I have a question

[ch1ch2]

My lift arm was getting slow and weak.
I figured it was internal leak.

I bought gauges and put on both sides of the hydraulic lines. (later thought it was a waist of money)
200 psi between the two when only the lift action was used. (should have been 2850 and 0)

Now I need to figure out which side.
I lift the arms to max, turn off engine, lower arms.
I disconnect the return side hoses, start engine.

Tried to slowly lift arms.
Hydraulic fluid came out of the left lift cylinder.
I tried to lift faster and the lift arms did not move just more fluid.

Remove the cylinder and the rod flopped in and/or out with very little tilting.

Local NH dealer said they send all their cylinders to this local shop, and they gave me the name, address, phone number.

I took it to them. They seemed great, but they did not do paper work, just name and number on an end tag. Told me it would be a day or two. Three days later I called them.
They were just going to call me. Said the cylinder was scored up and needed to make a new cylinder or asked if I just wanted to have them hone it. Asked how much money. They did not know.
I told them to hone it, no additional cost.
OK will be about 2 days more.

2 days later I called. Now there is a chip in the piston, they will have to dress it up.

2 days later, Now the piston is all galled up, will have to make a new piston.
I said, I am glad I did not try to do it myself. They said, I would have never been able to do it myself, I would never been able to get it out of the cylinder.

None of that works for me!
I have no experience with hydraulic cylinders.
I have seen videos showing it is simple and I can do it myself.
I have seen videos showing it takes special tools.
But it is the fact the rod moved so easy. Now they say there was all that internal damage and I would not have been able to get it apart?

What do you experienced guys think?

 

[Xfaxman]

My lift arm was getting slow and weak.
I figured it was internal leak.

I bought gauges and put on both sides of the hydraulic lines. (later thought it was a waist of money)
200 psi between the two when only the lift action was used. (should have been 2850 and 0)

Need to know how the gauges were connected. They measured the the pressure where they were connected.

If 2850 is the max pressure, it is only reached when the relief valve opens when flow stops due to the cylinder stopped moving with the lift valve still open.

Now I need to figure out which side.
I lift the arms to max, turn off engine, lower arms.

Don't understand why you would do that?

I disconnect the return side hoses, start engine.

Tried to slowly lift arms.
Hydraulic fluid came out of the left lift cylinder.
I tried to lift faster and the lift arms did not move just more fluid.

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Where did the fluid come out, the disconnected hose or the open port on the cylinder?

Need a picture of the lift cylinder showing which hose you removed.

 

[oldnslo]

I presume these are the lift cylinders for your front end loader.

If yes then the rod should not slide in and out by just tilting the cylinder. The fact that does would indicate something serious is wrong with the cylinder.

When in doubt go look at the cylinder.

 

[ch1ch2]

This is the lift on the FEL.

The gauges were connected in a Tee that I placed between the quick connect couplings.

I turned off the engine with the arms up and then lowered the arms to remove most of the oil from that side of the cylinder so I would not get residual leakage which might confuse the test.

The fluid came out the open port on the cylinder which would cause the cylinder to retract.


I hope this answers all of the question you all have posed.
I picked up the repaired cylinder yesterday, and installed and tested it.
All was good.
I only connected the lift side of both cylinders. The FEL went up and stayed up. No oil came out of the open ports of the lower side of either cylinder.
And for those of you who do not know why I did that...It was to check the other cylinder for leakage that may have not shown up due to the first cylinder that was so bad.

The shop would not be specific on pricing. Not on parts and not on hourly rate nor estimated time of labor. I understand that because they do not know what they will be getting into. But they did imply it would cost around $150 to $160 if it was just a case of replacing seals.
The bill was for $218. The receipt just said, Hydraulic cylinder repair.


I have a hard time with them telling me I would not have been able to remove the piston and rod from the cylinder when it was moving so freely.
I have a hard time with them telling me the piston was in such bad shape days after telling me of the cylinder issue. Would they not have seen any issue with the piston when they allegedly had to force the piston out.

I am just trying to figure out if I got a fair deal or if I was taken advantage of.
I have 2 more steering cylinders that are leaking at the end caps.
Do I take them there or do I look for another place or do I try doing them myself?

 

[Xfaxman]

This is the lift on the FEL.

The gauges were connected in a Tee that I placed between the quick connect couplings.

It should show the pressure needed to get the loader going up and the max pressure if you continue holding the the joystick back when it stops going up.

I turned off the engine with the arms up and then lowered the arms to remove most of the oil from that side of the cylinder so I would not get residual leakage which might confuse the test.

That doesn't remove any oil, just pressure from the weight of the arms and attachment.

The fluid came out the open port on the cylinder which would cause the cylinder to retract.

That would indicate oil was leaking past the piston in the cylinder .

I hope this answers all of the question you all have posed.
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Yes, thanks.

 

[Barnbuilder]

I rebuilt the cylinders on my bobcat skid steer. It's not hard just pay attention to how it comes apart. Might need a spanner to take the cap off and a seal install tool. $100 in tools.

 

[ch1ch2]

I do not remember how it is put together but I do recall it does not have a screw on cap.
I should say, it does not have threads on the outside of the cylinder.

 

[oldnslo]

If the cylinders are leaking around the rod you may have to remove the piston from the rod? Do you have the tools to hold the rod without damaging it?

Depending on what was done on the lift cylinder $218 is not unreasonable.

 

[ch1ch2]

I do not have any special tools.

Are you familiar with that tool?
I had thought the piston might have to come off it the rod end did not come off. Either way I would have to figure it out. All I ever hear is that it is easy.

 

[K5lwq]

I wouldn't think $218 is out of line. I don't think you were taken advantage of, but it doesn't matter what I think.

What matters is what you think. To answer your question, you should either take your other cylinders somewhere else or try it yourself. You might have a better experience. Either way, good luck.