The mower is marking its territory!

[Richard]

We recently took posession of a 10' Rhino mower. It's a pull behind type so it's got a hose connected to a lift in the back.

We FINALLY got it all pieced together this morning and went to try all the motions out (we have an issue with the PTO shaft so we're not ready to mow yet)

As the deck height was raised, all the sudden a big SQUIRT of oil came shooting out the back end of the mower, much like an animal might mark its territory.

Little did I know until further investigaion, single ended cylinders have an "exit" hole of some kind, to blow out compressed air or perhaps leaked oil.

Once we exercised it a couple times, the excess oil went away so i presume it was just some bleed by that accumulated during the 6 days it's been sitting in the raised position.

Any way to recycle that oil back or is that simply the nature of the beast and I should forget about it?

 

[john_bud]

Any way to recycle that oil back or is that simply the nature of the beast and I should forget about it?

Richard,

You need to reseal that cylinder. It has a BAD leak. You shouldn't have any liquid leak on a new cylinder and no more than a drop or two from a decent one. You are talking about a lot of blowby thru the cylinder across the seals. Take it apart and put in new seals. It's pretty quick, easy and usually cheap to do yourself. My assumption is that the cylinder is used to raise the deck, right? If so, it will be dropping in use and giving you a variable short cut.

Of course, you may find that the cylinder insides are rusted up junk and need to replace it. If so, Surplus Center - Hydraulic Equipment Electric Motors look under the SA cylinders.
jb

 

[sandman2234]

My Ford 7710 ditch mower just marked it's territory also, when I was swinging the boom from the left side to the right side. I let it go too far and nailed a tree with one of the hydraulic couplings taking the brunt of the impact. Nothing serious, just a $10 part, and another lesson in life, but I figured out what the plexiglas shield on the tractor was good for. The hydraulic fluid covered it and most of the rear of the tractor before pressure bled down (and I let off the control!). I would have been covered with oil had it not been for someone taking the time to build that shield.
David from jax

 

[MikesTractor]

Richard,

You said:
Little did I know until further investigaion, single ended cylinders have an "exit" hole of some kind, to blow out compressed air or perhaps leaked oil.

When a cylinder is used in a single acting state, one end naturally has a hose hooked to it. The other port must have a breather or some other way to take in and expel air. This port can not be plugged tight. Most of them have a breather similar to this one that Surplus Center sells.

The one showm is for 1/2" pipe threads. They have them in several sizes.

As john_bud said, it sounds like you have a leak by the packing on the piston inside the cylinder. That is the only way that oil can get to the vented end of the cylinder.

Mike

 

[Soundguy]

If it's a small spray of air with a little bit of oil.. i wouldn't worry about it.. if it's a constant thing. then use.. get it resealed.

Soundguy

We recently took posession of a 10' Rhino mower. It's a pull behind type so it's got a hose connected to a lift in the back.

We FINALLY got it all pieced together this morning and went to try all the motions out (we have an issue with the PTO shaft so we're not ready to mow yet)

As the deck height was raised, all the sudden a big SQUIRT of oil came shooting out the back end of the mower, much like an animal might mark its territory.

Little did I know until further investigaion, single ended cylinders have an "exit" hole of some kind, to blow out compressed air or perhaps leaked oil.

Once we exercised it a couple times, the excess oil went away so i presume it was just some bleed by that accumulated during the 6 days it's been sitting in the raised position.

Any way to recycle that oil back or is that simply the nature of the beast and I should forget about it?