Whats the best way to clean out used hydraulic cylinders? or should I bother..

[DocDryden]

I just picked up a used box blade with top n tilt, 3 cylinders total. I remember reading a post about cleaning out used hydraulic cylinders but I can't find that post. I'm concerned about contaminants being in the fluid. Is it something that I should be concerned about? (the box blade was stored outside for 5 years, the top n tilt was stored inside)

 

[Gary Fowler]

If stored inside, there shouldn't be anything in it, but you could remove the couplings and purge the oil out by manually pushing the cylinder back and forth to remove most of the oil. Then just hook it up to your tractor.

 

[SSdoxie]

As Gary said, remove hose couplers or take hoses off completely and work cylinder in and out by hand. if you see anything alarming, looks like rust or other crud, then you might want to disassemble the cylinder to wash it out and reseal it.

 

[jenkinsph]

I like Gary's suggestion to stroke the cylinders and would discharge the fluid in a white bucket to see if there is any metal flakes or debris. Better safe than sorry.

Don't forget the pics.

 

[Dave M7040]

I would also flush it out using the type of hydraulic oil your tractor uses. Just pour oil in each port in turn and work the cylinder by hand. No point in getting any non compatible fluid into your tractor's expensive hydraulic system.
Dave M7040

 

[DocDryden]

I tried manually pushing the cylinders back and forth, but they would not move. I guess I'm not as strong as I used to be (come to think of it I never was that strong). I removed the quick connect fittings from the ends of the hoses and used my air compressor to get the cylinder to move. I used about about 10 lbs of pressure. The oil that came out looks good. Thanks for all the help and suggestions.



all set and ready to go

 

[Oliver1655]

Lots of great advise was given& it sounds like the cleaning effort was successful.

Something to consider: Air works great for cycling the cylinder but if disassembling one, the rod/piston can shoot out like a missile. To have control of the rod, I have a "V" trough made from a 2x4" & 2x6" boards screwed together which the cylinder is set in. Across the ends are 12" long pieces of 2x6" with an eye bolt in one end end. (Weld the eye bolt shut.) The is where you anchor the base of the cylinder to. You can do the same thing to the other end so you can use a come along or mount a hand winch to pull the rod out with. (Safety chain around the rod going back to the base with 6-10" of slack would be a great idea for when the rod pop free.)

 

[jenkinsph]

I tried manually pushing the cylinders back and forth, but they would not move. I guess I'm not as strong as I used to be (come to think of it I never was that strong). I removed the quick connect fittings from the ends of the hoses and used my air compressor to get the cylinder to move. I used about about 10 lbs of pressure. The oil that came out looks good. Thanks for all the help and suggestions.
View attachment 381323 View attachment 381324 View attachment 381325

View attachment 381326
all set and ready to go

Looks good, so you have a Deere tnt set up now for your box blade. I think you will really like it and mine is the same thing, been using it a lot this spring.

 

[DocDryden]

Yes the cylinders are ready. I had to order a few small parts for the box blade. Can't wait to try it out. I will post some photos when I get the box blade all hooked up. Thanks Oliver1655 for the the info about the cylinders.

 

[Ed of all trades]

Glad you cleaned them, a farmer near here just had to get his trany rebuilt because he bought a dump trailer, home made from a tandom dump truck and tried to lift the bed with his 100 hp tractor and got crud in the trany. Makes you think. Wonder how much it cost him?