You have a leaky hydraulic cylinder, and it’s time to get it repaired. Over 90% of the hydraulic cylinder repair jobs that we perform are a matter of disassembling, inspecting, repacking the seals, and reassembly. We have a lot of customers that are mechanically adept and simply buy a new seal kit from us to do the job themselves. But for the majority, a hydraulic repair service is necessary to get the job done in a timely manner and to get it done right the first time. This also keeps our customers’ hands clean — because hydraulic repair is a dirty job!

If you’ve pulled the leaky shaft from your equipment and disassembled it, you need to inspect it thoroughly to identify the problem. Common issues are leaking seals, scratches or pits on the cylinder bore, and bent rod. If your problem is a scratch, gouge, or pitting in the cylinder bore or you have a bent piston, you’ll need specialty equipment to perform the repair. These are the times when you really need a professional hydraulic repair service because of the training, tools, and equipment we have available.

When re-packing the seals on your hydraulic cylinder, be sure to first clean all new parts in a petrolatum-based solvent and dry them using compressed air. Thoroughly inspect the new seals and be sure they are clean. Coat them with hydraulic fluid and seat them in the correct order. NEVER use a screwdriver or other metal object to seat a new seal. This can cause damage to the seal, and then you’ll be right back where you started with a leaking cylinder.

Once you’ve replaced the seals, loosen the input valves and size the piston seals back down before you gently slide the piston back into the cylinder. At that point, if you can’t move the cylinder back and forth easily, pull the piston back out and check to see if the seals are all in the right place.

Once the seals have been replaced, it’s time to test your work. We recommend that you pressure up the cylinder with air and spray soapy water around the rod next to the barrel. If there are no bubbles, there is no leak. This is hard fought wisdom that we’ve learned, and it will save you a lot of time in the long run.

If you’re in need of a hydraulic repair service, R & N Hydraulics is the leader in Arkansas. Give us a call at 501-847-2816 or fill out our online form to learn more. And we always invite you to come visit us at our shop on I-30 in Bryant!