Leaking (internally) KL130 loader cylinders

[Greenecho]

Me curious too, what year and how many hours on tractor?

Mike

It's about 2.5 years old with 500 hours. Most hours spent clearing light brush and pushing trees over. I'm sure the tree work didn't help the cylinders any. Sort of hard on them when your pushing up high with the bucket. All the works done now so the CK gets the cushy treatment from now on. Nothing harder than pushing a little snow and landscape mowing. Maybe carrying 2-3 bales of hay once in a while.

All it's fluids have been changed like a good tractor owner.

The seals are on order.

 

[mrutkaus]

Ordered some for spares, too, thanks all.

Mike

 

[TBDonnelly]

Me curious too, what year and how many hours on tractor?

Mike

My tractor is about 4 - 4 1/2 years old, with around 320 hours, second set of curl cylinders. Both sets developed leakdown issues. So far, the new seals are a tremendous improvement. I can walk away from the tractor and come back later and not have the bucket contents dumped on the ground.

I would recommend squirting some penetrant on the cylinder threads ahead of time to aide in the cap removal. With the loader at rest gravity is our friend.

Don

 

[Greenecho]

My tractor is about 4 - 4 1/2 years old, with around 320 hours, second set of curl cylinders. Both sets developed leakdown issues. So far, the new seals are a tremendous improvement. I can walk away from the tractor and come back later and not have the bucket contents dumped on the ground.

I would recommend squirting some penetrant on the cylinder threads ahead of time to aide in the cap removal. With the loader at rest gravity is our friend.

Don

What tool did you use to remove the cap? I may have to buy that. Also, did you replace the end cap seal where the cylinder slides? I would have ordered that but I don't know what the part number is. Would you happen to know?

Thanks

 

[TBDonnelly]

What tool did you use to remove the cap? I may have to buy that. Also, did you replace the end cap seal where the cylinder slides? I would have ordered that but I don't know what the part number is. Would you happen to know?

Thanks

There is a hole on either side of the end cap. Here's three ways: For one time use, try a couple punches that are the same size as the holes in the end cap and try to spin the cap off. There is also a wrench called a 'spanner wrench'. The wrenches came in a set of three and cost me in the $50 range. I was successful using the spanner wrench on one of the cylinders. The second cylinder I did a better job at oblonging the hole out than anything else. Here's where the 3rd way came into play. A large pipe wrench removed the second cap. After reassembling the cylinders, I filed down the gouges from the pipe wrench teeth and repainted. Good to go.

The cap serves to hold everything together. The cap has no O-rings and is not meant to seal the cylinder. The plug that the rod slides through at the end of the cylinder under the cap has O-rings and forms the seal. Mine weren't leaking externally, I was careful handling when disassembling & reassembling and so far I'm good. I don't know the sizes for these O-rings. Start out with a clean work area. Dirt is the enemy.

Don

 

[Greenecho]

Thanks again Don...

Looks to me like the end cap and rod could be pulled as a complete assembly and not have to remove the end cap from the rod. One could then tighten the entire assembly in a vice via the (end) eyelets. No need to remove the end cap. Just be careful not to bang it around. Replace the seals, lube them, and replace the rod/piston back in the housing.

The only remaining question I have... Is there a reason to remove the piston from the rod? Is there an inner O-ring seal(s) inside the piston (hole) that needs to be replaced? I couldn't quite make it out on the pictures if there was an O-ring inside.

Looks like I'll need a can of Kioti paint and we're set.

 

[TBDonnelly]

Thanks again Don...

Looks to me like the end cap and rod could be pulled as a complete assembly and not have to remove the end cap from the rod. One could then tighten the entire assembly in a vice via the (end) eyelets. No need to remove the end cap. Just be careful not to bang it around. Replace the seals, lube them, and replace the rod/piston back in the housing.

The only remaining question I have... Is there a reason to remove the piston from the rod? Is there an inner O-ring seal(s) inside the piston (hole) that needs to be replaced? I couldn't quite make it out on the pictures if there was an O-ring inside.

Looks like I'll need a can of Kioti paint and we're set.

Yes, Hold the cylinder by the end eyelet in a vice. Level the cylinder with a block of wood near the end cap. The cap can stay on the rod. The cap may be 'stuck' in position on the end plug or it may be loose. Some penetrant on the end of the end cap wouldn't hurt. If the two pieces are stuck together the end plug unscrews with the end cap. Either way a little lite tapping and the two pieces should come apart.

Removing the piston from the end of the rod gives an unobstructed install of the inner seal. Otherwise you'll be dragging the seal all the way across the piston surface and if you nick the seal.....it's not a good thing.

I only have one picture of the rod, piston and the cap. You can see the inner O-rings on the one piston detached from the rod. I didn't change the inner O-rings and I don't know the size. Not the greatest picture, I attached it.

Don

 

[Greenecho]

Thanks Don...

All of these were great pictures and very helpful. I have a pretty clear idea what's involved. The hardest part looks like keeping everything clean.

Will report back when it's all finished.

 

[TBDonnelly]

Thanks Don...

Will report back when it's all finished.

Finished?? We'd love to follow along in the process and maybe someone else will also be helped along the way.

Remember to inspect the inside of the cylinders to make sure they are not scratched or gouged......

Don

 

[IXLR8]

You'll find the rebuild process for the KL130 curl cylinders in the attached thread. I just went through the same process a couple months back.
http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/hydraulics/139960-fel-cylinder-leaking.html
If you order the parts listed in the above thread ahead of time the process could go fairly quick.
Don

Don, How did you determine what size seals you needed? Is it listed in the loader manual ( I looked quickly and didn't see anything ) or did you have to pull and measure them? It looks like my loader cylinders are leaking not my curl cylinders. I really don't want to pull the cylinders, pull them appart and then wait for days for the new seals.

Thanks