How do I know if my repair is okay

[fritz423]

Howdy!

Just found this site last week and got the answer on how to disassemble a John Deere lift cylinder on a thread from 2009. So thanks!

I replaced the seals on both lift cylinders and except for obvious things like leaking and not lifting how do you know if you screwed something up? Seems to work but I keep waiting for the other shoe to drop. I have zero experience with hydraulics.

 

[Egon]

If it doesn't leak and extends/returns with a load one would think you done good.

 

[fritz423]

Here's hoping. Anyone else out there have to use a t-post driver to get the gland back down the cylinder rod? Next time I will definitely just take it in to the shop.

 

[JRobyn]

+1 on the local hydraulic shop! Supports the local economy, they have the right special tools, can often get the correct OEM or aftermarket parts for MUCH cheaper, have a test bench, and will guarantee their work!

 

[wdchyd]

Fritz......I didn't want to be critical on your work but looks like you didn't polish the gland where the seal and wear rings ride.......from the looks that style cylinder has what I call a "dry" wearband......meaning the wearband is between the wiper and rod seal

With a wearband below the rod seal it is constantly bathed in oil so no trouble with rust under

With a dry wearband water intrusion sneaks behind the wiper and rusts under the wearband making it a tight fit against the hyd rod when a new one is installed......if you polished the area behind the wearband the gland would have pushed on by hand, maybe a plastic hammer for a few light hits as the seals go over the leading edge (chamfer on the rod).....plus the back side of the seal area probably was rusted and was in need of a spin polish also

With access to a lathe all this polishing would have taken no more than a few minutes but it could be done by hand too

 

[fritz423]

I hit it with an abrasive pad but you're right there was a heckuva lot I didn't know when I did this. Also I didn't put Loctite on the nuts, schematic didn't have it on there but I'm sure whoever assembled them used something similar.

It's been working great but I'm still waiting for the other shoe to drop.