Stuck Cylinder Retaining Wire

[bungerag]

So I'm trying to reseal some hydraulic cylinders on a tractor I've saved after sitting for over 10 years. I'm starting with the loader boom cylinders, and I managed to successfully get the gland nut off the first one. The cylinders employ a non-threaded gland nut with a "twist-in" retaining wire through a little slot in the barrel.

My problem is that the second cylinder gland nut spins and spins -- but the retaining wire does not spin, and I've not been able to get a pair of pliers on it to try and bend it or pull it. The end of the wire does not seem to be exposed either. I'm hoping some of you have some tips to get this seemingly broken retainer wire out of the slot so I can remove the gland nut. Thanks in advance.

 

[TractorTech]

First line of attack, if you haven't already is penetrating oil in the groove. If you have done that already, heat the barrel to loosen up any rust and such. Until you get the ring to spin with the gland, you won't know if you have a bent end to start feeding out the slot. Have you tried to smack the wire with a punch to shock it free?

 

[bungerag]

First line of attack, if you haven't already is penetrating oil in the groove. If you have done that already, heat the barrel to loosen up any rust and such. Until you get the ring to spin with the gland, you won't know if you have a bent end to start feeding out the slot. Have you tried to smack the wire with a punch to shock it free?

I have done most all of these suggestions. I have a feeling I may not have heated it enough, but I've soaked it in penetrant and tried smacking the wire with a punch. It seems the 90 degree bend in the wire is likely broken off, preventing the wire from turning with the gland. But I was quite shocked that smacking that wire didn't seem to do much..

 

[TractorTech]

If you can turn the gland to see the dimple where the 90 deg bend should go, you could bend the wire into the depression to see if it will pick the wire up to turn.

 

[dfkrug]

If you can turn the gland to see the dimple where the 90 deg bend should go, you could bend the wire into the depression to see if it will pick the wire up to turn.

I have had a cylinder where the retaining wire breaks off at the dogleg. What you suggest is what I did, but I had to clear the dogleg hole first. To do that, I suggest a small drill, and if concerned about drill bit breakage, drill a small hole next to the original hole.

 

[MaxRPMs]

I can appreciate your situation, in process of rebuilding same styles on a Bradco 9MD2, such a poor design. I couldn't get the cap to spin/break loose, many tools tried, ended up destroying with punches to move it but did get wire out and cap off. New cap ordered. Do agree, 90 is broke off and seems corroded to housing. I like the idea of a small drill bit or maybe a dremel tool with a small carbide cutting bit to cut/score the wire in the slot and see if can pull up? or possible try like dfkrug suggest and make a new 90? One other thought, have you tried hitting/tapping the cap on the face to see if can break the wire loose from cylinder housing an/or extend ram out and tap in reverse?
Would be curious of tool used to get the cap to spin?

 

[bungerag]

I can appreciate your situation, in process of rebuilding same styles on a Bradco 9MD2, such a poor design. I couldn't get the cap to spin/break loose, many tools tried, ended up destroying with punches to move it but did get wire out and cap off. New cap ordered. Do agree, 90 is broke off and seems corroded to housing. I like the idea of a small drill bit or maybe a dremel tool with a small carbide cutting bit to cut/score the wire in the slot and see if can pull up? or possible try like dfkrug suggest and make a new 90? One other thought, have you tried hitting/tapping the cap on the face to see if can break the wire loose from cylinder housing an/or extend ram out and tap in reverse?
Would be curious of tool used to get the cap to spin?

I managed to get the cap to spin with a large pipe wrench and a t-post driver as a cheater... lol.

However, I gave up on the retaining wire and ended up taking it to the hydraulic shop. They seem to think they can get it out no problem. I'll be sure to ask how they did it. I hate having to do that when the rebuilding process is so easy after that gland nut comes off -- but at a certain point sometimes time is money.

Now if I could just get these steering cylinders off... (the bolt in the knuckle joint is spinning with the castle nut.. ugh)

 

[TractorTech]

Put a pry bar or pipe on top of the ball joint and push the pin into the arm to get it to seize.

 

[Harry in Ky]

Then hit the nut with a good impact wrench. That usually works.

 

[bungerag]

The bolt comes up from the bottom. Was able to get it out quite easily by lifting from the bottom of the joint with the hi-lift jack and zappin’ it with the impact. However, similar to my retainer wire woes, I broke my spanner wrench trying to get the gland off of these. So to the shop they go as well.

I don’t live in the rust belt, but a decade of sitting in a pasture has really done a number on the hydraulics, especially.