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3 Hydraulic Cylinder Repair and Maintenance Tips

Hydraulic cylinder repair and maintenance is a crucial process that should be implemented at regular intervals. This helps keep problems at bay. If problems do occur, with regular maintenance, they can be taken care of before they grow out of proportion and cause major destruction. This process also ensures that the downtime associated with major repairs is avoided.

Brief Checklist for Three Integral Hydraulic Cylinder Maintenance Processes

The functioning of hydraulic cylinders is dependent on three main components. These should be checked thoroughly every time you schedule a round of maintenance. Even when repairing any cylinder components, these parts should be checked to ensure proper functioning.

  • Checking the Rods

The most important component within a hydraulic cylinder is the rod. If the rod is bent, it will be unable to function. This will cause disruption in the functioning of the cylinder. A rod usually bends on failure of the rod seal. A seal could fail in the absence of proper lubrication or when loaded beyond capacity. When the seal fails, the rod experiences excessive pressure and bends. In extreme cases, the load could be dropped from the rod.

  • Seals and Bearings

Primarily, only compatible seals should be installed in the device. Seals with requisite dimensions should be used. Secondly, the seals should be checked regularly for lubrication and repair. Seals are relatively small components but seal failure could cause severe damage to a machine.

  • Reducing Friction

If the rod is rough, it will cause friction. This will increase the load experienced by the machine and increases the power and hydraulic fluid consumed by the machine. A rough surface rubs against the cylinder causing damage. Hence, the rod should be regularly polished and finished to ensure a smooth surface at all times.

A hydraulic cylinder functions as the heart of your machinery. You need to ensure that proper steps are being taken to maintain these machines and their components. Small issues can flare up to bigger problems if not catered to at the right time. This simple checklist will take care of the major problems that could occur with your machinery. Other than this, you should also keep an eye out for overheating, leaks, excessive or irregular noise, slow cycle times, and other dysfunctional activities. Hydraulic Cylinder Preventive maintenance will help in making sure that these problems don’t occur often and they are taken care of within a safe period.