Can any of these be used for toplink on the 3PTH

[RonMar]

I agree, they all look too long for grapple or toplink use. Since the arms on a 3PH can sway a bit, there is a reason that toplinks have a ball sockets at the ends. A cylinder used for this purpose should also have ball joints on the ends to allow this movement without putting side/bending loads on the cylinder tube and ram(very bad for cylinders).

They also look "well used". And for the life of me, the only reason I can see to remove a cylinder from a piece of equipment is if it has/had problems, or the equipment was so old and run down that it was being scrapped...

My .02

[Renze]

If the cylinder is too long, shortening is very easy: In Holland you can buy old silage block cutters (the old type with the 1 foot spade on a long cylinder, which is pulled around the block with a cable driven trolley) for 25 Euro, which is my personal source of hydraulic cylinders, and as added benefit, some steel profiles and a complete set of 3pt mounts to use on other home made machinery.

What i do to shorten them, is pull the piston rod all the way till its fully extended, so the piston (with rubber seals) is as far away as it can, without taking the cylinder apart) Then use the band saw to saw off the end cap. then i cut the cylinder bore to the length i want, and weld back the end cap.

Then wait till the weld of the end cap is cooled, before you push the piston back in, untill it hits the end cap.
Now you can mark the piston rod about an inch from where it comes out of the seal. After marking the length, pull it out again and use a grinder to cut off the hard chromed piston rod at the mark you made.
Then weld on some ball eyes or yokes, what ever you need.

Its not much work, just remember to move the piston and rod seals away from the source of heat when welding or cutting, and DO NOT try to cut chrome plated piston rods with a band saw, as it will be the last thing this saw band will cut.


p.s. i see that the cylinder on the right side of the first picture, has a bent piston rod. You might be able to use it if you shorten the stroke enough so that you can cut off at before the bend.

[chickenman]

another point is what crap for oil was used in them

i'd atleast flush them out or better yet take them apart for a good cleaning

[bobodu]

If you could just run over and pick them up.I'd get them even if the price triples.Really isn't a whole lot that can go wrong with a cylinder that a few seals won't fix and there is ALWAYS the next project or a trade coming up.

[Treemonkey1000]

Thanks Renze. That is is easy for you to say after seeing some of your projects. I think that I will leave the modification for others and just try to make my projects fairly simple for the time being. As mentioned who knows what kind of use and abuse these things have been through. Although as stated seals and things like that aren't all that expensive.
I will probably pass on the lot. Anyone else out there is more than welcome to bid on them though.
Jim