After market seal kits for Kubota cylinders?

[4570Man]

Did you take the cylinder and ram or just the ram/piston/cap?

The local shop said they just shipped them to a shop near Albany that specialized in cylinders rebuilds. Takes over a week normally. Figure they would not have any seals if they don't work on them there. So I bit the bullet and redid the seals myself. Working great so far.

After the Holiday I can check with the other shop to see if they will sell me seals.

I just took the gland and the plunger off the end of the rod. I didn’t take the rod or the barrel. When I got seals for my dozer it went the same way. BTW let them install the seals into the gland. They’ve never charged me a separate charge to do it and sometimes it’s quite hard to do on the little cylinders.

 

[joea99]

I just took the gland and the plunger off the end of the rod. I didn’t take the rod or the barrel. When I got seals for my dozer it went the same way. BTW let them install the seals into the gland. They’ve never charged me a separate charge to do it and sometimes it’s quite hard to do on the little cylinders.

Thanks. I'll see if anyone near by is willing to work with me that way.

I did not find installing the gland seal that hard, once I got the fancy dancy tools to bend them.

The piston seals get me pretty edgy, the stiff ones anyway. I fretted that for a while. Ended up 3D printing "installation jigs" the Kubota WSM gave dimensions for, after getting some help on a CAD forum. Now I can just change a few numbers in the design program and make any sizes I might need.

 

[ROUSTABOUT]

"these people"? For the sake of civility, I'll just leave it at that.

Fact is, I have found after market seal kits offered online. Never for my machine it's true, but often for JD, Case, MF and like that. It makes sense for them to do that for higher volume units if you stop to think about it.

Another fact is, before I first put my hand to rebuilding my own cylinders, I searched out the local shops and they all told me the same thing. "We send them out, don't stock seals, try the dealer". So "your way" does not work for everyone.

Further, as someone relatively new to cylinder rebuilds, having a "kit" or "exact substitute" parts is a lot more desirable than trusting someone trying to match up worn out parts to new and hearing "it should work fine".

Well, if you are so unfamiliar with cylinders as to need a kit, I'm not sure you'd know the way things go anyway. There has to be a shop somewhere that you take your piston and bore, then get the parts you need. I drive 100 miles to get the parts I need. If I went to a shop that sent theirs out, that'd be the last time they ever seen me. And, there's several places I can go, but none local.

Them seal kits you see offered on the line are just cobbled together by people just like I'm talking about. They have nothing to do with any dealer brand. Just something that works.

 

[BeezFun]

The piston seals get me pretty edgy, the stiff ones anyway. I fretted that for a while. Ended up 3D printing "installation jigs" the Kubota WSM gave dimensions for, after getting some help on a CAD forum. Now I can just change a few numbers in the design program and make any sizes I might need.

It's common to not change those really stiff seals because they're so hard to work with and they generally aren't the one leaking. But if you are able to fabricate a jig, that improves the quality of the repair. I've been tempted so many times to try my hand at 3D printing, if I keep reading about people doing useful things like making jigs I just might take the plunge.

 

[joea99]

It's common to not change those really stiff seals because they're so hard to work with and they generally aren't the one leaking. But if you are able to fabricate a jig, that improves the quality of the repair. I've been tempted so many times to try my hand at 3D printing, if I keep reading about people doing useful things like making jigs I just might take the plunge.

3D printing can be fun and very useful, but, it can also be a PITA to get parts right. Like learning any new technology. A bit like trying to "stick weld" by controlling a machine. Speed, temperature, material all factor in. And sometimes having to design your own parts, meaning "learn a CAD program". That is my single biggest problem.

If you want I might be able to print you the three pieces, the "slide", "pusher" and "correcting" jigs if you can provide the dimensions in the WSM. Really don't need the "correcting" jig I guess, it's for re-compressing the hard seal after it gets stretched. You can use a piston ring compressor with some tape as a protective cushion.

Or, I can provide the template files I have for use in "FreeCad" (an open source CAD program) and fill you in on how to change the dimensions. Once I remember that is. I suppose I could also just post them here, or somewhere and let people have it. Sigh. There goes my supplemental income dream.

 

[4570Man]

Well, if you are so unfamiliar with cylinders as to need a kit, I'm not sure you'd know the way things go anyway. There has to be a shop somewhere that you take your piston and bore, then get the parts you need. I drive 100 miles to get the parts I need. If I went to a shop that sent theirs out, that'd be the last time they ever seen me. And, there's several places I can go, but none local.

Them seal kits you see offered on the line are just cobbled together by people just like I'm talking about. They have nothing to do with any dealer brand. Just something that works.

I’d pay the $100 and have a Kubota OEM kit sent to my door before I drove 100 miles but for me the Kubota dealer and the hydraulic shop are right across the road from each other.

 

[4570Man]

It's common to not change those really stiff seals because they're so hard to work with and they generally aren't the one leaking. But if you are able to fabricate a jig, that improves the quality of the repair. I've been tempted so many times to try my hand at 3D printing, if I keep reading about people doing useful things like making jigs I just might take the plunge.

I was unable to put that seal in my Kubota cylinder. I ended up taking the gland back to the hydraulic shop that I bought the seal from. I expected they had a tool to do it but he did it by hand in 5 seconds.

 

[ROUSTABOUT]

I’d pay the $100 and have a Kubota OEM kit sent to my door before I drove 100 miles but for me the Kubota dealer and the hydraulic shop are right across the road from each other.

But then I wouldn't get to go to Texarkana and hit all the pawn shops.

 

[BeezFun]

Or, I can provide the template files I have for use in "FreeCad" (an open source CAD program) and fill you in on how to change the dimensions. Once I remember that is. I suppose I could also just post them here, or somewhere and let people have it. Sigh. There goes my supplemental income dream.

Best if you post them here, give other folks a chance too. Someday if I finish the 10 high priority projects my wife has me working on at the same time I'll take a shot at 3D printing.

 

[joea99]

But then I wouldn't get to go to Texarkana and hit all the pawn shops.

I knew there must be an ulterior motive.