Hydraulic Cylinders Are Awesome! But Are These Fixable?

[@davidjones8680]

Im a hard chrome electro plater, only job ive had since leaving school 49 years ago. I get to plate new and also repair and refurb a lot of old shafts. Very few of the refurb shafts i get in are straight and true, especially so of excavation plant. They are often bent in several planes and need straightening before having al the old chrome ground off and replaced with new. I have seen alsorts of adhoc repairs done to shafts over the years just to keep them going, from soldering, brazing, mig or arc welding and modern epoxy, but the cheapest and simplest i think i have ever seen was a guy who filled the pitting and small damage in his rod with nail varnish. It apparently it held up good and healthy for many years, and he only bothered to get it rechromed when the seals finally failed. David in the U.K.

[@lpjunction]

Hydraulics is interesting, if the O-ring seal is not working, it could be adhoc fixed with some bubble gum. kzbin.info/www/bejne/emK1iomJotqCo8U

[@TBU2012]

I assume you mean fingernail varnish for the lady's?

[@davidjones8680]

@@TBU2012 Yes, good old ladies finger nail stuff. Bright red if i remember right. Did the job okay, we only got to refurb the shaft when the seals finally blew out.

[@alansims4344]

Oh I'm try'n that. Thanks in advance.

[@johnsherborne3245]

Maximum respect Sir, hard chrome is a real skill infused with a dash of science!

[@Blizake54]

Well done! Clear speech, good lighting, sharp focus, and no stupid sound track. GREAT JOB.

[@kcomment2930]

And strong seals!

[@KenFullman]

I've heard of useless things being described as "useful as a bike to a goldfish" YET seals have cycles and that's a good thing?.

[@kiesh.]

For seal ID use the 'james walker' catalogue, it has sections where seal types are identified by cross section geometry, then table where you can match the other dimensions to either the seal or the housing. Also describes how to design the grooves for machining the correct grooves for a given fit for piston or face seals etc. It's the seal bible, and easy to follow.

[@billsmith7673]

Thank you for that. Had never heard of it. Just found online and downloaded.

[@philliphall5198]

I agree and I use it all the time

[@Michael-wx3lg]

2²2222²²​@@billsmith7673

[@danshepler9933]

I am glad to see that I'm not the only 77 yr old man who use to make tools as needed and build or repair things. So many these days just buy new parts, or have someone else do the work. Proud of the work you did.

[@IdeaBoxful]

Its becoming a rare trait nowadays. A lot of that fixing imparts sound knowledge that helps in designing new products. I keep arguing with educators about this. Another reason I belive the Chinese and some South Asian countries will lead the engineering world tomorrow. In my country, its getting harder to find new engineers who can actually fix stuff instead of just replacing parts.

[@TrailRat2000]

When I drove forklifts for a living, the guy who serviced them would roll up in a transit van that served as a mobile workshop. In the back of the van one side of it was just drawers and drawers of o-rings, seals and all manor of bits and bobs. Without fail the guy would always be able to find the right part first time for whatever he worked on. It was impressive!

[@mrfixitdellacertifiedfield5376]

Great but this is a SMALL percentage of the fix

[@dougdegraff5892]

I was one of those guys..

[@nate2838]

@@mrfixitdellacertifiedfield5376 Its amazing how many times in life its the "small" things that bring things to a screeching halt. That cylinder won't function without the right O-ring. Period. Doesn't matter if it takes you 5 minutes or 35 minutes to disassemble that cylinder if you need to spend 45 minutes or more looking for the oring, checking ones that look close, searching again and repeat until found.

[@monad_tcp]

@@nate2838 aren't you guys making things harder than they need to be for job security? Why can't you have a taxonomy like any proper engineering field. Part numbers are a thing.

[@monad_tcp]

As someone said before. Finding the o-ring is only a small part of the job, so why make it hard. I don't get it.

[@robkoons2100]

I know this is a older video but watched it first time today and as you was draining the cylinder and most the fluid was going on the ground and then the bucket dumped over i laughed so damn hard because it was almost an identical replay of last time I did this! Thank you for brightening my day!

[@timmer9lives]

Yep, been there and done that too. I feel so stupid when it happens to me but all we can do is laugh. Just another day.

[@FarmCraft101]

Caution! Maniacal laughing at 4:00! SMH. (That's a little embarrassing, but I didn't edit it out just for you, my awesome viewers!) I hope you all find the video entertaining and informative, and maybe even develop an appreciation of hydraulics. Cheers everybody, and have a great weekend! ***UPDATE: The dealer really did a disservice telling me to buy a new cylinder. It turns out that the backhoe on this machine is AMERICAN MADE, by a company called Bradco in Texas. If you contact Bradco, they do indeed sell seal kits for these cylinders. I don't think Mahindra is at fault for this, but rather the dealer who should have just said: "Hey, that backhoe is made by Bradco. Call them." I think the person I spoke with couldn't find info on the backhoe and so just gave me the easy answer: "Buy a new one."

[@Juber777]

Nah, you actually had a good idea just the exicution(I CAN'T figure out how to spell it...) To save the oil for wood treatment is what I would do, good idea with the clothes to get some back 🙂

[@jebowlin3879]

My first thought with the outrigger cylinder was spray welding, I saw that on another YT channel, I think you did good with what you had, I mean, it works so well done

[@jeffmoore2351]

At 10.51 you said that you may need a new rod. Not a hydraulic expert by any means. But I had my front forks ( motorcycle ) rebuilt. By a company that did Hard Chrome refinishing. They measure the original size. Then build up the chrome. Then turn it back down to original size on part. It was cheaper than buying two new forks from Suzuki Japan. But you might want to consider this direction over buying what we call in Australia a RAM. Take care Aussie Jeff

[@jeffmoore2351]

So Mr Farmcraft having got nearer to the end of your Vid. What are the downsides over time of doing the repair the way you have. Not expert but have a lot of Hydraulic rams involved in my business. Genuinely interested. Aussie Jeff

[@agentx250]

@@jeffmoore2351 The chrome finish is to offer a near perfectly smooth surface for the seals to ride which helps prevent premature wear/failure as well as making the rods themselves far less susceptible to rust/corrosion. The likely issue, down the road, with MIGing then machining down the rods is that those spots can now rust. This can then lead to a wider failure of the chrome surface since that corrosion can also "get under" the existing chrome finish. - In a pinch it's probably fine while you're waiting for replacement rod to arrive in your shop and in this case will likely last a long time since the rod spends most of its time submerged in oil. On the flip side, if it were a boom rod that spends most of its time exposed, the failure time would likely be much sooner.

[@shannondunsworth3279]

I work for a company that manufactures hydraulic cylinders, which is why your video caught my eye. And you succinctly demonstrated hydraulics and the exponential power of hydraulics. Thanks for the video. I'm a sub. Cross Manufacturing.

[@philliphall5198]

Cross cly are very good 👍

[@littles3439]

You should lubricate all the seals with hydraulic fluid before assembly. 1) Makes assembly easier, 2) Pre-lubes the seals so they aren't damaged at start up.

[@joehowes4645]

Wrong

[@joehowes4645]

You have to use grease when the seals are in the gland it goes on the rod smoother and less likely to cut the seals

[@trashpanda2994]

@@joehowes4645 wrong, you can use the hydraulic oil to lube the seals and rings, however you normally use petroleum jelly because it's a neutral lube and will not contaminate the hydraulic oil. Do not just use any grease laying around, that will contaminate the reservoir.

[@joehowes4645]

@@trashpanda2994 i literally do hydraulics u melon stay in your lane you use grease from a cartridge and no u dont use petroleum jelly u utter muppet honestly stay quiet f

[@joehowes4645]

@@trashpanda2994 ik more then you and this guy you just google search get the facts right before chatting shit

[@athhud]

Looks like that’ll do. I’ve always stuck with brass or silicon bronze for rod repair. A torch does the trick, but TIG is a lot less work. I like the soft metals since they are easier to file/sand down and it won’t rust. Since I don’t yet have a metal lathe, the final finishing is a lot more work and anything that requires fewer file strokes is the way to go. I’ve always steered away from MIG because of spatter and potential for undercut. Of course when you have one of those magical horizontally spinning metal remover machines, having to go back and fill some undercut isn’t nearly as big of a deal. I prefer the green and yellow variety of machinery, but am certainly jealous of the lesser breeds when it is time to purchase hydraulic seals. That seal kit from JD would be $100 minimum and that’s IF they even have it. I’ve finally found a local parts supplier that has an ample supply of seals for pennies on the dollar, but it took me years to find them. The first shop I was using is in the business of repairing cylinders at $85/hr and didn’t seem to care for me disturbing them to buy a $5 seal... Many times it would require 2 trips to their shop because they wouldn’t take the time to carefully measure the gland and would end up selling me the wrong size o-rings and seals. Not to mention their prices seemed to reflect the mood of whoever I talked to. One of the guys would give them to me for nothing and I would toss him $10-$20 in appreciation. The other guy might charge me $15 for a gland kit if he was in a good mood or $40 for the same parts if I was “disturbing” him. That just rubbed me the wrong way, so I just found a shop that is happy to sell parts at a reasonable price.

[@susansu-p5o]

Hello, I represent China Seals Factory. We specialize in manufacturing a wide range of hydraulic oil seals. If you're interested in exploring our offerings, we'd be delighted to provide you with free samples, allowing you to gain a deeper understanding of our high-quality products.

[@pmdoit]

For someone who is not in the hydraulics business you have a very good understanding of how it works and I was impressed by your repairs. So many people totally screw things up and then call in the professional to fix their screw up. After resealing thousand of cylinders in my life I will say that I have forgotten to install the gland nut more times than I'm willing to admit. 😆

[@bobbg9041]

Oops.

[@mrfixitdellacertifiedfield5376]

yes to some degree this guy still is NOT ADRESSING THE ROD FINISH which he entirely guessed at

[@susansu-p5o]

Hello, I represent China Seals Factory. We specialize in manufacturing a wide range of hydraulic oil seals. If you're interested in exploring our offerings, we'd be delighted to provide you with free samples, allowing you to gain a deeper understanding of our high-quality products.

[@surfbyrd1]

I like your drafting work pad for heavy parts repair!!! I love your channel, especially the classic bucket scene!!! Thank you!

[@CordCrenshaw]

The fact that you can laugh at yourself tells me all I need to know about your character. 👏

[@matt_1984_]

that he has some and isnt a jack a$$.

[@FarmCraft101]

I figure if I can't laugh at myself, then there will just be a bunch of people laughing at me! ;-)

[@davidvoinier6008]

Not laughing AT you, but WITH you!.

[@taknmybeatings7036]

I''m just glad I've never done anything so stupid. Amirite guys! ....guys? FINE I'm stupid too. Happy!?

[@wgenerotzky]

I’ll never outgrow doing somewhat less than brilliant things with oil, it always rewards me and cuts down on boredom. 🤣

[@tonyr1963]

I used to hate centring up in a four jaw independent chuck when I started an apprenticeship as a toolmaker. Three jaw self centring chucks were just so much easier and quicker to use. But if you want something perfectly aligned, a four jaw independent is the only chuck to use. Love your videos and your resourcefulness. I’m never going to tackle the things that you’re doing but really enjoy watching you solve problems. Along with ‘Watch Wes Work’ and ‘Diesel Creek’ your channel is in my top three KZbin channels. Thank you

[@richardblom9211]

As someone who does exactly this for a living, the gland and rod jokes never stop.

[@a.americandad3885]

Lip seals on shafts...

[@spambeanie2]

The glanis is the head of your shaft

[@bobbg9041]

Never crossed my mind.

[@grumblycurmudgeon]

So... you're saying you like to get piston? Is that pretty much the thrust?

[@jimchodzinski1140]

wait until us hydraulic valve guys get going. we're permanently regressed to 13 years old. Balls, ball retainers, ball stroke, shaft stroke, pin stroke. ball seat penetration...

[@davidhackney6536]

I really think standardization and part number identification is another key thing that differentiates the USA. I rarely have and issue identifying parts needed on USA manufactured units as the model is stamped on the neck and parts are listed in an IPB. Good videos, very fun to watch.

[@KAINARTZ]

The fact that you were able to repair something under 100$ while giving it to someone for repairs or replacing it would cost possibly over a thousand dollars is quite commendable. I learn a lot from this channel, I may not use this knowledge in the future but it is good to have. Hats off to you.

[@bobbg9041]

The day you cant buy a replacement part its good to know not all is lost. Let's say you've got a tractor like an old Ford that hasn't been made in 50 years and few had backhoes on them finding parts for it are impossible. Everything almost can be fixed its the cost.

[@mrfixitdellacertifiedfield5376]

Thing is he DID NOT finish the repair " Guaranteed the rod will leak again !!

[@susansu-p5o]

Hello, I represent China Seals Factory. We specialize in manufacturing a wide range of hydraulic oil seals. If you're interested in exploring our offerings, we'd be delighted to provide you with free samples, allowing you to gain a deeper understanding of our high-quality products.

[@edwardnicoletti8438]

You can fill scratches in a rod with a low melting point silver solder that usually has a pretty good PSI tensile strength and is easy to sand with some screen back abrasive material. Lawson Products sells the solder called 92C (get the acid core version not the resin core version) and the screen back. The material that you were using as an abrasive earlier in this video is Screen Back, not Emory cloth. You can sand using both sides of the sheet or roll with screen back. Emory cloth only has abrasive material on one side.

[@matthiaswandel]

I thought for sure you'd ruined that cylinder by welding over the scratch. Of course, I would have tried to level that with an angle grinder, handn't thought of a metal lathe! Good thing that cylinder is normally retracted so you don't have to worry about the weld rusting. Also surprised you had to lift the backhoe up with the bucket to get the stabilizers down. As for hydraulics, the one thing I can't wrap my head around is the plumbing where you can control multiple cylinders at variable rates simultaneously, like on bigger diggers.

[@FarmCraft101]

Yeah. Lots of engineering involved in getting those cylinders to work well together at the same time, even on my little backhoe. Might be interesting to take the control valve assembly apart some day. The outriggers won’t fully lift the tractor on their own. Not fully necessary to use, but I find it more stable if I lift all the way. It’s a pretty heavy machine, weighing 12000 pounds with the backhoe on.

[@criggie]

Once you own a lathe, the world becomes very different. Yes, I sharpened a pencil with my lathe, just cos.

[@hosslane320]

Full static load , with tires off the ground . Boom and arm . pivot points with pins are bosses . Bless ya'll from hooterville, n.c.

[@beeroquoisnation]

Re-chroming a rod is pretty common. Sometimes they re-chrome the bores as well.

[@johnsutcliffe3965]

Take a backhoe reservoir where the handles are for exampl when you movevthe stick one way it pushes a rod (cant think of the zctual name) that has holes in it. Those holes allow the oil to flow a certain way and allow the hydraulic ram to move in or out based on the position of the rod with holes!! I hope that helps and i apologize i confuzed you with my explanation. Its not always easy for me to explain certain things..

[@kellyroup4262]

I did this and when you have no help like you tube the first time it's just one of those precious moments that will define your future farm or construction life. That was the early 90s and I've rebuilt all of them on my Kubota since then a couple of times. Great video!!

[@woodwerkman1]

If the rod scratches are not really deep you can buff with Emery cloth and it will be good. I have even used JB weld on some rods. Fill in the scratch or bent and polish. Works amazingly well. I have built tons of cylinders as a forklift mechanic for 23 years

[@donaldstrishock3923]

Exactly:: JB weld to smooth out the pits & dings---works marvelous. Done this & it works great. The seals go bad from heat, extensive use, time,and unuse. GREAT vidio, thanks for the excellent instruction. Remember, all hydraulic fluids are "loaded" full of zinc-mercury compounds=== very toxic.

[@markc4768]

in addition to devcon epoxy, I've used orange or red glyptal - the industrial coating that's used on electric motors and to smooth the inside of race engine blocks to expedite oil flow back to the pan. Once it hardens, it's as tough as lexan. and takes as long to sand down as welding. I've also used sodium silicate (aka egg keep or waterglass) to fill in a long and deep scratch on a 4way controller piston. It's still holding pressure after more than a year in my Case FEL. I don't think it's hard enoug to withstand the long protracted extensions under load. The controller throw is much shorter, and all you need for it to do is either cover or open a given port.

[@JamesCouch777]

I've used it on rust pitted motorcycle forks, worked great.

[@steadyeddie7453]

@@donaldstrishock3923 I also was thinking JB Weld. Maybe dig the spots out a little deeper so the JB Weld gets a good bite. That stuff is amazing. Where did you find the info on the toxins in hydraulic fluid. I want to learn more. Cheers.

[@dougjones4987]

Wow, I have a really old loader.with some rough spots and pitting on the rods and I was wondering if JB weld would do it. Thanks a ton

[@jpop2499]

Thank you for documenting this repair. I have often wondered how difficult it would be to repair the hydraulic cylinder. While I'm very mechanically adept, I've never taken one apart. I found your video very interesting and informative and very much appreciate your efforts.

[@giovannigiorgio4622]

Im an Australian country boy, I seen some mechanics and mechackis, you really are quite brilliant, im not one to piss in your pocket mate, I have been watching for a while and know you have skills.... BUT this to me is a major win, well played sir. Keep up the great work!

[@kurbads74]

You are an amazing director, script writer and editor. And sense of humor. I was in tears watching it.

[@lucasdog1]

Age is a bigger factor with seal failure than cycles. I bought a 1988 case 580D with 42 hrs. on it, that sat in storage forever. Started popping seals all over when I put it to use. The materials in the seals harden over time.

[@albertsewell878]

Yep , not every seal but 90% of them in my exp were hard and brittle, also 50% of the time only leaking because the seal backer (thin white one that only pushes ) has smeared into a line across the pressure seal causing an opening.

[@mrfixitdellacertifiedfield5376]

Maybe your friction is too high on this rod /seal ( friction testing is done in a lab ) you maybe wiping the rod/ seal way too much causing high friction which can pop the seal or burn up the seal

[@youngmike8645]

Any way to tell in place on machine in field? Have a sneaking suspicion that CATERPILLAR never used blue for the visible wiper. They were “repacked” and 50 hours in slobbering out a gallon in 2 hours light boom use grading 1B loose stone. Can’t tell if they wore themselves out or are oversized. The cap loosens itself on the one boon cylinder as well. Cannot get it tight enough for it not to be hand loose within 15 minutes.

[@fiskfarm]

@@youngmike8645 all my Cat glands use the wire ring and pin to lock it in. I'm about to repack the boom cylinder on my 307. I found it interesting that kit prices ranged from under $70 to over $300. wtf? I went with the $75 tax and shipping included kit from a reputable co. Should the dust seal be blue? Haven't looked yet. Btw the only seal on this 90's machine that leaked is the boom cylinder and it is very obvious that it was the crap that builds up on the shaft because that section only gets wiped if you go below grade like digging a pond. I had to scrape that crud off using a razor blade. That's what destroy the seals. Kept clean it should last another 20 years I'd bet.

[@susansu-p5o]

Hello, I represent China Seals Factory. We specialize in manufacturing a wide range of hydraulic oil seals. If you're interested in exploring our offerings, we'd be delighted to provide you with free samples, allowing you to gain a deeper understanding of our high-quality products.

[@popmccoy3454]

G'day mate, way back in the early 70's employed in Civil Construction, we learnt to operate everything available.. The golden rule was if it breaks, learn to fix it. Be it a hydraulic pump, leaking hose, flat tyres, new cutting edges, fix it ASAP. Love your channel, best wishes.

[@austinlegere362]

I love the torque wrench "CLICK" when putting that main nut on lol

[@pasqualeparente9776]

This video brought back so many memories. In 1977 I got a summer job in a shop that repaired cylinders and Pistons ... My job was to sand down the scratches on the pistons and polish the interior of the cylinders. The pistons were quite simple all I had to do was to mount them on a lathe and then polish off all the scratches with a belt sander mounted on an overhead rail. Started with a more aggressive belt and progressively polishing with finer and finer belts till the piston had a mirror finish. The cylinder was the same steps more or less, only difference was that I was using stones not belts. When all of that was done we changed out the packing reassemble ad the job went out the door. Did this for 3 months day in and day out 5 days a week 8 hrs a day. A long time ago but remember like it was yesterday...

[@JusttheEdge]

The materials that make up seals and the designs are always improving. So it's nice to use new seals on old cylinders without seal companies having to produce seals for every manufacturer. There's too many cylinder suppliers past and present to keep up.

[@mrfixitdellacertifiedfield5376]

Yes i agree but the bigger problem is seems no one knows what the rod finishes should be . and this leads to more leaking out of the cylinders, also manufactures of piston rods aren't sure either ( a chrome plated rod does not guarantee a no leak cylinder ) its all about the rod finish

[@dustcommander100]

Great video, as always! I have a backhoe attachment on a small Kubota. Don't know the age of the backhoe, because I bought it used, but it had EVERY seal fail, except one, within a 6 month period! Almost as if they age out. Thankfully, every cylinder except one is the same diameter, and used the same seal kit - even the outriggers. Not so thankful am I that the seal kits from Kubota were $60 each. The swing cylinder is the only one that didn't spew oil from a seal (yet) and it has a rod end protruding from each end of the barrel. I have the manual for the backhoe, and it called out the Kubota part numbers for the seal kits. There is a hydraulic place I can get to, and I hear there is a lady there who is an absolute master of parts matching - but every time a seal blew, I was in a hurry and either went to the dealer (closer by) or ordered them online. And yes, my stabilizer cylinder rods have been abused by the teeth on the bucket. Not on my watch, but I am not perfect. It happens. I honed my scarred rods with stones and let them go at that - wish I had a lathe large enough to do what you did. That was amazing!

[@wadehendryx7378]

All I can say is very entertaining, very educational and very humorous. This channel is so relaxing to watch. Thank you so much. Hope you're doing well. Take care.

[@firstmkb]

Your timing on the “didn’t make a mess” was spot on! OMG, gave me a much-needed laugh.

[@mattvanourney128]

For seals that have to pass over threads, I like to put some electrical tape over the threads temporarily. Lube up the seal and work it into place then remove the tape. It will help not cut the seal. Also I am surprised that these cylinders don't have replaceable bearings.

[@Ekhcsez]

Cheap Indian tractor with cheap ways of doing things, you pay for what you get

[@erik_dk842]

@@Ekhcsez And it's held up for 12 years. No need for professional level equipment if you're not digging for a living.

[@GBiv78]

@@erik_dk842 Yeah you just need to know what you're getting into, try to be gentle with it and understand it's going to need some extra maintenance

[@crabmansteve6844]

@@Ekhcsez Nothing wrong with a cheap Indian tractor. Went 12yrs without issue, can't say that about literally any John Deere product these days. I stopped shopping with the brand entirely, especially since they try to keep owners from repairing their own equipment.

[@mrfixitdellacertifiedfield5376]

what i have always used are called bullets ( its a machined part fits over the threads and allows the seal to installed without damaging the ID

[@adrianpoesiat]

As I was following your excellent step by step I was thinking of the arm cylinder that leaked on my excavator. I had to send it to my shop that supplies me with machine equipment since I don’t have a workshop set up. It was expensive. Your expertise saves you money. And your machinist equipment helps. Very clear presentation, thanks

[@cDog8766]

Somethings my college instructor talked about was having a crock pot of either water or the kind of oil thats being used in the system. Let the seals soak in it for a little while and it'll soften them up to make installing easier

[@simpleman283]

That's a good tip.

[@MissionaryForMexico]

I was scrolling down seeing if i can find your exact answer! You are absolutely correct, we would soak the oil rings in the hydralic fluid over night, in re assembing hydralic structs for aircraft landing struts, flight control struts! The soaking softens the oil rings just enough to make them a little more pliable, and much more easy to assemble! Same thing on rebuilding auto transmissions too! But this guy did a great job overall, and even in the shooting of the video. I also have a background as a machinist, I would done the same exact repair procesure!

[@cDog8766]

@@MissionaryForMexico I always love hearing about the little tricks that makes life easier. Thanks for sharing your story too!

[@BK-qn1bp]

The genuineness of your video, 👌🏼love it. Misktakes and all included. In my opinion this is a better instruction video than a “laboratory version” where all is going smoothly. Real life is hard😂👌🏼

[@BrotherPolemos]

Frankly your tenacity for repairing stuff on your own is inspiring. Not to mention the fact you go into detail and are humble enough to show your self laughing at your self and show off your screw ups is a rare thing. These videos are not only entertaining but educational, I learned more in this 30min vid. then i think i ever picked up from college. Keep up the great work mate!

[@hyselwatchandclockrepair1874]

Our family in East Tennessee have several of those Mahindra tractors with backhoes on them and they complain about the very same thing with the dealership not having any information on fixing the tractor when it breaks down. Nice video!

[@chargermopar]

I have brazed over rust pits on hydraulic rods more than once. Excellent video! When you tipped the bucket over that was me a couple of weeks ago. Had a bucket of hydraulic oil and dropped the gland wrench and it tipped the bucket over.

[@rachellee6799]

Always handy to have a bag of sawdust ready for this exact instance.

[@philpitarresi5433]

i used to work for a company that sells those seals, its not that hard to measure the seals out yourself, stop by a harbor freight get a cheap pair of calipers, the hardest part for us is when we are trying to figure out what you are calling each seal but you nailed the names down pat, from the video it looks depeneding on who you buy it from would be a ST style snap in wiper, a 800 or 850 style loaded rod seal, and a glass filled PTFE 2 peice piston seal

[@joelshopefullyhelpfulvideo3010]

Thanks for this great video, I also have a lathe at home and love using it for fixing stuff. It’s always more rewarding to actually fix something versus just buying everything new.

[@FarmCraft101]

I totally agree. Based on just time and money, often it doesn't make sense to fix things, but based on my enjoyment, level of sanity, etc, it is totally worth it to me.

[@shawbros]

"It’s always more rewarding to actually fix something versus just buying everything new." I'd have to argue if the fix costs significantly more in money and/or time than a new one, then it is not more rewarding.

[@joelshopefullyhelpfulvideo3010]

@@shawbros in some instances I can agree but having the skills and accomplishing the task successfully is very rewarding mentally, in some instances when the assembly is difficult to purchase or on back order having the skills to repair it can actually get the tractor or equipment back in service faster and actually save more money and time on the job site. I prefer to have the ability to choose between repair options rather than be obligated to choose just one.

[@FarmCraft101]

@@joelshopefullyhelpfulvideo3010 Agree. Often I fix things that technically take more time and therefore "cost more", but it gets me back in service faster which is much more important. Plus I have way more fun working in my shop than I would driving to the store, searching for something online, and/or waiting for delivery.

[@erik_dk842]

@@FarmCraft101 That's what keeps Cutting Edge Engineering in business, repairing big stuff for the mining industry in days, where spare parts would take weeks or months to come and be more expensive

[@michaelbedell6523]

I know nothing about CAT equipment nor would have an opportunity to have or use them, but I’m fascinated by the knowledge you share with us all. You are also entertaining and encouraging in your approach to tackling the challenges you face. Thank you for finding your niche to include us in your endeavors

[@thisolesignguy2733]

The primary reason hydraulic cylinders don't have manufacturer numbers is because they are manufactured/machined by 1,000s of more shops than the amount of equipment manufacturers there are. This started back in WW2 when home machine shops were contracted to produce hydraulics for the military. It was decided then that there would be a standard build for the cylinders, but would be easier to just match up the seals to fit. This way if the cylinders are different even between the same models of equipment, they can be repaired without any trouble. It's much like bearings, although bearings can have certain numbers (depending on the man.) most times you just match them using the old ones or my taking accurate measurements.

[@Kami8705]

Seems like it would be easy enough to have standards for different sizes(stroke length, strength rating, etc.) And seals would have enough play to cover the small discrepancies between manufacturers

[@thisolesignguy2733]

@@Kami8705 From my research, there are standards that manufacturers and shops go by but from my experience working in a hydraulic shop that's just a 'reference'. you can have 5 machines go down the line, using cylinders from 10 different shops (some are mom & pop shops) and the cylinders can be different 50 different ways. whether it's OD, ID, cylinder height, seal depth, cone placement, eye welds, thread pitch etc. Basically the manufacturers just say "we need the cylinder this length, this diameter, needs to have this much compression, and eye placement in this position with a tolerance of +/- .10" (3.5mm). so there's always variations.

[@bigsmoke6189]

Vickers numbers it's cylinders as do many other manufacturers ,but by no means all of them.the nuts aren't peened they're called prevailing torque nuts . aluminum pistons deform with use and commonly tighten up on the shaft.

[@custos3249]

So basically what you're saying is that hydraulic manufacturers have yet to figure out what electric motor manufacturers and really any heavy equipment manufacturer have already figured out. Something that, I dunno, _tags_ along.

[@thisolesignguy2733]

@@custos3249 It's not so much that, as it is that it's easier to offer different sizes to allow for discrepancies than it is to try to make every manufacturer, shop, mom & pop shops, home welders, farmers, etc. to adhere to one set of standards. This allows for more flexibility and the option to build them the way you want. There are most standards out there however, for example, Case has their standard, John Deere, Caterpillar, Misco, etc. all have their standards and tolerances. so it's more of a convenience than anything and a very simple and easy way to allow for differences. Some cylinders also have model numbers and reference guides, just depends on who the manufacturer are.

[@greybone777]

Well done. As a mechanical engineer in a fruit processing warehouse, I repaired many hydraulic cylinders. The ones that were scored, I sent to the machine shop because I didn't have a lathe available. You can also repair hydraulic motors like the ones in log splitters, etcetera, by replacing seals and internal parts .😊

[@thegamerEcho_419]

legit welded on an old rod , chucked it into a lathe and cleaned it up.

[@RustyShackleford6371]

Been working at hydraulic shop for 10+ years. I mainly rebuild pumps. But help out on cylinder side. Easiest rod patch for scratches or deep gouging is quality super glue. Trick I learned from helping 30+ year cylinder tech. Glue it and polish it with emery cloth or fine sand paper.

[@HelloKittyFanMan.]

Congrats on 2 fine repairs! I bet it's super rewarding to do that and then see that it worked so well!

[@robertmccallum8626]

as a hydraulic fitter down under, id just like to say a couple of things, first the square "o" ring is called a quad ring, being square it has 2 points of contact as apposed to a "o" ring which has 1. secondly majority of the seals you have their are common and do have part numbers on them, but when its in pieces its a bit hard to read them. As for welding the rod, no no, what you need to do is use your oxy set on low and fill scratches with incernel, then file and buff back, if done correctly their should be a slight gold patch to were you repaired the cylinder rod. I'LL leave it at that as i'm sure other hyd techs are shaking their head as well.

[@lewiemcneely9143]

The best way I've found to do this with little mess as possible, extend or retract the cylinder all the way so you'll have oil in one side of the piston, not both. Take both hoses loose BUT run a hose from the line that has all the oil in it into your bucket and take a ratchet strap or come along and pull or push the rod in or out to squeeze the oil into the hose run in the bucket. And I'd just polish the scratches on the outrigger cylinder. There you go.

[@SamJ6131]

I use compressed air to extend and contract the rod to move oil out of the cylinder.

[@BarnStangz]

I use to do IT work for a major hydraulic cylinder mfg. they made them for all of the major brands, Cat, Case, Deere, etc. and was always told by the owner that they would just build the cylinders to how much power they needed, breakout force, things like that, and that was it. There was only ONE part number, just like you stated. I guess there aren't too many people out there like you, that want to fix things, people just toss stuff and buy new. It's a major problem, this disposable society that we've become. Even worse with electronics. Always enjoy your videos, glad I found this channel a few days ago.

[@dukeman7595]

Man I'm impressed how well this turned out, I had doubts at first, but you should go in business. Fantastic results, my compliments.

[@localcrew]

Hydraulics will humble your average mechanic. The craziest cylinders to me are the ones that use wires you thread into the gland to hold it in place. I had one like that on a sawmill lift cylinder I rebuilt years ago. If I hadn’t seen it on a KZbin video already it would have stumped me. Thanks, Mustie!

[@rv-eb3wu]

these are good videos, some people are visual learners and something like this that can be easy is scary if you've never seen the inside of one so thank you and I'd like to see more like this.

[@flatlander523]

For what its worth; I am a retired aircraft mechanic and we used very thin shim material wrapped around the threads to protect the o-ring from getting cut when you slide it over that area. Plus we would lube the o-ring with system oil then just slide it over the shim material into position. But you did a great job to repair the failures. I would love to have your shop. How often do you have that shoulder calibrated? :-)

[@kieranomahony00]

I used to rebuild power steering components and on our more valuable classic steering racks we used to have fractures or snapped rods quite often. We would have them welded up and rechromed. Then we would grind them back on a special grinding lathe to the correct diameter so the new seals would fit like the originals

[@nate2838]

I love this type of video, an everyday guy doing the work. So many videos are done by pro's (which is nice and shows how smooth it CAN go). My projects rarely go smooth, things that are supposed to move don't, or stick, or I don't have the exact right tool so I need to figure something out. Its great to see the "oops" that I would make trying to save the oil! I would likely have done the same thing. One of my last projects was the sway bar connecting rod on my truck. It snapped so I had to replace it. In the videos, it pretty much drops out once the top nut is removed. Not mine. Fortunately I have a 12v impact driver that allowed me to get it out because there was so much rust it wouldn't even pull out, the continuous vibration and spinning of the impact is what took it out.

[@michaelmurray2814]

Good job on the refit of the hydraulic cylinders - a very similar way that we had to repair some of our small ones (In an Iron Foundry) we have welded them too. A couple of pointers for the future. When putting seals on anything use some lubrication that is compatible whenever the seal is not going to be touched by you again - this stops any damage and ensures a good seal. Hydraulic oil is non compressible and grease isn't either so its fine. The piston/annulus nut is sometimes held on by peening to stop it coming off at pressure. Lastly most hydraulic cylinders are bespoke for the job and tend to be made to fit a purpose unlike pneumatic cylinders which are spec'd whilst designing. I have found numbers on them in the past but it is rare.

[@misterflibble6601]

4:00 been there, done that. I worked in the plastics industry many years repairing injection molding machines; a lot of oil, seals, electric motors, pistons, valves and heat ( which don't combine well ) and this brings back many ( mostly unpleasant ) memories

[@erikmilburn51]

This is a great channel,some things ive never come across or contemplated fixing or trying....love the idea of learning new skills...and the insight if something is fixable or not.And you have your own seal team...wow!

[@LifcoHydraulics]

See, this is soo interesting to us. We are a hydraulic repair shop, and we never get to see the actual cylinder in use!! Love this video!

[@raymondmcdonald7085]

Great job on your first go round with rebuilding! Love all the detail work and explanation. So far I have been lucky or maybe fortunate that JD and Cat supply part #'s for their cylinders. Really enjoyed all of the comments from experienced people on the subject. TIP: Add Never Seeze to the threads of the gland for an almost effortless rebuild next time. You can thank me later! 🙂

[@mrfixitdellacertifiedfield5376]

He forgot a procedure that will stop the hydraulic oil going past the rod seal/ scraper

[@erik_dk842]

@@mrfixitdellacertifiedfield5376 Do tell.

[@Roger-tl2gj]

Generally speaking, cylinders are designed and manufactured for a specific use. The size (length, diameter) the pressures and expected environment. Severe cold or hot wet or dry exposure to chemicals etc. All of the things will necessitate the oil needed and the fit and composition of seals. This translates to no industrial standards. Also just a point for you and anyone have watched this video and read this comment, the slight "damage" on the end of the cylinder shaft was probably caused by it extending beyond the nut and at full retract stroke was hitting on bottom of barrel. Hope this is helpful to you. Thanks for taking time to share.

[@markstegemeyer4962]

When discussing rods, glands and even stroke length, gentlemen do not describe particulars.

[@tracybowling97]

Who knew that I would love learning about hydraulics! I appreciate how well you explain everything. This channel is definitely one of my favorites!!

[@just-in-time6069]

Worked at chrome plating factory and we did them we grind if messed up weld if needed and then chrome plate then regrind to spec I remember doing 15-20+ foot rods they where massive but we did a lot of cat cylinders and parts to pumps was one of my first full time job at 17 was fun looking back now in my 40s still learned a lot from that place.

[@dubayew3235]

Outstanding, clear and easy to understand, you would make a good teacher, yes hydraulics are fascinating, hope your shoulder and fingernail are ok. Stay safe.

[@SilentNoise1780]

You talked about getting a new rod, but something you can do is take it to a chrome shop and have the shaft rechromed. When I was younger, I worked for National Oilwell, rebuilding downhole drilling jars, shocks and motors. We disassembled the used ones daily, measured, inspected, put in new seals, etc, and if any of the chrome rods were worn down and out of spec, or were damaged, we would send them out to be rechromed.

[@abdullahqureshi6267]

13:25 to reorder the seals you just need to bring gland and piston to the seal shop they will check the size and give the seals to you also it's better if you put custom made hydraulic because when they make the seals as per size they do some adjustment in the Grip of seal to make sure that will not leak again even after reaping the Chrome ROD and TUBE

[@kayvonmansouri]

would he leave them on while he ordered the seals or take them off?

[@flowerstone]

Usually there is an o-ring inside the piston. Less expensive cylinders will omit these at the cost of leakage between piston and rod. Using hot oil to dip the piston packing in makes it much easier to install. 🙂

[@kennethlerman9664]

If you think catching your fingernail on that seal hurt, imagine how it would feel if your ring got caught on a chip. Please -- no rings, watches, or long hair when working near rotating machinery. Thanks for an interesting video. Ken

[@michaelbirchall2247]

2:40 Thank you, I've never thought about loosening the gland before taking it off! I've always taken the ram off then wrestled with afterwards.

[@whoyakidding1301]

Putting the "wrong" oil can cause the o-rings, seals or anything rubber to deteriorate/fail.

[@walterwhitaker1395]

YUP!

[@michaelwillcutt2619]

Some machines don’t use hydraulic fluid just old 30 w with a additive case construction equipment is one of them

[@peterwill3699]

It's such a small amount of oil that is used it has no effect on the seals.

[@darellsunderlin4670]

Your guess is as good as mine on the seal kits , fortunately mine are in my manual. But I had some deep rough cuts in one of my cylinders on my tractor on one of the bucket curl cylinders but not as long or deep as yours . It had been overhauled by our local shop but always leaked. The second overhaul I did and like you was my first time , didn't know crap . I think I put the scratches in it. Anyway a third time I saw these bad spots . I decided to take my time and do the best I could . I took 3 days working on and off to repair &kit it. On the cuts I used jeweler's files and took the rough areas down to where I couldn't feel them then cleaned them up with scotch bright pads .I oiled it up put it together very slowly and carefully and it hasn't leaked a drop in 2 years. I'm new to your video's but have enjoyed your work ethic and subscribed, so im enjoying your video's very much .

[@matt_1984_]

you started talking repairing the outrigger, and i was like "well, you've got a welding machine and lathe" was not disappointed. Edit: Also, been meaning to ask, does your backhoe run off the PTO or do you have remotes for the hydraulics on the tractor?

[@FarmCraft101]

Remote hydraulics.

[@jeffreyletempt7189]

Very nice job!! I have only rebuilt 2 hydraulic cylinders and both were on my JLG 1932 scissor lift. The first was a very small brake cylinder and the other was a partial rebuild on the lift cylinder. The small cylinder was a real pain to rebuild. I would love to have you as a neighbor!!

[@StasRyadinsky]

How does/did you bleed the air out of the piston? Does it just go back to the reservoir or the hydraulic fluid tank and it would just fill the void as the piston is extended and retracted to it's maximum travel position? Thanks for the cool video! All throughout this video I've been getting uncle bumblefuck vibes

[@Lucas12v]

It will return to reservoir within a couple cycles.

[@StasRyadinsky]

@@Lucas12v ahh i thought that would be the case. Im not experienced mechanically at all but logic would suggest that that's how it'll happen. Cheers fella👍

[@FarmCraft101]

Yeah, the hydraulic reserve tank is not under pressure, so the basically just dumps in. The first cycles I dumped in air instead of oil, while the pump quickly filled the cylinders. It's a cool system. Would be such a pain if you had to bleed them.

[@ScottKenny1978]

@@FarmCraft101 I had to bleed brakes in a Piper Tomahawk (light airplane). Bleep that!

[@lucyxchan6808]

@@ScottKenny1978 oh poor boy...i once had a rolls royce silver spur...these brakes...thats a mechanics nightmare...that abdomination happens when aircraft engineers work on cars...

[@OldSneelock]

Thomson rod is a good material for cylinder rods. It is case hardened so the wear surface is hard but it can be turned and threaded to meet any thread size in a standard lathe. It looks to be an inexpensive cylinder that would be common on homeowner equipment. Nothing wrong with that just you get what you pay for.

[@GMCLabs]

Looks like you would be interesting in researching "Right to Repair". Louis Rossman could use some more people spreading the word.

[@larryteglia6207]

May I suggest that when you aren't using the backhoe and that polished piston arm is exposed, you make a zippered leather sleeve for it, to prevent it from getting all nicked up from branches, the elements, etc.? A nice 1/4" leather sleeve would be nice! You are very talented with tools and very knowledgeable. I really enjoyed your video.

[@GGray-jd1dx]

Thank you. I have a 595 backhoe and was dreading having to spend a pocket full of money to get them fixed. I think I will try to do it myself.

[@JR-bj3uf]

Welcome to my world. I work in a shop that specializes in forklift trucks. Blown seals are an main stay of what we do. We order seal kits from the manufactures and they are inevitably wrong. Each model truck might be the same but they come with different masts. If it shows three seal kits we order three seal kits so we know one will work. I have a lot of seal kits in stock and who knows what they fit?

[@zebschreiber7357]

a couple ways to get the seal kits, is sometimes there's a part number on the cylinder that can be used and other times ive used the machine info and cylinder location to get a kit for them, a set of track tensioners I repacked, the seals had the dimensions on them. others ive had to just measure the piston grooves, bore and rod and match up the seal profile to order the kits.

[@maxzzzie]

I like how you just glanced over the fact you made a custom wrench to open the cilinder cap. A rebuild like this is so satisfying. I'm currently doing workaway in Sweden to learn the language and culture. And I will be moving here to my own homestead one day. I see my future in you. Doing what you love. Taking things apart out of curiosity. Working everyday to make your life a little easier. Doing things yourself that companies ask you way to much money for.

[@joeblow1934]

Not to mention that good help is hard to find. Most Americans have been disappointed more than once from shoddy work done from people that really don't have their hearts in their jobs.

[@knighthawk86855]

You did exactly what a shop would do to fix a ram, my ex grandfather in law, and my ex father in law where both very good tool and die makers, they did so many rams as a side hustle, cause they had the tools, and machines, and knowledge to do so, I am truly impressed sir, way to go, I subbed.

[@onlythetruthfull]

Rubber grease is the way to go, nice and thick, to prevent the seals from tearing. I once used a fine file and plenty of meths to clean a damaged rod and Soldered the crater with Plumber's solder.I played around with the flux and a blowtorch until it ran into the crater and filled the crevices. It was almost self-levelling, and I used the cylinder for years after.

[@locnar1912]

I have the same backhoe and need to rebuild one of my stabilizer cylinders. Thanks for the video, it will be a big help! Its a good backhoe, I was impressed with its capabilities for a tractor mounted unit.

[@tihspidtherekciltilc5469]

In 99 I got a job working for the company that was contracted to move the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse in North Carolina. The weight with the support structure was about 5,000 tons or a million pounds. A hydraulic power pack about the size of a portable generator with a 10 horsepower gas engine was what lifted the lighthouse up and with five rams pushed it on five railroad rails welded to a mat of I-beams which were leapfrogged down the temporary "road". It was insane to me seeing something I would have thought would have been much bigger lift the lighthouse on 100 jacks and push it "sideways" with five rams. The manifold system built by the house moving company for individual control of each jack was a masterpiece in itself of engineering and ingenuity. International Chimney was the contract winner and Expert House Movers designed the system of lifting and moving. Definitely the coolest job I've ever had.

[@carltrano1325]

Great video. It’s to bad repairing mechanical issues is a dying art. Most people replace not repair. I would have welded the rod and turned it down as well. For very shallow nicks and scratches. Cerakote works incredibly well. The tube on my 8ft brush hog actuator was corroded. I coded it several times with this product and sanded it flat. It’s been holding for five years.

[@poiryra]

Very nicely done. After retiring recently and doing this stuff most of my career, I enjoyed watching your video in it's entirety.

[@halo-halo1204]

This was a KZbin recommendation that auto started and I will likely never do this in my life, but boy what an interesting and well presented video that made me watch from start to end. And your gland comment did make me smile. A perfectly innocent mechanical word with another meaning. Much like screw, knob, flange and gusset (words which used to get flagged by our email server).

[@virian2010]

I do not think they teach any of this in any of the high schools today. This is what I call common since repair work. I think you did a good job.

[@donaldmarcellus5949]

Seals also have part numbers, just like anything else. The cylinder manufacturer just doesn't disclose the detailed part numbers, because they want to sell you a kit. Mahindra may not be on top of their parts support however. Even small imperfections in the rod surface will tear apart your rod seals very quickly. A good rule of thumb is that if you can feel it with your finger nail, it's a problem. Although you can polish sharp edges around imperfections to buy yourself some time, but the correct repair would be to send it in for re-chroming. Good job on your repair and your video!

[@adamjeppson7677]

Another happy tip, Tide washing detergent and a good broom, (even better with a rotational floor scrubber), cleans concrete beautifully post oil disaster.

[@grassroots9304]

I didn't think the weld scratch repair would work so well. Nicely done. You did a nice job adjusting the lathe to get it to run true and a very nice job turning that weld down to near the original surface and an exceptional job of blending it in with the sanding.

[@kcolombo49]

Is rechroming the rod necessary because of the repair?

[@rodneyswearingen1020]

FYI you can purchase individual seals and orings from Baum hydraulics . Have done it that way many times due to kit costs and kit availability.

[@kennethewertz9313]

I dito what Blake Adams said, awesome work. I really like what you do and the observations you make. It makes me feel this country isn't completely falling a part.

[@jacklabloom635]

Another excellent video. My son needs to replace the hydraulic seals on his Ford tractor. I think the seals on it are more complicated according to his research on what all is required. I think his tractor is an eighties model.

[@tfogelson3139]

Was working on a B-17 and the hyd cylinder that retracts the tailwheel had started to leak. Took a spare that was built in 1945 still in the packaging and when I went to drain the perservative oil it was found to still have pressure in it 65 years later.

[@larz46north18]

buna-N ?

[@tfogelson3139]

@@larz46north18 ?

[@anthonytetreau522]

Spent 9 years working at a major hydraulic re- manufacturer, pump, valves, electro-hydrualic servo valve. Since we were not a part of the big 3, every new product was a mystery to us as well.

[@markbrown6236]

All the other utubers remove the cylinders and send them in to be repaired. Not hard to repair them if you can get the seals. Thanks for including the out takes. Nobody is perfect. I learn a lot from your videos, thanks.