Advice on buying hydraulic cyclinder repair seal

[toukow]

So I decide to repair my leaking front end loader tilt bucket cylinder on a Ford 770 FEL. There is a photo of the seal I'm discussing at the forum link below:

http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/...70-loader-cylinder-rebuild-2.html#post3906279

My mistake is ordering a kit on EBAY. Everything fits except for the one seal. Our machinist at work says they've sent a seal that is 250/1000 thick, and it should have been 200/1000 thick.

When you look at the parts breakdown online or even calling the Ford tractor dealer, it simply says 'Source locally' for this seal. So I'm confused how the seller even knows what to supply without any dimensions provided?

The original parts callout is for an O-ring and a 'leather washer'. What came out looks like the seal I was sent, though the original was totally disintegrated so hard to compare.

I tried calling some local hydraulic hose shops for advice, but have struck out. Next time I'll just buy the Ford kit and forget about it. I guess I know two of the diminsions already ID= 1", Thickness = 200 thou.

Are these type seals readily available?
Do they need to be a special material to stand up to hydraulic fluid?

Any advice on how to proceed appreciated, Dean

 

[wdchyd]

easy seal to match.....confused on your measurments

ID= 1.00
OD= ?? (1.250 or 1.375 or 1.500)
Height (or thickness)= ?? ( .187 or .250 or .312 )

 

[Tractor Seabee]

The world is a changing; service type shops are dying, as it now costs more to buy a repair kit than a new cylinder costs for standard smaller sizes. We have a hydraulic/pneumatic shop over here that sells rebuild kits and does rebuilds in their shop. They are free with their information and provide real service. I was looking for a valve a while back and they steered me to Surplus Center as I could buy the same valve for 1/2 as much as they have to charge. They always let me know when a repair kit costs as much as a new part. I can remember when you could take stuff to a supply house and match up parts for most anything. Try that now with all the foreign made stuff that is not to any standard. Plus those places are not common anymore.

Ron

 

[bindian]

Look for a hyd. shop that rebuilds cylinders. I bought o-rings from them for $9. Just handed him the old ones and he matched them up. This after the same shop wanted $150 to rebuild it.
hugs, Brandi

 

[wdchyd]

easy seal to match.....confused on your measurments

ID= 1.00
OD= ?? (1.250 or 1.375 or 1.500)
Height (or thickness)= ?? ( .187 or .250 or .312 )

Dean, measure the groove and I can help......I have these in stock but can give you part number for your local supplier

 

[toukow]

Dean, measure the groove and I can help......I have these in stock but can give you part number for your local supplier

Thanks to everyone for the comments. What I ended up doing was buying the Ford OEM kit and had it mailed to my house, as I wanted it back together. But I couldn't return the old kit, as I'd driven in the outer seal, so no way to take that out that seal without leaving marks. FYI: Ebay kit from what appeared to be a reputable dealer who had a lousy parts supplier $38, Ford OEM shipped from my local tractor dealer $60.

wdchyd: I can see why you're confused as to sizes listed, as that was a lousy post on my part. In the end what I needed was ID= 1.0", OD= 1.25", and H= measured .2" or 200/1000".

So then I figured what the heck, if I can't return the EBAY kit anyway, I'd go ahead and get a replacement seal and rebuild the other side as well. Attached is a photo of the seal in the EBAY kit (thicker) compared to what came in the Ford OEM kit. So I looked around and found out what most of you already know, the seal is a Polypak type, which I assume is a Parker trade name. It is a combination of V seal and an O-ring, as shown below. I found the seal at Hercules Seal, which was referenced somewhere on the forum. Delivered $12. The Ford OEM seal does not fill the entire groove, and seems like it's more on the H= 1/8". What I ordered was 3/16" which should fill the groove, though it apparently doesn't matter.

I can understand Tractor Seabee's comment about just buying a replacement cylinder, given the Chinese prices on such items. Sometimes it's just not worth the effort. But for me, I have lots of tools so have to use them so the wife will allow me to buy even more tools. So when all is said and done, I'll be in for around $110 to rebuild both.

I did complete the rebuild and it appears to work fine. I will probably post a step-by-step on the rebuild to help the next sad sack, and to repay the forum. Thanks for all of your comments and I really appreciate the help on the various posts. I have to say that I have a lot of tools, but a tractor is at the top of the list. Thanks, Dean

 

[Indygunworks]

when I found out the backhoe attachment I bought had 7 leaking cylinders I panicked. I called a local shop who quoted me 400 dollars per cylinder for the rebuild... YIKES.... BUT when I told him I might try this myself he was very helpful. He talked to me for about 20 minutes and explained a few things.... A week later I was able to take the glands and bladders into MSP seals (the local seal place) and walked out paying 120 dollars for COMPLETE seal kits for all of the cylinders... that was around 7 or 8 seals per cylinder. The ones for the main lift and two outriggers were the same way... they measured it, but it just wouldn't go it, so when I went back the swapped it out for one that looked to me to be WAY to thin, but they said it would be fine and it was.... no more leaks... Now I found out I have a few leeks in the valve assembly, but that's a winter project for another time.

Moral of the story? Don't be afraid to try and get the cylinder apart..... and once its apart clean it and take it to a seal place and have them measure, or learn how to measure and you can save several hundred on the very first job.

 

[wdchyd]

Common seal..... Hydraulic cylinder repair seals and kits-Hercules Sealing Products - Hydraulic Seals and replacement cylinders for construction and many other heavy equipment industries.

Time is money.....the more time you put into you own repairs the more you'll save......this assuming you complete the task and not ruin something else for others to fix with their time:2cents:

 

[toukow]

Moral of the story? Don't be afraid to try and get the cylinder apart..... and once its apart clean it and take it to a seal place and have them measure, or learn how to measure and you can save several hundred on the very first job.

Seems the key is finding a shop that will work with you on the parts. I had asked the lead machinist for recommendations on such shops, but when I called the ones referenced, they were $100 minimum. Glad to hear that the seal being too thin is not an issue.

wdchyd: I had seen the seal you reference, but have to admit I'm out of my element here (I'm an electrical), so stuck with the basic O-ring style as was sent in the EBAY kit. I do like the Hercules site, as they had more information than I could find elsewhere on the individual seals.


Thanks for the help, Dean

 

[dfkrug]

I called a local shop who quoted me 400 dollars per cylinder for the
rebuild...

That is how they say "NO" to your job. That tactic is used in other industries, too.

I use Hercules Hydraulics, as others have reported.