Was doing some welding, not paying attention, and made two tiny pits on the cylinder shaft on my dump cylinder. I can mostly just see it, but it is noticeable by carefully running my fingernail over it. Is there anything I can do to polish that out, or do I just wait for the seal to go bad and replace the whole thing?
Loader Small pit on cylinder shaft, can it be polished?
- Thread starter BeezFun
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oldnslo
Super Member
Take some fine emery paper or steel wool and polish the areas the best you can. Removing the sharp edges will make the seals last much longer. If this is a single acting cylinder you trying to keep dirt etc out as much as keeping the oil in.
flyerdan
Veteran Member
Pits or berries? If they are berries from weld spatter I'd take a small chisel and carefully knock them off by hand and then follow up by running a medium to fine scotchbrite roloc disc over it until it passed the fingernail test. Pretty much the same for a pit, cylinders can take a few knicks and not leak if nothing is sticking up sharp to cut the seals.
It's not so big that there's anything to knock off. It looks like a small dark spot where the bright finish of the shaft surface has been discolored. When I run my fingernail over it, I can feel something but can't tell if it's raised or etched away. It just feels like a tiny burr.
Cylinder is double acting. Can I use a small jeweler's file, or is that too harsh?
Soundguy
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remove any burs.. then use a stone or fine hone then a rollock disc.. can finish with rubbing compound. get everything round.
if it is a deep pit.. consider brazing up and polishing down. smooth surfaces won't eat seals.. might leak if uneven.. but should be seal friendly if all is round.
MtnViewRanch
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400 wet dry sand paper using it wet and you should be good to go. 
Scooby074
Super Member
polish it up with some crocus cloth. If the seal fails, address fixing the rod at that time.
I found a really fine stone in my dad's old tools, about as smooth as a piece of wood. I used that with some WD40 and it almost took the discoloration away completely. Can still feel a tiny irregularity there but it's much better. Hopefully the seal will outlive me. Thanks for suggestions.
flyerdan
Veteran Member
Chances are that is just a little depression if it shows up on the fingernail test. Knocking it down with a fine stone should have taken care of any protuding burr, if you can run a fingertip over it without feeling something sharp trying to catch it it should be fine. I'm sure my tilt rams have far worse damage and they don't leak excessively. Plus, they're around 40 years old.
