Fixing a leaking Hydraulic Arm Cylinder on the Abandoned Excavator

The old Hitachi Digger has been leaking hydraulic oil from the arm ram end cap since I recovered it last year, leaking more than 1 litre every hour, it is time to replace the seals.
I'm finding it hard to get parts for such an old obsolete machine but the guys at FPD NZ www.fpd.co.nz/ went the extra mile and sent me a seal fit for a good price.

[@pa1668]

Sitting in a house in London during lockdown, watching a guy ,first of all rescuing the digger and now servicing the machine...amazing what suddenly becomes interesting to view when total boredom strikes. Well done mate you kept me sane for an hour....

[@ianpickersgill3211]

I don't know where Marty learnt all his skills, but he certainly puts them to good use.

[@Huskiedrive361]

As someone who did hydraulic system repairs for a living, I can tell you honestly, you did a perfect repair. I was pleased to see you be very careful of dirt and metal burrs. Both are the enemy to a good repair. Carry on mate! Great videos!

[@MartyT]

Thanks mate, good to know you approve ;)

[@alan6832]

@@MartyT How might you have done that if, like me, you had no loader?

[@MartyT]

I probably would have done the job under a tree with a pulley on a strong branch 😆

[@sbellock5]

You are the perfect example of, "work smarter, not harder."

[@stevenm.2380]

You know what I love about your videos... Your ingenuity, and you don't "jerry-rigg" things together, you fix things the right way. Watching someone "that'll do for now" his way through a project really drives me up the wall. But your videos, for some reason has a calming effect on me, lol.

[@briananderson3620]

Remember it's only temporary unless it works.

[@garyholt4445]

I agree. Marty is very matter of factual. Watch similar American videos and the first thing you notice is noise, and lots off it, so loud that they are obnoxious. Marty says it how it is, no noise and no bullshit.

[@markmore8863]

Who knew a seal on a hydraulic ram would be so complicated and finicky? Love your work, it inspires me.

[@douglasharley2440]

i really like how simple and careful you are. working alone on such heavy machinery with really simple tools, yet you are always safe and efficient and calm. *RESPECT*

[@cenccenc946]

The dude is fabricating his own wrenches as he needs them. That might be the most hardcore DIY thing I have seen on youtube.

[@jpallen719]

We use an expression among my workmates that someone is ‘farmer smart’ you have to know a little of everything and being able to improvise use what you have at times to make things work this is an absolute great example of that. Keep up the good work Marty we love the videos. I’m learning a lot.

[@MartyT]

Thanks mate, yes most kiwi farmers are pretty clued up with this sort of thing

[@digitalwoodshop]

Priceless Information on rebuilding Cylinders. Thanks :) Love the Wrench.

[@MrYukon2010]

Lots of respect seeing you do all this maintenance without the fancy tools most KZbinrs have. Creativity and ingenuity skills on the next level. You got yourself a new subscriber as I value those skills more than anything else. Also seeing you giving those machines a 2nd life is just great.

[@aaronjohn6586]

So impressive your thoughtful, patient and problem solving skills.

[@MrSmitty6969]

I am impressed, there's nothing you can't fix and you work very smart, Well done Lad ! Smitty

[@barbannco]

you are so clever , even making your own tools to fit the job.....fascinating to watch you do what you do.....keep those videos coming... :-)

[@hauoira]

I had the same thing on my 8 ton Yanmar. The way you went about it was so impressive I decided to do it myself - saving much money in the process. Job turned out really well thanks!!

[@MartyT]

Nice, glad you found it useful

[@hauoira]

@@MartyT Going to do the main boom one next - but those seals are soooo expensive!

[@xSpiritAWx]

Thanks Marty. For 26 minutes everything was alright in the world 🌎

[@shackman9566]

Yes he has a calming effect on me as well. He's like the Bob Ross of homesteading.

[@ciberbri59]

Well said. Hard to why that is but it is.

[@Colorado-Tinkering]

I had no idea just how many wear parts are in a large hydraulic ram. Thanks for the lesson

[@sandraholzhausen8572]

W@

[@silvergrizzly316]

A man with a limited number of tools fixes some of toughest equipment in the world and does the job right!!! This is what keeps me coming back to Marty show!!! You AMAZE me Marty‼ Take care and God Bless! Jay.

[@WilliamWagner-hq9ut]

Must have been a whole term of Engineers designing those seals and o rings.

[@jrondyer1049]

Have never seen the strip of material used to help install a seal, rather interesting. Wish we could get Snap-on or Mac tools to throw a sponsorship your way. Lord knows they give enough tools to race teams that don't appreciate it.

[@scotth4760]

Amazing what a single guy can accomplish with knowledge perseverance and ingenuity can do. Well done

[@andjuju6476]

Best mechanic on youtube

[@brucemitch928]

Neat job, clever using the strap to fit the cyl seal, you are fortunate the gland nut came loose with only pliers, had visions of you making up a C spanner. Liking your videos very much 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿👍

[@deaks25]

Nice to see the OG girl getting some TLC. And then straight back to work. At least once during most of your videos do I hear a version of the Thomas The Tank Engine line "I'm a really *useful* engine" with 'machine' in place of 'engine'. The home-made spanner is the most satisfying thing I'll see on the internet this month!

[@racingblonde]

Sitting here isolated watching this, pineapple tin, old strap and a manky spanner.... proper engineering!! Made my day that has, thanks mate, stay safe.

[@tolbaszy8067]

It is very satisfying to watch a clever man fix things. Your thoughtful methods are refreshing and inspirational. The strap you used to pull the seal over the hub was brilliant! Thanks!

[@ciberbri59]

I loved that drone shot of the excavator working blended with background noises from down below. That's creative film making. Some of the best fixit content on KZbin for sure.

[@OffGridAussiePrepper]

Thanks for reminding me I have to rebuild a pallet jack piston, i had the repair kit for 6 months almost.

[@MartyT]

Haha I'd been putting off this one for a few months

[@OffGridAussiePrepper]

@@MartyT yeah but u have it done now.... and I still have to bloody well do it, i have only done brake master cylinders and drum pistons and disk brake calipers like 30 years ago.

[@larcoal2963]

Methodical, patient, skilled... nice work!

[@ashleyjames6010]

Loved the seal driver marty, Bloody ingenious.

[@OzGecko]

You can imagine the factory workshop manual: "Using the appropriate seal drift..." - Marty: "Hmm, can of pineapple I think" :) Magnificent!

[@Jangocat]

Amazing what one smart knowledgeable man can accomplish by himself. If that was being serviced by a pro shop there probably would have been 2-3 guys doing some of that even with all their specialized tools.

[@ivanolsen8596]

Great to see there are still some companies that will go the extra mile for customers, usually its " Sorry" and a hasty retreat. Excellent workmanship there Marty, love the black wooly bushes running round.

[@antonysimpson5304]

I liked the fruit tin used as a drift. Improvising with the tools you have to get the job done, well done.

[@TasmanianHillBilly]

Very sturdy ladder you have there Marty 3:00

[@tutekohe1361]

That’s a re-purposed tree-pruning ladder!

[@markrandall1456]

Hey there Marty, That was slick. The home made tools. They did the trick. You got it together. You are the man. You even made use of the pineapple can. Thanks for your time this time. Until next time, so long. :-)

[@slimJimmey]

Nice

[@Macthemechanic69]

*macgyver theme song plays well the spanner is being made *

[@OffGridAussiePrepper]

yep very modern day real macgyver ur looking at... a frikan genius.

[@chrispza]

And using a jam-tin to drive in the ring, as well!

[@richardford4570]

Watching you change ram seals brings back memories of when I built and repaired concrete pumps 40 years ago .Cheers from AUSTRALIA

[@NFSGamerful]

I keep getting amazed by the amount of knowledge you have on machinery

[@danclayberger770]

At 17:16 minutes he does not even mention using a piece of fabric he put around the very tight seal to pull it on. What a great idea. This video is the best overall tutorial on repairing hydraulic arms that I have come across.,.,.,.,.

[@PaulHigginbothamSr]

Marty I have rebuilt many hydraulic cylinders and never thought to call those plastic sliders bearings but of course you are right.

[@richardgreene7198]

your problem solving skills are amazing ! really enjoy watching you work through the crap you come into . you take other peoples junk (cheaply) ,fix it , then use that to fix a problem you have . Solutions found ,not more problems . Those tractors and that excavator were written off as worthless . Seem to just give you an advantage to get things done .

[@Maginnifix]

This is by far the most manly video ive seen to date on KZbin fixing heavy machinery with heavy machinery making tools what could top that ? Ohh i know A backdrop of wicked boats and taking a few chunks out of a mountain to test well done mate.

[@Jay-vu9nd]

It takes patience and loads of knowledge to do this kind of work. Hats off to you Sir

[@rond5661]

Great fix for the leaking cylinder, love the ingenuity you use to bush fix problems you run into.

[@Chr.U.Cas2216]

Dear Marty T. 👍👌👏 Ingenious well done, Sir! Congrats! When a man wants to repair a big machine and needs a slightly smaller machine, a ditch and a 90 mm wrench to help him repairing the bigger one you definitely know that he is playing in a high league now! :-) ;-) Thanks a lot for making teaching recording editing uploading and sharing. Best regards luck health and wisdom.

[@E3ECO]

It's amazing you can still find parts for these old machines.

[@alexduncan9941]

Old machine? Mate, these are basically brand new for New Zealand. The mayor of NZ has one of these as a company car.

[@rdeanbenson217]

Cracking on Mate! love your bush fixes, video's! Spent 74-76 at Exmouth WA. Son born in Perth. Retired USN SEABEE'S Diesel /heavy equipment Tech (22 yrs)

[@shaenj]

Hi, I'm Shaen and just Subscribed here. I did this job a few times on my Case 580 backhoes back in the '70's in Western Australia. Nothing much has changed. I was terrified of scratching the dammed things too. I carved bits of soft wood to push all the seals etc into place. Worked a treat just like your spanner. I used the machines for chasing gold and found a fair bit too!.

[@easydoesit8857]

Mr. improvise, overcome and adapt you got to love it, I do!

[@TedBishop1]

thank you Marty you are helping me keep my sanity during this time. Your methodology and calm voice and approach to problems is calming Cheers from Maine USA

[@libertyauto]

Man I love how you figure out how to do multiple-man operations by yourself. I especially like the drag pulley arrangement at 24:12 Thanks for your videos.

[@Rusty-Metal]

Calmest guy ever while mechanicing! One can learn a lot watching you Marty.

[@milititts3497]

LOVE the videos of this excavator im an amatuer equipment mechanic i work for a rental company i find these very interesting because i work on equipment with very low hours so i think its amazing watching you bring this very old excavator back to life

[@dans_Learning_Curve]

Nice "field" repair! I'll have to keep some of those methods in mind for when I score an excavator! I did farm machine mechanics for two years. Learned enough to know I didn't want to do it full time, but enough not to be afraid of picking up a forgotten machine and bring it back to life. Looks like you maxed out those channel locks! Whatever works!

[@reg9046]

Properly and calmly done solo Everything is shown without the need for too much talking Good thorough video showing all steps Thx

[@StaleEHuse]

No wasps, just an excellent mechanic doing an excellent job

[@dennymarreesr6187]

You never cease to amaze me with your ingenuity! You have excellent content on your videos! Keep up the great job!

[@MRSketch09]

I thought that was creative on digging the hole, and putting the boom of the excavator in it. I mean, that's literally bringing the problem down to your level. Although I see theirs no trade off for also having a piece of equipment to help with the heavy lifting. Learned a few tricks about thinking outside the box.

[@M21L35]

Haven't viewed Marty T for a while. Now after this, I recall how impressed I've ALWAYS been w/the skill & ingenuity that is displayed so impressively in each of Marty T's videos!

[@thomasburnett4712]

Always a pleasure to observe the amazing knowledge, patience, skill and innovation you employ in bringing these neglected machines back to full operating condition. Hats off to you sir!

[@pnadk]

The Hitachi manual says: "Tension on the nut = one Newzealander at the end of a 2 meter rod"

[@craigsudman4556]

Nice work Marty, nice to see other people modifying tools to get the job done, thought I was the only one. :-) Great video, thumbs up.

[@stevewesley8187]

Really enjoy your outlook - " one man's trash is another man's treasure " .... keep it up !

[@rdaw33]

Really love the "crack" sound when the shaft end nut came loose....Success!!!!!!

[@ThePreyMantas]

Nice job. One more concern put behind you my friend. On to the next one. Thanks for sharing.

[@vincentwhite7693]

Zen and the art of unmaintained machinery maintenance....love it.

[@brycechessum4684]

Good old KIWI No8 wire technology on display.

[@bobbybeaver4423]

I like the way you're using the tires as cushions to prevent damage to the ram and shaft. I have made note of this in my memory in case I wind up in a similar situation.

[@rauldemoura2417]

You are a very good mechanic, and your country is BEAUTIFUL!

[@richardlwellington]

It’s nice to have all that heavy equipment around to help you out, especially doing it all by yourself...

[@DumbSkippy]

Hammers seal in with Pineapple tin. Priceless. Love your ability to overcome obstacles @Marty T !

[@sparkyinanissan]

Very calm and precise working as always, nicely done. Only complaint is that I have a inexplicable desire for tinned pineapple now.

[@nicholasr82]

Great video. I know it's been said but your videos are the only ones I watch without jumping any part.

[@fynbo1007]

Congratulations with a successful repair, thank you for sharing your amazing journey with your old digger. God bless you and your family.

[@GaryT1952]

You are one brilliant Kiwi Marty T! Such an enjoyable way to start the day....an inspiration fo sure. Greetings from Gloucester MA USA

[@mauricekeithjohnson2598]

You know !! -- it's one thing to watch the U-tube cowboys for entertainment. It's a whole different ball game to watch a skilled technician, of great depth of mechanical know-how, such as you, solve problems ! example ? making the 80mill spanner ! Look forward to new posts.

[@canvids1]

When I was a heavy equipment operator many years back. two mechanics would take 4 hours to fix something, another man alone fixed the same problem in a half hour. Marty reminds me of that man. I enjoy your videos Marty keep them coming thanks.

[@kevinmcphail1329]

Nice job Marty...dang the soil looks tough...

[@johnm.evangelis693]

Good job, l see you are very mechanically inclined, awesome!!!!

[@konzwilliams7144]

Hey mate I really appreciate you doing these videos on how to service excavators and repair them thanks to you I now know how to go about fixing my 12 tonne catipillar excavator

[@DavoShed]

Really nice job. I used to make and assemble hydraulic cylinders as a teenager 40 years ago. Funny we didn’t care what they were used for at the time. We knew what order things went in and the torque settings then it just left the building. Great to see the insides again. Love your torque wrench settings :)

[@garyfeltus9801]

Great video of repairing the seal. The way you work things you make look so easy. Thanks for sharing.

[@marcryvon]

Now I know why they charge an arm and a leg to reseal those cylinders. Impressive DIY Monsieur. Really impressive !

[@paulmaters]

Outstanding work there Marty, very interesting and enjoyable video, its great to see someone using their skills and knowledge to solve problems and save money at the same time. its also good to see that old machines can come back to life and be just as useful as they used to be. thank you

[@dinrazalli429]

Can't wait for grader to be up...wish you all the best Marty 👍💪

[@edwingolddelirium]

I like the hitachi nice to work on .I did old scissor lifts and booms and more brands.

[@beakittelscherz5419]

I never knew you can put buckets on backwards. That's a nice feature! I like this channel and the ZEN attitude of Marty.Very relaxed guy. Good to watch and learn. I wish I had a Dad like him, that explained stuff, instead of shouting all the f´n time for nothing! Never learned anything from him and I gave up asking stuff at a very young age. I know he grew up that way, but it doesnt mean you have to repeat it with your own kids! I wish We had youtube back then.Endless opportunity to watch and learn. On the other hand..It wouldnt have been the same I guess. Anyways: Great channel to watch!

[@johnnymelendez4836]

Great work mate. Awesome to watch you engineer through machines start to finish.👌😇🚜🔧🎥

[@slimJimmey]

Marty is that super cool uncle that knows literally everything. Dude I never would've thought to use a dole can to put a seal on!! Or hot water that's great!! Keep it up!!! I love your videos!

[@alanlake5220]

You are very resourceful if nothing else Marty, a great job, like your calm manner

[@occultknowledge1085]

Great vid as usual. You're extremely resourceful and talented in the down under.

[@t.w.3]

Ah, yes those 500NM nuts on the cylinder piston. Nice video. A great machine that just needed some tlc and smart ways to fix it. Greetings from Thor in quarantine in Norway.

[@JuhaErkkila]

Man's gotta love the quality of those Hitachi part details. And nice to see how you are planning your one man operation assembly steps before performing!

[@anthonysimpson4109]

Marty, you are a bloody marvel. Thank you.

[@mohabatkhanmalak1161]

This proves that in the outback even that old, rusty wrench (and pineapple can) are king. Nice, neat repair!

[@danesharp6282]

Hi Marty there is some work involved just to change some O rings .. keep up the Good Work ..... Cheers Dane

[@tuneskramer69]

Nice drone shot, i am so jealous on the place you live. And the deals you make on your equipment. Have good one today

[@buttheadsmith7012]

Marty ... you are amazing. Never e]seen such a complicated rod end sealing system

[@oldeebutgoodee]

Love your “ Kiwi ingenuity “ Marty.

[@fava7753]

Another good repair Marty . Keep up the excellent work .