Hydraulic Cylinder Disassembly Question

[downsizingnow48]

I've never taken a cylinder apart. I am thinking of buying the cylinder in the link below. It has a stroke limiting sleeve inside and is held together with a snap ring. Can the cylinder be opened up and the sleeve removed with ordinary tools? Appreciate any advice.

0.875x3x0.5 DA HYDRAULIC CYLINDER

 

[Creamer]

I have not taken one of that type apart but commonly the stroke limiter is just a sleeve which will mean you have to remove the snap ring, pull the rod and piston out, pull the rod out of the end piece, slide the sleeve off the rod, and then put everything back together. the stroke limiter is should just slide out but you will have to be careful of the orings as they go in the bores they fit in.

 

[downsizingnow48]

Creamer many thanks for the guidance. I practiced that on a snap ring cylinder I have already, it was easier to take apart than I thought, and I can see where the limiter sleeve would be.

 

[Creamer]

Your welcome! Good luck!

 

[Creamer]

Do be careful though on the bending load on the ram. Once you take the limiter out if there is a bending load on the ram it will be magnified. If the application you are using it in has just a straight push you should be fine.

 

[dfkrug]

Can the cylinder be opened up and the sleeve removed with ordinary tools?

That's a small cyl. The only thing I was going to suggest is use hi-quality snap ring pliers.

Now that you have taken one apart, be careful when putting the piston back into the cyl,
so you do not catch the sealing ring(s) on the snap ring groove. There are tricks to avoiding
that.

 

[downsizingnow48]

Thanks dfk,

what are the tricks to avoid damage to the o-ring?

also need advice on another small cylinder - see photo. It has a snap ring but no obvious way to get hold of it. What is that trick?

 

[dfkrug]

what are the tricks to avoid damage to the o-ring?

also need advice on another small cylinder - see photo. It has a snap ring but no
obvious way to get hold of it. What is that trick?

Piston seals are not usually O-rings. They are often "U-cup" seals, or some other
type with squared off corners, which can hang up in the slot where the snap ring was.
The trick is to use a filler in the slot so the piston can pass by. The filler (often a
plastic ring) is then removed. Bondo can be used here also.

I can not see the snap ring in your photo. Maybe it uses a wire retainer?

 

[Mysfyt]

Need another picture of the cylinder from the side. This could be a welded cylinder. You have to machine off the weld to gain access to the insides. Looking at the size, this might not be practical.

 

[downsizingnow48]

Thanks for tips dfk.

Here are pictures of the two ends. The base is welded like usual. No evidence of a weld or joint at the rod end, I filed the paint away to look.

 

[J_J]

Show a picture looking straight at the rod end.

 

[J_J]

Show a picture looking straight at the rod end.

Never mind, I see you did that in post #7

If it has a snap ring, then the parts should come out.

 

[dfkrug]

No evidence of a weld or joint at the rod end, I filed the paint
away to look.

In your 1st photo above, rotate all the way around and look for a small hole for a wire retainer,
or possibly flush socket-head set-screws.

 

[Leejohn]

Try pushing the gland in and see if you can see snap ring then. The gland well not move very far if thats the way it comes apart.

 

[Mysfyt]

I'll second what Leejohn said. Usually welded cylinders are welded on both ends.

 

[J_J]

Excerpt for the net.

Welded hydraulic cylinders can be custom-engineered for each application, and do not use tie rods or other mechanical fasteners to hold them together. In its simplest form, an end cap is welded to base end of the barrel. At the rod end, welded cylinders are available in repairable and non-repairable versions: repairable - with a threaded, removable head; and non-repairable - with a welded fixed head. Welded cylinders have superior seal packages as standard, which can be important for life cycle expectancy and for durability in applications that involve contaminants and weathering. Visually, the superior look of a welded design can improve the appearance of the equipment on which it's installed.

 

[downsizingnow48]

Thanks for suggestions. I wire brushed the paint off, no sign of a set screw, pin hole etc. Couldn't push in the gland. In the photo below it looks like the retainer is at a slight angle - lower on left than right. That made me think maybe it is a plug that is screwed in. But no threads on the exposed inner part of the tube. Maybe it was put together by putting in all the pieces from the base end, then welding the base end cap.

 

[dfkrug]

Maybe it was put together by putting in all the pieces from the base end,
then welding the base end cap.

That is certainly possible. A welded rod-end cap requires some assembly sequence that does not
cook the rod seal. The threaded end of your rod tempts one to think that it was assembled from
the base end, even if the other end does not look welded. That way the rod seal can be installed
after cooling.

My compact tractor experiences are by no means exhaustive, but I have only seen cyls welded
at both ends on JDs (power steering cyls).

 

[Leejohn]

I still thing it comes apart from the rod end. How did you try and push the gland in?

 

[Mysfyt]

Is there any name/number on it anywhere? Maybe if there is, we can try and come up with an exploded view drawing that would solve this mystery.