Pipe Wrench only option?

[marrt]

I need to replace the seals in my 425 lift cylinders. Last time (on another machine), I had to use a pipe wrench to take the cylinder caps off. A strap wrench would slip. Also, one of the vice grip chain wrenches for oil filters and other round objects slipped too. A pipe wrench leaves quite a few apprentice marks but I'm aware of no other option.

 

[4570Man]

Sometimes a cylinder has slots cut to use a spanner wrench. I never take the effort to get one and use a pipe wrench anyway. If it’s smooth I don’t know of any non marking tool that can equal the grip of a pipe wrench.

 

[Alan46]

You might try this.
$11.99. Or try wrapping the threads on your pipe wrench with duct tape!


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WORKPRO 12" Adjustable Oil Filter Pliers, Oil Filter Wrench Adjustable Oil Filter Removal Tool, Ideal For Engine Filters, Conduit, & Fittings, W114083A​

Visit the WORKPRO Store
4.6 out of 5 stars 7,229 ratings
Amazon's Choice

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-25% $11.99$11.99

 

[4570Man]

You might try this.
$11.99. Or try wrapping the threads on your pipe wrench with duct tape!


Details
Ships from
Amazon
New & Used (2) from
$11.54 & FREE Shipping on orders over $25.00 shipped by Amazon.
Roll over image to zoom in

• • 
    
    
  • 
    
    
  • 
    
    
  • 
    
    
  • 
    
    
  • 
    
    
  • 
    
    

WORKPRO 12" Adjustable Oil Filter Pliers, Oil Filter Wrench Adjustable Oil Filter Removal Tool, Ideal For Engine Filters, Conduit, & Fittings, W114083A​

Visit the WORKPRO Store
4.6 out of 5 stars 7,229 ratings
Amazon's Choice

---

-25% $11.99$11.99

An oil filter wrench isn’t nearly beefy enough for the toque typically needed for a cylinder gland. And they still have metal teeth that would scar the cylinder.

 

[Richard]

Mine has essentially large flats, making it look like a regular hex-nut.... however it's 3-4 inches in diameter.

I just use the pipe wrench on mine, along with a cheater bar on the wrench.

After all, what is the cylinder, if not a large "pipe"!!

 

[Alan46]

An oil filter wrench isn’t nearly beefy enough for the toque typically needed for a cylinder gland. And they still have metal teeth that would scar the cylinder.

You’re right! I never had to take mine apart!

 

[4570Man]

Mine has essentially large flats, making it look like a regular hex-nut.... however it's 3-4 inches in diameter.

I just use the pipe wrench on mine, along with a cheater bar on the wrench.

After all, what is the cylinder, if not a large "pipe"!!

I had a 4 ft long pipe wrench attempting to take the lift cylinders on my dozer apart. I didn’t have a large enough pipe to use to use for a cheater and had to push the wrench with my skid steer. The dozer cylinder was maybe 3.5” bore so not a really big cylinder. My tractor cylinder that’s about a 1-3/4” bore was about the top end of what I could manage without a cheater on a 2 ft wrench. Cylinder glands are tight and the piston nut is typically even worse.

 

[repete]

If you have a piece of steel and a torch you can make a wrench to fit I assume the cylinder gland for removal. Make it so you can use a hammer on the homemade wrench.
You might think about torqueing the gland when reassembling.

 

[AVIVIII]

I just did mine. Used a pipe wrench. Clearly, the last person that changed the seals did as well....

 

[MapleLeafFarmer]

I have never had a powertrac so not sure what your cyl. caps look like but I use a cyl head wrench that my local hydro shop rents out basically just for deposit as I buy parts from them. I think they charged me a depost of $200 and gave it all back as I told them I would buy my parts from them and pizzas for the shop. They told me the Volvo cap. wrench is worth something like $300 new.

 

[jaxs]

I have a roll of shower door sweep that works well between wrench jaws to prevent marks. Tried pieces of inner tube and various other rubber and plastice but sweep grips best.

 

[Richard]

I had a 4 ft long pipe wrench attempting to take the lift cylinders on my dozer apart.

** Warning, Thread Drift **

Couple years ago, the kingpin on my JCB needed replaced. Easier said than done after 25+ years...All polite efforts failed.

(friend of mine), we welded a nut to the top of the Kingpin. attached pipe wrench to it. Attached chain to the pipe. Attached the OTHER end of the chain.... to my neighbor's next door 30+ HP Deere with hydro. All we wanted to do was get it to rotate & break the bond.

Kingpin won that round too.... The tractor ripped the welded nut off the Kingpin (duh). Was a tough booger but my friend finally fabricated a 'triangle' that fit over the king pin and held UNDER the cross member, a 30 ton bottle jack. Had tremendous pressure/tension on the thing and when the Kingpin broke free, the entire machine (I think about 15,000 lbs?) shook. The Kingpin moved about 1/4" BUT, it moved so now we knew it was just a matter of time.

** End Thread Drift **

 

[ponytug]

+1 on a 4' pipe wrench, with cheater bar. The seals are on there tight. My past attempts to use something like duck tape didn't reduce the apprentice marks much, but as many cylinders don't have holes for pin wrenches, there isn't really an alternative.

All the best,

Peter

 

[m5040]

Did anyone check with Terry on the way the factory intended to R/R the nut? Or is it a sacrificial part?

 

[marrt]

Thanks for the comments. The cap is indeed smooth...and is made from Aluminum. Given the force required to remove them, I wonder if the cap could even be warped on removal. I have no idea as to what tool PT uses to tighten the cap at the factory. I also find it amusing that PT makes its own hydraulic cylinders.

I think one of the main problems "may" be the use of different materials for the cap and cylinder (which is steel). As most know, this can create corrosion that almost welds the two parts together. I have a 48" pipe wrench so I guess we'll find out.

 

[marrt]

I guess I should also mention...I'm replacing the seals because the bucket leaks downs VERY fast with a load. So fast that I'm reluctant to use the forks to pick up something heavy. I was always taught this type of leak down is caused by problems in the control valve, not cylinder seals as one might first think. However, Terry said it was the cylinder seals.

 

[sd455dan]

An oil filter wrench isn’t nearly beefy enough for the toque typically needed for a cylinder gland. And they still have metal teeth that would scar the cylinder.

Agree I bought a 4 foot pipe wrench for mine
I cut some PVC pipe and taped it to the rod for the inevitable Oh Sh moment when it finally breaks loose and that's with heat and bangihg on the cylinder end first

 

[SpringHollow]

I had to use a pipe wrench on my PT cylinders. And yes, my FEL would leak rapidly when the o-rings etc leaked.

Ken

 

[ROUSTABOUT]

You can use a chain pipe wrench. It grabs all the way around. Put some heat on it too, the seals will handle maybe 600 degrees. I did all the cylinders when I worked at new Holland. Best tool to do them cylinders was an old PROTO pipe wrench. It was thinner than a RIDGID, and it grabbed really well. We kept a cabinet full of many colors of spray paint. They were also Kubota dealers. So I'd just use a pipe wrench, touch up my marks with spray paint. I have some chain pipe wrenches maybe 5 foot long. Lots of times we just fab a wrench on large cylinders. Like the lift cylinders on our log loader. They probably have 5" rods. I always loosen the gland while cylinder is still fastened, something to hold it that way.

 

[2manyrocks]

Thanks for the comments. The cap is indeed smooth...and is made from Aluminum. Given the force required to remove them, I wonder if the cap could even be warped on removal. I have no idea as to what tool PT uses to tighten the cap at the factory. I also find it amusing that PT makes its own hydraulic cylinders.

I think one of the main problems "may" be the use of different materials for the cap and cylinder (which is steel). As most know, this can create corrosion that almost welds the two parts together. I have a 48" pipe wrench so I guess we'll find out.

And different rates of expansion and contraction between aluminum and steel.