Backhoe Best non-OEM hydraulic cylinder rebuild kit source for Ford 4500 TLB?

   / Best non-OEM hydraulic cylinder rebuild kit source for Ford 4500 TLB? #1  
M

MEMEMEME

Member
Joined
Jan 7, 2013
Messages
39
Location
Kalispell, MT
Tractor
Massey-Harris 44G
Will be needing to rebuild my hoe cylinders in the fairly near future and experiencing sticker shock when looking at the kit prices on eBay and Amazon. The ones for my old Case 530CK were literally one-sixth the cost of these a couple of years ago. I know these are larger cylinders but 6 times the cost for 1" increase in diameter?

NH price is not far under $200 for the boom cylinder...anyone know of a source of decent kits that won't empty the old man's piggy bank?
 
   / Best non-OEM hydraulic cylinder rebuild kit source for Ford 4500 TLB? #2  
What are you looking for in a kit?
I rebuilt a dozer cylinder years ago. Everything looked great, just needed seals (3). Went to a hydraulics shop parts department cost me under $10.00
 
   / Best non-OEM hydraulic cylinder rebuild kit source for Ford 4500 TLB?
  • Thread Starter
#3  
Dunno how long ago this old beast last had any love but betting most recent cylinder repack was at least 15 yrs ago. Still digs pretty strong but I lose about a quart of fluid from the 3 hoe cylinders in a 2-3 hour session.

Also keep hearing noises that make me think there may be some fluid bypassing inside 2 cylinders.

These 5" cylinders look to be a real PITA to manhandle so I only want to do this job once in whatever remains of my lifetime. If I manage to put a thousand hours total on the machine before the nice young men in the white coats won't let me near a tractor any more I'll be shocked.

Once I get 'em unscrewed I want to replace every oring and seal in there, even if that is overkill just so I am reasonably sure they will not require it again before I surrender my stumpdigging license.

Here in NW MT there is exactly ONE hydro shop with any sort of reputation that I know of. They are 35 miles away and they are all about THEM doing the work at $95/hr rather than selling you the parts for your own repairs.

When I priced the seal kits for my Case 530CK about 3 years ago they wanted more than double what I paid online for identical items so I can't count on them to try to save me any $$$.
 
   / Best non-OEM hydraulic cylinder rebuild kit source for Ford 4500 TLB? #4  
Try Surplus Center. They have kits for most of their cylinders and go up to 8", I think. You might be able to adapt one of their kits. You need to know the rod size as well as the bore. If you don't get a kit, you'll have to source individual parts. That's going to run up the cost.
 
   / Best non-OEM hydraulic cylinder rebuild kit source for Ford 4500 TLB?
  • Thread Starter
#5  
Thank you! Have bought from SC years back but never thought of them as having cylinder repair kits. Was reading a thread here on TBN on JD cylinders and how some have a plastic "tool" in the kits to fill a groove in the cyl wall to allow the piston to be extracted. Hope Ford/NH didn't pull that sort of shenanigan 50 years ago when designing these cylinders...
 
   / Best non-OEM hydraulic cylinder rebuild kit source for Ford 4500 TLB? #6  
   / Best non-OEM hydraulic cylinder rebuild kit source for Ford 4500 TLB? #7  
   / Best non-OEM hydraulic cylinder rebuild kit source for Ford 4500 TLB? #8  
   / Best non-OEM hydraulic cylinder rebuild kit source for Ford 4500 TLB?
  • Thread Starter
#10  
Big thank you's to all who have responded here-I'm sure I'll find a fair deal from one of these sources.
 
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