When I first got my backhoe and a cylinder started leaking, I went to my local dealer and bought a rebuild kit for it. The kit had all the parts in it for at least a dozen different models and cost over $100. Then they decided that I had to buy a replacement piston for their rebuild kits. That was another $150 just for the piston.
Since there was nothing wrong with my original piston, this became an issue that I wasn't happy about. The guy at the parts desk understood this and told me that their mechanics never rebuild they cylinders on their machines, they send them out to a hydraulic cylinder rebuild shop. He also told me where it was, so I went there with my cylinder, and he rebuilt it for less then the cost of a rebuild kit.
All I had to do is bring the cylinder to him, and wait for him to call me to pick it up. Usually it's only a couple of days. The guy at the rebuild shop orders just the parts that are needed. Usually it's less then $5.
Rebuilding a cylinder is a pain. Its very hard to get it back together without damaging the new seals. Just getting it apart can require special tools depending on the cylinder. On my backhoe, they do not all come apart the say way, so that takes time to figure out. They are heavy, and hard to hold in place, even on a bench with a big vice.
Ask around, do some online searches, and figure out where everyone takes their cylinders to get rebuilt. The time it takes to figure this out will be worth it.
