Weld Hydraulic Cylinder

[bdeboer]

I picked up a homemade 3 pt. logsplitter awhile back. The hydraulic cylinder is leaking where the rod side cap is welded to the cylinder body from a couple of pinholes. The red circle in the attachment is where it is leaking. Is this something that can be welded with an old Lincoln Buzz box? If so, what rod?

Thanks

BTW: It is not the prettiest splitter in the world, but it does work. I am going to replace the crazy looking hydraulic hoses with out the Pioneer fittings this week.

 

[gwdixon]

Is this something that can be welded with an old Lincoln Buzz box? If so, what rod?

Hard to tell from the photo what is going on. But my experience has not been very positive trying to weld up oily leaking hydraulic cylinders.

I heard, and tried, the technique of welding over the leak and then pounding the snot out of the weld while still red hot. The tendency was for the oil to then leak out the side of the weld. Then another weld, then another leak. It is like BP trying to seal their well.

Hopefully you will get a reply from a professional welder and/ or at least one who has a solution. It would be valuable to us all.

 

[DanD78]

I would grind out most of the bad spot, don't go too deep, Clean with brake cleaner and reweld with 3/32" 7018 rod. Wrap a wet rag around the cylinder rod to keep splatter off the rod and keep the seal cool. Have the rerpair spot facing up so the oil won't wick out the bad spot. Keep your weld time short so you don't get too much heat in to the cap and oil.

Dan

 

[bdeboer]

I would grind out most of the bad spot, don't go too deep, Clean with brake cleaner and reweld with 3/32" 7018 rod. Wrap a wet rag around the cylinder rod to keep splatter off the rod and keep the seal cool. Have the rerpair spot facing up so the oil won't wick out the bad spot. Keep your weld time short so you don't get too much heat in to the cap and oil.

Dan

Thanks, I will try this.

 

[jbooth]

Might be able to seal the weld by just "peening" . Get a round nose punch or grind one and peen all around the pinholes. Can be done with hammer and punch, but small air hammer is great. It appears the leak is on the retract side of the cylinder so full pressure should not be a factor except when fully retracted to the stop. May not even leak if not retracted to the stop.

 

[Mark @ Everlast]

Hydraulic cylinders are tricky. Some are special alloys, and with all that residual oil and stuff, I don't think you'd get a good weld unless you were able to steam clean then oven bake the cylinde to preheat it. I'm not an expert in this area, other than be competent in hydraulic repair, but from what I know, you'd wouldn't want to weld on it. Worse things can happen than a leak if it were to go all at once

 

[bdeboer]

Might be able to seal the weld by just "peening" . Get a round nose punch or grind one and peen all around the pinholes. Can be done with hammer and punch, but small air hammer is great. It appears the leak is on the retract side of the cylinder so full pressure should not be a factor except when fully retracted to the stop. May not even leak if not retracted to the stop.

It seeps a little when moving, but pretty much only squirts when the cylinder is fully extended or retracted.

 

[gauthier]

Well,it ain't much good leaking,so...I'd follow dans advice,thats about all you can do,and like he said,don't get it hot.,thats all you can do.

 

[KWentling]

I have welded a few of those. Can't tell much from the picture. I've had luck with cleaning it good (steam cleaner if possible), grind the paint and rust off to good metal, and then peening the holes closed. Then use 6011 rod to weld over the holes. You'll need to move the piston as far from where you're welding as you can so the heat doesn't melt the seals. Wet rags can help draw the heat away too. If you use brake kleen on it, note the hazards of breathing the fumes! I don't use it except for brakes.

Kim

 

[Mark @ Everlast]

Never EVER use brake cleaner on something you are going to weld unless you want to die! If it doesn't kill you right away, it'll be a slow and painful death. Even one drop inhaled is enough to do it.