Hydraulic Guru needed once again. Odd piston.

[Zaxxn]

So I am rebuilding the pistons on my second Mohawk lift, this time an older System I. Main side (Master) cylinder was straight forward, no problem. Off side (slave?) cylinder though has ne baffled. I attached some pics. The bottom of the piston has just these two aluminum half rings resting in the groove. No seal, no nothing. The only seals in the cylinder are the ones in the top gland. Bottom of the cylinder is just a bottom, nothing else. Rebuild kit also didn't come with anything but seals for the top gland. How in the world is this thing working with just these aluminum half rings? Am I missing parts, or is this just a little above my understanding of hydraulics, which I definitely could see! Hahaha. Just want to make sure I have everything right putting it back together!

Thanks in advance,
--Zax

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[Wrench97]

Do the teflon split rings go on the top and bottom of the aluminum half rings?
If so that's your seal.

 

[Zaxxn]

No, the teflon split rings are locating rings for the seal in the top gland. They'd be not tall enough either.

Maybe the aluminum half rings are really just there to keep the bottom of the piston from flopping around?


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[KenC]

I think the split rings are only to align the piston. The fluid just presses on the solid piston. Any leakage past the rings is both ways, in and out as it rises so doesn't impact the action. The gland seal is what keeps the fluid in the cylinder.

 

[Zaxxn]

Thank you! This is what I (ok, I admit, it was the wife) was suspecting too after contemplating. Just wanted to be sure before putting it all together!

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[firebirdparts]

Right, that piston is space-filling. Fluid can’t escape by leaking past it. There’s nowhere it can go.