Leaving Implements Raised - Bad For Hydraulic System?

[ovrszd]

In reviewing my hydraulic inventory I found that I don't own a hydraulic cylinder that sits more than a year between uses. The longest would be my pull type clamshell scraper. It gets used several times per Summer. So it might sit 10 months.

I have 38 hydraulic cylinders in use. 33 have exposed cylinder rod all the time, including right now.

 

[ovrszd]

Come on down to the gulf coast, you could open a dealership for all the equipment you'd be selling. I'm surprised you consider this the exception rather than the rule. Don't y'all throw salt over the place when it snows? I figured that would be even worse than what we experience.

I think you are missing my point. But that's okay.

 

[4570Man]

Yep. Back to my first thought about this. If I have a hydraulic impliment that has cylinder failure because it was parked exposed I probly should sell it.

I’ve never seen a rusty cylinder on equipment that sees frequent use. If you just throw one in the fence row and leave it it probably won’t take 20 years to ruin. Or if you were planning on not using something for a while you could rub grease on the cylinders that would help a lot.

 

[strantor]

I think you are missing my point. But that's okay.

Maybe? I take your point to be: "if exposed cylinders get rusty, it's because the equipment is crap and not worth having." Am I misinterpreting? If I've got it wrong, tell me. Otherwise I continue to object to that.

EDIT: or are you saying that if you have a piece of equipment that sits idle long enough for the cylinders to rust, then it's a piece of equipment you don't need? If that's the case then please forgive my density. My reality is that if I leave my cylinders exposed for more than a few weeks the cancer sets in.

 

[ovrszd]

Maybe? I take your point to be: "if exposed cylinders get rusty, it's because the equipment is crap and not worth having." Am I misinterpreting? If I've got it wrong, tell me. Otherwise I continue to object to that.

EDIT: or are you saying that if you have a piece of equipment that sits idle long enough for the cylinders to rust, then it's a piece of equipment you don't need? If that's the case then please forgive my density. My reality is that if I leave my cylinders exposed for more than a few weeks the cancer sets in.

You are forgiven.

 

[SylvainG]

I’ve never seen a rusty cylinder on equipment that sees frequent use. If you just throw one in the fence row and leave it it probably won’t take 20 years to ruin. Or if you were planning on not using something for a while you could rub grease on the cylinders that would help a lot.

Hmmm, sounds like a good idea for when I detach my backhoe for the winter. Yes, it's covered but all cylinders are showing some rods. A light coat of grease would prevent any rusting. Some sands my end up stuck to the grease though but I guess a good (gentle) wipe next spring would take care of that.

 

[MHarryE]

Hard chrome plating on cylinder rods is not a rust preservative. Micro pores in the chrome will allow moisture and it can look bad in a short time in salty conditions. We coated the exposed chrome on our cylinders with the same grease used for lubing our machines at both Allis-Chalmers and Case International paying special attention to sea shipments.

Somebody said engines are more finely filtered than hydraulics. True in that diesel fuel on newer tractors is filtered the finest. Next is hydraulic systems that have piston pumps. That’s why Kubotas I work with have a hydro charge filter. Piston pumps and motors do not like dirt in any size or form. Engines are a very low pressure oil system. When I married my wife I inherited a ‘61 Chev Bel-Air. No filter, no problem.

One would think a hydraulic component wouldn’t fail while it was sitting there. When I was fresh out of college I was under a corn head on a prototype combine when an o-ring failed and the header started dropping. Mad scramble but I learned about safety stops and have never got under a header without a safety stop again. I still can’t explain why the failure. Supplier was terminated and we had a new supplier design a more robust valve. Failing static has to be the weirdest thing I have seen except for materials prone to stress corrosion cracking.

 

[SylvainG]

Is it much different than the chrome plating on old cars' bumpers? Because those were always subject to harsh weather and would take years before showing any rust

 

[strantor]

Is it much different than the chrome plating on old cars' bumpers? Because those were always subject to harsh weather and would take years before showing any rust

Only difference I know of is that a cylinder rod has sand blown on it and then rubbed off an industrial condom over and over during use.

 

[SylvainG]

Indeed, and vehicles' bumpers had sand, rock, mud, salt walter thrown at it at speed in excess of 60 mph...