Hydraulic cylinder rod reconditioning?

[crazyal]

A hydraulics shop can cut the rod end off and weld it to a new rod. They stock most diameters in stock lengths and will cut it to length and machine it as needed.

[Don87]

I used to restore a lot of vintage woodworking machinery, and frequently used electrolysis on the parts. Basically, fill a Rubbermaid trash can with water and washing soda (or any electrolyte), throw a scrap of rebar and the part to be cleaned in the tank, and connect a battery charger between them (cathode to the good part). Cook two to five days, and your part is rust free, with no abrasives (and thus no damage) necessary.

I only hesitate with these cylinder rods, because I don't know if they have some type of plating that could be lifted in the process. Are these rods typically plated?

Short answer............yes.


See above responces

[WinterDeere]

Thanks, guys! I'm in the Philly / Allentown area. Yep... that Allentown.

Not sure these need a strip and replate, but will look into it, either way. I got a chance to use the tractor some over the weekend, and now it's looking to me like most of the light rust is indeed beyond the range of travel, as installed on this loader. I'll have to inspect closer and measure next time I use the machine, but it seems that may be the case.

[SPYDERLK]

I recently purchased a deere 855 with a model 52 front end loader. One bucket cylinder is leaking, and while I can easily buy and install new seals, I believe the source of the damage may be some small rust spots on the cylinder rod. I'd hate to install $100 in new seals (JD pricing... maybe I can find them cheaper at a hydraulics shop?), only to damage the new end seal when the less than stellar rod runs thru it.

I took some steel wool to the rod, and it definitely knocked these spots down some, but did not eliminate them. I tried a wire wheel on an angle grinder, and it had not affect. I hesitate to try anything more agressive than this, although I might try some silicon carbide paper by hand, if that's advisable.

JD no longer makes the cylinder, so my choices are either find a used one (not likely), somehow refurbish the one I have, or retrofit some other cylinder onto the loader. I would really like to refurbish what I have, so what's the best way to make that happen? I'm not stranger to electrolysis, which might get rid of those rust spots with the least amount of collateral damage, but are there hydraulic shops which specifically do this type of cylinder repair / replacement?

Sure would be nice if someone found commercial equivalents to these Deere parts, since they can no longer be had thru your Deere dealer.

Avoid abrasive. ... Try Brillo steel wool soap pads. The soap and water combined with the non abrasive steel produces a surprisingly good effect. The seals will probably need replacement because they are already damaged, but leakage may decrease enuf to forestall that. That pitted chrome will need good care from now on unless you use it everyday to keep it oiled.
larry

[parmens]

I have a 755 with model 52 loader and am also getting ready to take apart a leaking cylinder to replace the seals. I was expecting to find holes for a gland nut wrench on the shaft end of the cylinder, but don't see them. There is a snap ring, but after removing it, the shaft still will not come out of the cylinder. Is there something I am missing? Thanks

[Michaeljp86]

I have a 755 with model 52 loader and am also getting ready to take apart a leaking cylinder to replace the seals. I was expecting to find holes for a gland nut wrench on the shaft end of the cylinder, but don't see them. There is a snap ring, but after removing it, the shaft still will not come out of the cylinder. Is there something I am missing? Thanks

Some of them that have snap rings will have a set screw on the side. A lot of these can be a pain in the butt. If you get all the fluid out you can pull up on the rod and keep going in and out and kinda hammer it out.

[Clint S]

To give an idea I just had the boom cylinder rebuilt on my back hoe. $234 included total rebuild /repack including a new cylinder as mine had a nick. They also had to cut the eye off the old cylinder and weld it to the new one. I considered that fairy reasonable

[SPYDERLK]

I have a 755 with model 52 loader and am also getting ready to take apart a leaking cylinder to replace the seals. I was expecting to find holes for a gland nut wrench on the shaft end of the cylinder, but don't see them. There is a snap ring, but after removing it, the shaft still will not come out of the cylinder. Is there something I am missing? Thanks

How much is it leaking? I assume it is a rod seal? Does it spurt out when you apply pressure on the rod side, or does it stay wet and drip occasionally? Are you going to spent 100s of $ of parts and time to save an ounce a month of hyd fluid? What else do you have that needs doing?
larry

[Michaeljp86]

To give an idea I just had the boom cylinder rebuilt on my back hoe. $234 included total rebuild /repack including a new cylinder as mine had a nick. They also had to cut the eye off the old cylinder and weld it to the new one. I considered that fairy reasonable

I bought a metal lathe to do this myself, I like buying dilapidated old equipment and restoring it.

[parmens]

It's a fairly steady stream. The seal kit was $60. But my bigger concern then the cost is that I am hauling dirt and mulch to dump on my organic garden, and I'm streaming the hydraulic fluid all over the dirt. When it was just a slow dripping leak, I lived with that, sorta has gotten past that now.