My RH BH75 backhoe stabilizer has decided to leak out the wiper seal. Not a stranger to how to twist a wrench. Has anyone repacked a hydraulic cylinder? If so, how hard of a job is it on a scale of 1 - 10? Seems like getting the cylinder end off would be the worst of it. Just trying to save a dollar. Local dealer charged me over $ 200 to repack a swing cylinder not too long ago. Thanks in advance for a reply.
Repacking hydraulic cyclinder
- Thread starter rwwhite47
- Start date
jyoutz
Well-known member
Equipment
MX6000 HST open station, FEL, 6’ cutter, forks, 8’ rear blade, 7’ cultivator
I always remove the cylinder and take it to a local hydraulic shop instead of the dealer. Much cheaper, and usually quicker than the dealer.
Set the stabilizer foot on the ground, stop the engine and depressurize the system.
Disconnect the hoses at the cylinder.
Loosen the cylinder cap.
Disconnect the cap end (not the rod end) of the cylinder, finish unscrewing the cap, then remove the cylinder off the piston.
Being careful not to scar the rod or piston, remove the nut holding the piston on the rod.
Now you can disconnect the rod from the backhoe and take it to your workbench.
Remove the piston and rod cap from the rod.
Replace the seals, etc. and reassemble.
nbryan
Well-known member
Equipment
B2650 BH77 LA534 54" ssqa Forks B2782B BB1560 Woods M5-4 MaxxHaul 50039
I bought the Kubota seal kit for my similarly leaky front snowblower raise/lower cylinder, and carefully unscrewed the gland nut and pulled the cylinder to inspect and replace the seals. I've never attempted repair of a hydraulic cylinder before, unless you count my rebuilding my 70s and 80s car's brake cylinders lol.
Took about 1 minute handling those little (expensive!!) stiff plastic seals to know I was going to mess them up almost for sure trying to install them with no correct tools. I still don't know how the hell they come off and go back on of the gland nut or cylinder.
So gave the seals and unit to my local hydraulic shop and they charged one hour labor or $120 plus shop supplies, or near $150 all in for the re-seal job. The Kubota cylinder seal kit was almost $70, so $200 you mentioned is a decent sounding price seals included.
They were pleased at the shop seeing I'd already acquired the OEM seal kit, would have been weeks instead of days wait otherwise. Order your seals ahead and take with to your shop. Made the tech smile, always good.
I never take my eggs to the restaurant and ask them to fry them for me. Why? Because if they break the yolks…. it’s MY eggs they broke and I’ll have to replace them. (I learned this the hard way over a $1200 set of aircraft tires which later proved defective. I had to buy addt’l tires AND pay labor Twice…after-all, it wasn’t Their fault I handed them defective tires…nor would it have been Their tires damaged if they installed them improperly.)
When the parts fail…the shop should have to replace the defective parts on their dime not yours.
If the seals you buy fail…the shop will have had no obligation to re-do the job because you supplied the parts.
Tell your hydraulic shop which cylinder model/make you will bring to them and let THEM order the parts…and allow them to have the ordinary mark-up on parts (they likely get a wholesale price anyway.)
nbryan
Well-known member
Equipment
B2650 BH77 LA534 54" ssqa Forks B2782B BB1560 Woods M5-4 MaxxHaul 50039
Given I had the seals already and was planning to install myself, or even take to a machinist neighbor to help install, your point is moot, in this case. And the seals were OEM from the dealership who I trust to honor a defective seals replacement if it came to that.I never take my eggs to the restaurant and ask them to fry them for me. Why? Because if they break the yolks…. it’s MY eggs they broke and I’ll have to replace them. (I learned this the hard way over a $1200 set of aircraft tires which later proved defective. I had to buy addt’l tires AND pay labor Twice…after-all, it wasn’t Their fault I handed them defective tires…nor would it have been Their tires damaged if they installed them improperly.)
When the parts fail…the shop should have to replace the defective parts on their dime not yours.
If the seals you buy fail…the shop will have had no obligation to re-do the job because you supplied the parts.
Tell your hydraulic shop which cylinder model/make you will bring to them and let THEM order the parts…and allow them to have the ordinary mark-up on parts (they likely get a wholesale price anyway.)
Now I know that the job isn't one I should entertain doing myself , I'll call the hydraulic shop for their prices on parts for any future hydraulics repairs I may have. That point of yours is well taken.
I wasn’t criticizing your particular situation. I was responding to the suggestion for an end-user to order parts in-advance on their own…and how that can work against you.
In this instance you had no other choice, I understand.
North Idaho Wolfman
Moderator
Staff member
Lifetime Member
Equipment
L3450DT-GST, Woods FEL, B7100 HSD, FEL, 60" SB, 743 Bobcat with V2203, and more
IMHO, rebuilding a hydraulic cylinder is about a 2 on the scale.
Hardest part is getting the cylinder apart.
The seals can seem a little overwhelming but knowing or learning the tricks helps.
There are tons of you tube videos on how to install the seals with and without the "proper" tools.
Hardest part is getting the cylinder apart.
The seals can seem a little overwhelming but knowing or learning the tricks helps.
There are tons of you tube videos on how to install the seals with and without the "proper" tools.
Thanks for the reply's. Have looked at several of the YouTube videos and the job doesn't look that bad. Buying the correct seal kit is more of a problem. There are sooo many and the probability of getting the wrong kit is great. Guess I'll break down and just take the cylinder to the dealer and let them deal with it.
My local shop told me to get the kit from Kubota and bring the cylinder and kit in at the same time. Must be a reason that they didn't want to mess with their seals and wanted to use Kubota seals.