Kubota LA403 bucket cylinder issues

[alaskatgc]

Andy was right. The nut holding the piston on the shaft in one of my bucket cylinders had been forced off the threads so the piston was floating around separate from the shaft. It looked like a manufacturing issue because the threads on the shaft were galled even where the piston covers them when everything is correctly assembled. Anyway, I bought a new nut, removed the seal and O-ring on the piston, tightened the new nut as much as possible on the damaged shaft threads, welded the nut onto the shaft, reinstalled the O-ring and seal, and all is well.

Except...

I pulled the other bucket cylinder to inspect it as well. The nut and shaft are fine on that one, but the seal is not. It is stretched thin in one or two places, which is undoubtedly the cause of my annoying leak down when using the loader bucket.

I need to replace the seal and I'll do both cylinders as long as I'm at it.

I see H&D Distributors, Inc. is recommended as a good after market source for seals. I am seeking some guidance on how to do it. Do I need the Kubota part number, or can I really just take measurements on my existing seals? The cross section seems pretty important to me and I worry that I won't get the correct seal deven with the correct ID, OD, and width.

Advice?

This whole event sort of annoys me. This tractor is 2 years old with all of 124 hours on it. Sure doesn't seem like these issues should be arising.

 

[Wayne County Hose]

Kubota uses metric seals and are usually real easy to match up. Post pictures, measure the cylinder bore. It will be in millileters. Remove the seals and measure/write down everything. Post pics and measurements. I like to get my selas from Hercules. Hercules Sealing Products. They have the largest selection and the easiest catalog to follow. I would do the rod seals too and wear bands if they have them. Any questions, feel free to ask. The only problem with welding the piston on nis now you can't replace the rod seal. But, 124 hours, should be no big deal.
Andy.

Oh, btw, I will come up there and repair it for free for a halibut fishing trip.