jig to hold hydraulic cylinder while resealing

[JWeir]

So I pulled my dipper cylinder off my Case 580K with my engine lift and brought back to my shop.




I knew I needed a way to secure the cylinder to my bench so I could unscrew the gland nut with a spanner wrench. I started by cutting an 8" piece off some 1 1/8" diameter rod I had and turning down to 1".



Then I turned some aluminum to 2" to fit inside the end of the cylinder and drilled the inside to 1" to fit over the steel rod.




Then I welded the steel rod to a 10 x 12 piece of 3/8" plate.



This was clamped to the bench to hold the cylinder.




I wanted to add some more support to resist the twisting (I used a 6' bar on a 3/4" drive ratchet to loosen the gland nut). So I cut some 2" square tube legs I welded to the plate and some 2 1/4" upper supports that slide over the legs. I drilled a 1" hole in a 3/8" x 6" plate and welded that to the upper supports. Disregard the old welds on the inside of the upper supports (recycled stock).




It held a lot of pressure. I had a 10' bar on a 36" pipe wrench on a 2 3/16" socket trying to loosen the piston bolt.

Oh, does anybody know how to fix these pictures so they are not rotated? They look fine on my phone and computer, but not posted here.

 

[Gary Fowler]

So I pulled my dipper cylinder off my Case 580K with my engine lift and brought back to my shop.

View attachment 1377


I knew I needed a way to secure the cylinder to my bench so I could unscrew the gland nut with a spanner wrench. I started by cutting an 8" piece off some 1 1/8" diameter rod I had and turning down to 1".

View attachment 1380

Then I turned some aluminum to 2" to fit inside the end of the cylinder and drilled the inside to 1" to fit over the steel rod.

View attachment 1381


Then I welded the steel rod to a 10 x 12 piece of 3/8" plate.

View attachment 1382

This was clamped to the bench to hold the cylinder.

View attachment 1383


I wanted to add some more support to resist the twisting (I used a 6' bar on a 3/4" drive ratchet to loosen the gland nut). So I cut some 2" square tube legs I welded to the plate and some 2 1/4" upper supports that slide over the legs. I drilled a 1" hole in a 3/8" x 6" plate and welded that to the upper supports. Disregard the old welds on the inside of the upper supports (recycled stock).View attachment 1386

View attachment 1384


It held a lot of pressure. I had a 10' bar on a 36" pipe wrench on a 2 3/16" socket trying to loosen the piston bolt.

Oh, does anybody know how to fix these pictures so they are not rotated? They look fine on my phone and computer, but not posted here.

Sounds like you are a good candidate for a heavy duty bench vise. Did the 10' cheater bar get if off for you?

 

[California]

In your case it looks like this wouldn't work. But on my much smaller 24hp tractor, I leave one end of the loader's cylinder attached to the tractor while I unscrew the cap off the opposite end. I haven't had to temporarily switch a cylinder end for end to make the cap reachable, but that would work too.

I don't have anything else here solid enough to apply that much force to. A cheater bar more than 5 ft would dis-asemble the built-in workbench where my vises are attached. My welding table isn't suitable, its just a 50 lb portable rig similar to a grinder stand. (photo).

 

[JWeir]

Gary,
I have a couple heavy bench vices, but I one is on a stand (couldn't support the 200 lb cylinder) and the other is on a bench that wouldn't allow me the room to work on the cylinder with the tools and bars I needed. The welding bench was in a better location and a better height. California, some of my cylinders, that is the approach I take, but this one fits in the boom of the backhoe and had to be done out of the machine. To answer your question Gary, i was able to get the gland nut off (the hydraulic shop couldn't) but a 10' cheater bar and a torch still wouldn't budge the cylinder bolt. The hydraulic shop was able to use their machine to get that off. It was over 2600 ft/lb of torque to remove it!

 

[Gary Fowler]

Gary,
I have a couple heavy bench vices, but I one is on a stand (couldn't support the 200 lb cylinder) and the other is on a bench that wouldn't allow me the room to work on the cylinder with the tools and bars I needed. The welding bench was in a better location and a better height. California, some of my cylinders, that is the approach I take, but this one fits in the boom of the backhoe and had to be done out of the machine. To answer your question Gary, i was able to get the gland nut off (the hydraulic shop couldn't) but a 10' cheater bar and a torch still wouldn't budge the cylinder bolt. The hydraulic shop was able to use their machine to get that off. It was over 2600 ft/lb of torque to remove it!

That is the reason I just let hydraulic shops deal with cylinder repairs. No strain on anything but the wallet that way.

 

[California]

That is the reason I just let hydraulic shops deal with cylinder repairs. No strain on anything but the wallet that way.

That's for sure.

I had the local hydraulic shop replace the seals in a tractor loader-curl cylinder. $160. Never again!

Next cylinder, I bought HF's longest pipe wrench since I noticed the professional shop had used one. Added a cheater pipe, and did it myself. Under $10 project cost. (plus the cheap pipe wrench but I already needed that for other projects).

Subsequently I've done two cylinders on the 40 years old backhoe, at similar minimal cost. This isn't a difficult DIY project after you have the brute-force tools.

 

[JWeir]

I plan on doing my smaller ( swing cylinders, etc) myself, but this one required an engine lift to get out and the factory torque spec for the piston bolt was 2425-2875 ft/lbs. I never planned on doing this one myself, but the shop couldn't get the gland nut off the top of the cylinder. I soaked it in penetrating oil for a few days, used the peening method (see this thread https://www.heavyequipmentforums.com/threads/hoist-piston-end-cap-removal-question.11396/ and Willie59's trick) and was able to get the cap off. I deferred to a proper shop fo the piston bolt and then let them reseal. Worth every penny and they were great to me and interested in how I got the gland apart!

 

[California]

I plan on doing my smaller ( swing cylinders, etc) myself, but this one required an engine lift to get out and the factory torque spec for the piston bolt was 2425-2875 ft/lbs. I never planned on doing this one myself, but the shop couldn't get the gland nut off the top of the cylinder. I soaked it in penetrating oil for a few days, used the peening method (see this thread https://www.heavyequipmentforums.com/threads/hoist-piston-end-cap-removal-question.11396/ and Willie59's trick) and was able to get the cap off. I deferred to a proper shop fo the piston bolt and then let them reseal. Worth every penny and they were great to me and interested in how I got the gland apart!

That sounds like the perfect combination of DIY what you are good at, and leave part to the specialists where their help is essential. Good to hear you got it completed.

 

[aircommuter]

I started doing cylinders in the late 60s, I break the gland nut loose while they are on the machine. I wrap the rod with a split plastic sleeve in case I have to do any hammering, or anything slips. The rod end nut I use big impact wrench.

 

[strykerAKAmack]

Pintle hook attached to your pickup truck , drop the eye in, add milk crate or something to keep it level and twist away
Plus when yer done got a fancy tow ball to tow anything down the road

 

[andymil]

I actually broke a 6” vice (cheap Chinese) trying to remove the nut on the rod on my Bobcat ex boom cylinder. Turns out they used permanent thread locker. I had to heat it to about 500 degrees then use a 3/4” breaker bar with a 3’ cheater on it.

 

[confederatemule]

View attachment 1838Pintle hook attached to your pickup truck , drop the eye in, add milk crate or something to keep it level and twist away
Plus when yer done got a fancy tow ball to tow anything down the road

Can you share a link to one of those? I have searched and can not find one.

 

[Dazy71461]

So I pulled my dipper cylinder off my Case 580K with my engine lift and brought back to my shop.

View attachment 1377


I knew I needed a way to secure the cylinder to my bench so I could unscrew the gland nut with a spanner wrench. I started by cutting an 8" piece off some 1 1/8" diameter rod I had and turning down to 1".

View attachment 1380

Then I turned some aluminum to 2" to fit inside the end of the cylinder and drilled the inside to 1" to fit over the steel rod.

View attachment 1381


Then I welded the steel rod to a 10 x 12 piece of 3/8" plate.

View attachment 1382

This was clamped to the bench to hold the cylinder.

View attachment 1383


I wanted to add some more support to resist the twisting (I used a 6' bar on a 3/4" drive ratchet to loosen the gland nut). So I cut some 2" square tube legs I welded to the plate and some 2 1/4" upper supports that slide over the legs. I drilled a 1" hole in a 3/8" x 6" plate and welded that to the upper supports. Disregard the old welds on the inside of the upper supports (recycled stock).View attachment 1386

View attachment 1384


It held a lot of pressure. I had a 10' bar on a 36" pipe wrench on a 2 3/16" socket trying to loosen the piston bolt.

Oh, does anybody know how to fix these pictures so they are not rotated? They look fine on my phone and computer, but not posted here.

Some of the gland nuts have loc-tite that needs to be heated to a couple hundred degrees to release the adhesive. Then they will turn out much easier.

 

[strykerAKAmack]

Can you share a link to one of those? I have searched and can not find one.

https://www.etrailer.com/Pintle-Hitch/Convert-A-Ball/PH1.html

It's great built like a tank , I should a tag to where I got it on it as where ever I am someone is always asking about getting one as It replaces
carrying multiple hitches , This one gets it all done .