well as for repacking your cylinders ahead of time, hydraulic seals rarely just "blow" usualy they just keep leaking progressively worst, just a little wet on the outside wouldnt worry me unless maybe i was using the machine for bussiness daily, but for home use it may not get any worst for years. as for repacking them, its not rocket science if you want to do it yourself, i have rebuilt many some as big as 8 inch bore. most foreign cylinders, JCB,Volvo etc, and even ackerman use screw in glands which you will need a big spanner wrench to turn, we have made them outa flatstock about an inch thick and 3 or 4 inches wide, usualy you dont need to cut out for around the rod, you can just use two holes on the same side, but depends on your cylinder, now comes the part that may be a problem for you, you will need to put alot of force on the end of that wrench, usualy we would put a big long rod thru the pin hole on the base of the cylinder and chain it to the forks of a forklift, then push down on the end of the wrench with another machines loader or backhoe bucket, often a few sharp blows with a sledge would be needed to break them free also, then once there apart the seals are relatively easy to change, i was taught to use vasalene for an assemble lube for the seals, supposedly it evaporates and disapears once the hydraulics get hot enough. its not too difficult and you realy dont need any specialized tools, you can easily make the wrenches you need but you do need to have a machine to anchor the cylinder too and another to push the wrench if its a big cylinder, if they are smaller like say 4 inch or less then it may be doable with a cheater pipe and a heavy friend pulling on it while you give it a good whack with a sledgehammer. now this is assuming that you have screw in glands, if they are tierod cylinders or bolt on ends like cat likes to use then your job will be easier. cylinders arnt that hard to repack, its just alot of grunt work, and check your rods for straightness too and the rod and bore for scores or nicks, if ya have any other questions just ask, i have had a few cylinders apart, and even modified a few, shortened them, made new rods etc, from the impression i have gotten from your other posts i think this is surely something you could handle as long as you have some minimal equipment like a drill press, torches and maybe a welder to make the needed spanner wrench, but once you have it made you will have it should the need arrise again. let me know if ya decide to do them yourself
