Replacement Snow Plow Cylinders - Quality vs $$ ??

[Gordon Gould]

I want to replace the badly leaking angle cylinders on my old Fisher plow. A quick check shows a Fisher branded part for $120, Buyer's OEM part for $90, and RCMP replacement part for $76. All have identical specs. Having no experience with replacement cylinders, is there much difference between these quality wise ?? Thanks

gg

 

[PILOON]

I'd go for best price as in all probability they will outlast your old Fisher anyway.

I'd suspect the main difference is the OEM mark up anyway, even the possibility exists that they purchase them from the same low price supplier.

 

[Gordon Gould]

OK, makes sense. I just thought it would be prudent to ask. Thank you very much.

gg

 

[mikester]

Sometimes you get what you pay for. Sometimes a cheap tool ends up costing twice as much when you realize it doesnt perform.

 

[Gordon Gould]

I guess that's the question. Could say some times the expensive one is junk right out of the box ??? Just looking for someone to say don't buy the cheap cylinder. They are junk. But I have not heard that yet.

gg

 

[crazyal]

i bent one of the angle cylinders on my 10' plow and replaced it with a cheap one at least 10 years ago. The replacement is still working just fine. It doesn't see any salt though. Maybe if it did rust could be an issue.

 

[mikester]

I guess that's the question. Could say some times the expensive one is junk right out of the box ??? Just looking for someone to say don't buy the cheap cylinder. They are junk. But I have not heard that yet.

gg

It's hard to tell these days with most component manufacturing being outsourced now to China and India. For all you know the OEM and aftermarket parts come out of the same factory. Problem is that some of the knock off junk is such poor quality you are losing money just by considering it.

 

[davedj1]

Why not rebuild your old cylinders if they are just leaky?

 

[crashz]

Buyers is a pretty common replacement part supplier, and builds their own plows. The other company I've never heard of. If it were me, I'd go with the Buyers.

 

[wdchyd]

Actually, I rebuild plow cyls routinely. The worse ones I’ve seen are the new OEM fisher rams. Many years ago Fisher used rams built by Monarch Hydraulics Grand Rapids, MI. The OEM Monarch rams had k-wipers and v-packing seals and lasted almost forever if the rams were greased/oiled during the off-season to ward off rusty chrome.
The new Fisher rams are just a thin AN wiper and one single poly seal and many come in with a cracked gland. Some of the off brand cylinders have the v-packing style but it would be almost impossible to tell without taking apart due to the copycat nature of all these Chinese imports coming in.
If the rods are not pitted with corrosion, and the gland nuts are not rusted too tight it would be worth rebuilding the existing rams.