Log splitter hydraulic cylinder rebuild

[SteveH-CO]

My ancient Northern Tool log splitter cylinder is leaking. It's ~4"x27" long and bolted together, so it could be rebuilt. The chrome rod shows wear, but no rust, and it has been in Colorado, stored indoors, with clean fluid, so it should not be rusted internally.

In your opinion(s), is it worth trying to rebuild this myself, or should I have a shop do it, or just chuck it and get a Chinese welded/disposable cylinder for ~$175?

I have rebuilt many mechanical things, but have zero experience with something like this. I assume it's not rocket science, but don't know what it takes to get the new seals in the bore and what the best practices are.

Thanks - Steve

 

[jackson1701]

You could always start with a youtube video on how to disassemble the cylinder. If it comes apart ok, you find the internals are ok, then make a decision to rebuild it not. If it's in bad shape, scrap it and get a new cylinder. You may find that you can rebuild it. Just my opinion.

 

[Boilerhouse]

I would probably start with a quote from a hydraulic shop and go from there. If it's cheaper to rebuild then buy new, then I would probably rebuild.

 

[texasranger]

A pic would help. You may need to buy or make some tools to do it depending on the gland nut design.

This is a Northern Tool 4x30" cylinder, I cut the tool out of 5/8" steel plate and cut off grade 8 bolts to get the gland nut out. A big pipe wrench probably would have worked but I didn't want to mangle the nut.

 

[MJD1]

I'm guessing from the ops statement that it's a tie rod cylinder. It would be pretty hard to find a shop that would rebuild it for less than 175$. Price out the seals, and take it from there. Pretty simple cylinder to get apart to work on. Be sure to wedge open the attachment on the threaded end of the rod to make removal easier.

 

[theoldwizard1]

The chrome rod shows wear, but no rust ...

Very unusal to see "wear" on a chromed hydraulic cylinder rod. Scratches ? Groves ? How deep ?

 

[Stuart in MN]

You can probably get a rebuild kit for the cylinder, as long as the wear on the rod isn't too bad. For an idea of what the various seals and wipers look like, and what it takes to replace them, go watch these two videos:

part 1

part 2

They're from Adam Booth / Abom79, he's a machinist who works at a shop that does hydraulic cylinder repair, and also has a home shop where he rebuilt this cylinder. Much of part 1 involves fabricating a whole new rod, you can skip through that part if you want (but it is interesting). The beginning of part 1 shows the disassembly and then part 2 gets into reinstalling the new seals and wipers, and putting it back together. It's not terribly difficult, but may require a spanner wrench and some careful work to make sure all the parts are installed correctly.

 

[SteveH-CO]

Great info and very practical advice. There are scratches on the chrome cylinder, but not enough to catch a fingernail.

Just called the local rebuild shop - $200-300 without replacing the rod. Ouch. If I can't easily disassemble and repair, perhaps a new cylinder makes sense. I'll post some pictures when I can.

 

[homebuilt burner]

Do not fear.

There really is nothing to complicated about a hydraulic cylinder. Pull it apart measure everything and start looking for seals. You can do this.

 

[Spareparts]

wwwBaileynet.com. Good place for hyd. parts. ost people are afraid of tackling hyd. repair for the fear of the unknown, actually fairly simple. Take it apart paying attention to everything and take pictures a lot of pictures, biggest problem is getting the nut off of the piston without marking the rod, get the gland seal out and try not to destroy the parts. Take them to a hyd supply place, not a repair shop. Have them match all the seals, packing, and gland seal, you are looking at about $30.00 to $40.00 for parts. Don't forget to lock tite the nut holding the piston on when assembling. Go for it. Check Northern Tool they might have a seal kit for it.

 

[toplessHO]

just got my JD cylinders back
rechromed the rods and rebuilt and pressure tested the cylinders
about the same price as you mentioned.

 

[rustyjames]

biggest problem is getting the nut off of the piston without marking the rod

What I did to get that nut was to insert the rod into a trailer hitch receiver, and held it fast with a piece of rod through the hitch pin holes and the cylinder rod end, which had a clevis end. Of course, this will only work on smaller rods, with a rod end that can be pinned. But, for my situation it worked well for securing the rod to remove the nut.

 

[TheEquineFencer]

wwwBaileynet.com. Good place for hyd. parts. ost people are afraid of tackling hyd. repair for the fear of the unknown, actually fairly simple. Take it apart paying attention to everything and take pictures a lot of pictures, biggest problem is getting the nut off of the piston without marking the rod, get the gland seal out and try not to destroy the parts. Take them to a hyd supply place, not a repair shop. Have them match all the seals, packing, and gland seal, you are looking at about $30.00 to $40.00 for parts. Don't forget to lock tite the nut holding the piston on when assembling. Go for it. Check Northern Tool they might have a seal kit for it.

 

[Firebrick43]

Spare parts has good info. A cylinder like that is a 1/2 hour job. If you take the seals and orings to an industrial supply house such as motion industies or applied industrial technologies they should will be able to match seals and orings. I would be suprised if it took even 30 dollars. Last time I did one it was a special order seal piston(min quality of 10) and it was 23 bucks. Have enough to last a life time if I remember where they are in 20 years(probably to dried out by then)

Measure the thread stick out of the tie rod bolts and record for reassembly. Make sure you draw up the rod bolts evenly and in steps. Seen some hacks ****** things up real good drawing one all the way up.

 

[SteveH-CO]

Much more great information - thanks all. Looks like it's now: http://www.baileyhydraulics.com

I will do some more teardown and report back. I'm in the middle of some truck repair, but will get to it and post pix and updates.

 

[Doug Arthurs]

Hydraulic cylinders are easy. Take it apart take the glade piston and seals to your local hydraulic guy and order replacemnts.

 

[BigMike782]

I rebuilt the boom cylinders on my ancient Massey Ferguson loader. Had the hyd shop get the parts I did the labor......wasn't hard at all.