check the cylinder barrel, piston rod, seals, and buffer. Clean or change the hydraulic oil. In a major repair, take the cylinder apart, clean it, and replace worn parts.
Repairing Signal
Overheating
If the area around your cylinder feels hotter than usual, it may have a fluid, friction, or pressure problem. But if you ignore it, it may lead to serious damage.
Leaking Fluid
This is a warning signal that is very easy for you to notice. If liquid leakage is observed in the cylinder, hose or fittings, it is necessary to consider inspecting and repairing the hydraulic cylinder.
Unusual Noises
If your hydraulic cylinder makes knocking, bumping, grinding, or hissing sounds during operation, it may be damaged inside. You need to stop working immediately and repair it. Generally speaking, this phenomenon happens when air gets into the lines or lack of hydraulic oil.
Unstable Movement
It is mainly represented in your hydraulic cylinder operation, which will get stuck and not run smoothly. At this time, you should consider whether some hardware has broken and needs to be repaired.
Power Consumption Increasing
You will find that the value of the ammeter driving the hydraulic cylinder is significantly higher than the normal value under the same load and operating conditions. This means that more energy is needed to maintain the normal operation of the machine.
Uneven Piston Rod Wear
You should know that the hydraulic cylinder always moves in a straight line, so the piston rod wears evenly. Once the wear is uneven, it needs to be repaired. This has contributed to the rod misalignment or overload of the hydraulic cylinder.
Common Causes of Hydraulic Cylinder Failure
Seal Wear
Seals can be damaged by chemical corrosion. Long-term exposure to high temperatures can also make them hard and brittle. This will cause pressure loss and higher energy consumption..
Piston Rod Wear
If some debris got into the sealing area during operation, it may cause the displacement and insufficient lubrication of the piston rod. This will further aggravate the damage and leakage.
Internal Corrosion
If moisture gets into your hydraulic oil or you use poor-quality oil, the inside of cylinder will corrode quickly, which will lead to more leaks and shorten the cylinder’s life.
Fluid Pollution
It is necessary for you to keep the hydraulic oil clean. Hydraulic oil contaminated with moisture, dirt, debris, and other objects will greatly accelerate the wear of parts.
Overload
Before using the hydraulic cylinder, you should read the instructions carefully and avoid exceeding its maximum capacity. Otherwise, it may cause the cylinder to bend or even break.
Preparation for Repairing
Safety Equipment
For your safety, wear protective clothing, safety glasses, and gloves. Use a crane to move large or heavy hydraulic machines and components. Don’t remember that keep the work area clean, organized, and well-ventilated.
Power off and Isolation
You need to cut off the power supply and shut down all machines connected to the cylinder to completely isolate the hydraulic system. This step also protects you from electric shock.
Release Pressure
To avoid high-pressure oil spraying and hurting your skin or eyes, release all system pressure before doing any maintenance.
Drain Liquid
According to the specific situation, drain the hydraulic oil, coolant, or fuel oil. You need to disconnect the hose and firmly block both the port and the hose, and then open the cylinder opening to let the hydraulic oil flow out.
Clean Thoroughly
Significantly, you need to clean the cylinder thoroughly to avoid problems during later repairs. This can prevent unnecessary dust, oil, grease and small debris from entering the cylinder.
Repairing Your Hydraulic Cylinder
Step One: Disassembly
After fixing the cylinders, you can remove the connecting screws of it, and then slowly pull out the piston rod. Be careful not to scratch the inner wall of the cylinder. After that, make sure to record the positions of all parts before you take them off.
Step Two: Inspection
You can check the piston rod, piston, seals, and threads in a certain order, especially for the scratches, bends, or any signs of damage on them. At the same time, a borescope can help you inspect the internal parts clearly.
Step Three: Repair and Replacement
Some minor scratches you find on components can be polished, but major damages such as seals and nuts should be replaced promptly.
Step Four: Reassembly
In particular, the seals need to be lubricated before installation. Then, all accessories like the piston rod and nut should be installed in sequence, and finally the hydraulic oil pipe should be reconnected.
Step Five: Testing
This is the step where you can measure the quality of your repair. You can check for leaks by pressurizing the hydraulic cylinder and running it several times to testing.
FAQ
What will happen if a hydraulic breather is blocked?
Although the hydraulic breather is a small component, it can help your whole system running smoothly. When the machine clogs and the air can’t pass through, it will transfer the tank to vacuum and your pump will wear out early. So you need to check and clean the breather regularly to avoid this.
How much oil should be added to the hydraulic oil tank?
The hydraulic oil needs to reach the correct level on the sight gauge. Generally speaking, the tank should hold about three times the pump’s flow rate, which will help the system run smoothly. But it’s best for you to check the user’s manual and it will give you the right amount and the type of oil.
What is the normal pressure of a hydraulic cylinder and How can it be Checked?
The pressure of most hydraulic cylinders is about 3000 PSI, but that can always change with different applications and components. Besides, you can use the gauge to check the pressure. Connect it to the pressure port and run the machine so that you can record the gauge. Then, compare the number with your machine’s manual to check.
