hydraulic top link question

Mansker · Feb 22, 2006

I'm building a Hydraulic top link for my tractor. I have a Lion 2500
Cylinder from Northern tool with a 2" bore, 10 " stroke. I've cut the ears off the piston end and welded on a top link ball socket.
The end screws off so it wasn't a problem. but I'm worried about
welding on the other end. will the heat generated from welding mess something up inside the cylinder? Will I have to remove the cylinder and rods before welding or can I even do this. I don't know anything about the insides of a cylinder. Does anyone know how to do this? Thanks to all in advance!

beenthere · Feb 22, 2006

If the cylinders come apart (threaded or bolted) then it is less risk, but just pulling the rod out as far as it goes will get the o-rings away from the heat. Also, laying wet rags on the cylinder while welding should disappate the heat enough to not cause a problem. But welding in short spurts with cooling in between helps as well.
There is nothing magical about the inside of a cylinder. Usually just the 'piston' with o-rings that moves back and forth in the 'tube' from the greater oil pressure on one side or the other.

Taylortractornut · Feb 22, 2006

The only 2 things you want to do is to pull the road all the way to the full extended point. Then coat the rod with a little coat of grease. If the piston is at the front of the barrel heat from welding on the new lug want hurt it. And the grease keeps any spater that may fall on it from sticking or scarring the barrel. I do alot of cylinder mods in the shop.

GuglioLS · Feb 23, 2006

Woah there.

You really should remove the end you are going to weld, there is an o-ring that seals the end very close to where you are going to weld. No need to remove the rod(s). See attached.

Mansker · Feb 23, 2006

GuglioLS;
I'm glad I waited until today to weld the cylinder,
Their are two seals in the end, one is an o-ring and the other
is even a thinner flat piece of plastic. I guess if you wrapped
wet rags around the very end of cylinder and only welded
for a few seconds you would be all right. But the end comes
off so easily and now I can weld it all at once and be done with
it. Thanks for the knowledge and saving me the trouble of replacing
the seals.