Let me preface this by saying I'm pretty dumb about most things, but really dumb about hydraulic cylinders. Anyway, here goes...
I had finished cutting some hay with my Kuhn GMD 500 disc mower and I tried to raise the cutter bar to place it in transport position (vertically). When I hit my remote lever, the bar raised a little and then hydraulic fluid spewed (not a little, a lot) from a place beneath the lift cylinder. I tried a little more and it continued to happen, so I quit that and limped the tractor and mower back to the barn.
The cylinder is a single acting cylinder. It attaches via a single hose to one remote on my DK 45. When I pull my remote lever, I raise the bar; when I push the lever, I lower the bar. I'm almost positive that the hydraulic pressure forces the cylinder up; gravity makes it come down.
I'm assuming that when I raise the cylinder, filling it with fluid, as the cylinder raises, air has to be vented. So I'm guessing that the hole that the hydraulic fluid is coming from is some sort of vent hole (located on the bottom of the cylinder so as to try to keep water from coming in?).
I watched a video on Youtube of a fella replaces the seals on a cylinder on his GMD 500 and looks like something I could do. My question is: Is my problem a failed seal on the "vent end" of the rod? Would replacing the seals alleviate my issue?
I've attached a sketch showing the cylinder in question. I think this is a relatively simple repair, but I've never fooled with hydraulic cylinders. The seal kit is about $100, so not overly expensive, but I don't want to waste money either.
Anyone have any thoughts/suggestions on this situation?
Thanks for the help.
Good luck and take care.
View attachment Kuhn GMD 500 Hydraulic Cylinder Drawing.pdf
I had finished cutting some hay with my Kuhn GMD 500 disc mower and I tried to raise the cutter bar to place it in transport position (vertically). When I hit my remote lever, the bar raised a little and then hydraulic fluid spewed (not a little, a lot) from a place beneath the lift cylinder. I tried a little more and it continued to happen, so I quit that and limped the tractor and mower back to the barn.
The cylinder is a single acting cylinder. It attaches via a single hose to one remote on my DK 45. When I pull my remote lever, I raise the bar; when I push the lever, I lower the bar. I'm almost positive that the hydraulic pressure forces the cylinder up; gravity makes it come down.
I'm assuming that when I raise the cylinder, filling it with fluid, as the cylinder raises, air has to be vented. So I'm guessing that the hole that the hydraulic fluid is coming from is some sort of vent hole (located on the bottom of the cylinder so as to try to keep water from coming in?).
I watched a video on Youtube of a fella replaces the seals on a cylinder on his GMD 500 and looks like something I could do. My question is: Is my problem a failed seal on the "vent end" of the rod? Would replacing the seals alleviate my issue?
I've attached a sketch showing the cylinder in question. I think this is a relatively simple repair, but I've never fooled with hydraulic cylinders. The seal kit is about $100, so not overly expensive, but I don't want to waste money either.
Anyone have any thoughts/suggestions on this situation?
Thanks for the help.
Good luck and take care.
View attachment Kuhn GMD 500 Hydraulic Cylinder Drawing.pdf
