To: Nancy Myers

From: Duncan Siwinski

Date: May 2, 2022
Subject: APLED 121- Instruction’s report

HOW TO RESEAL A HYDRAULIC CYLINDER

A hydraulic cylinder is designed to do work in your hydraulic system. Depending upon your
system, cylinders can experience harsh pressure spikes and can become worn out internally
over time. This leads to the cylinder failing. The seals inside of the cylinder are the most likely
cause of failure and instead of buying a whole new cylinder, (which can be extremely costly)
resealing it is recommended. The 16 steps listed below are some basic steps to help reseal your
cylinder.

Tools and materials needed:

• Floor dry-to help clean up any oil spills
• Shop rags- to wipe down the cylinder
• Tools required can vary depending upon the OEM of the cylinder. The following tools
may be needed: spanner wrench, seal picks, and a ratchet set.

Common Parts/Seals of a Hydraulic Cylinder

➢ Always wear steel toed boots when working on hydraulic
cylinders. Dropping a cylinder on your foot may result in serious
injury if steel toe boots are not worn.

1. Release all pressure from the hydraulic cylinder.

2. Remove all hydraulic lines from the cylinder.
3. Remove gland from cylinder bore.
a. This step is one that can vary from depending upon the manufacturer. A variety
of different tools may be necessary.
4. Remove the piston and the rod from the cylinder bore.
5. Remove the piston from the rod. There are a few ways the piston can be attached to the
rod:
a. Threaded connection
b. Can have a nut or bolt that attach it
6. Inspect the bore, rod, piston, and gland to make sure there is not no damage.
7. Remove and identify the seals inside of the gland. The following may be within:
a. Rod seal
b. Buffer seal
c. Wear band
d. Head seals are located above the threads of the gland
8. Clean the gland and remove any rust and seal remains.
9. Remove the seals on the piston.
10. Compare new seals to the seals removed to make sure everything was provided.
11. Insert new seals into the gland.
12. Insert new seals on to the piston.
13. Reassemble the piston to the rod.
a. Always use thread sealant to ensure they stay connected.
14. Reinsert the gland, rod, and piston back into the bore.
a. Never use thread sealant on the gland.
15. Replace all the hydraulic line and test for leaks around the new seals.
16. Clean up any oil spills to avoid accidents.
Hydraulic cylinders are used in industrial and mobile applications, which makes them a
necessary item in most systems. Having the ability to reseal a cylinder will be extremely cost
effective. Making sure that you understand the basics will save your company money.