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Rust spots on hydraulic cylinder shafts

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kwschumm
Join Date: Feb 2003
Posts: 5764 NW Oregon
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2008-09-26          156878


I was cleaning up and lubing my backhoe and discovered a few small rust spots on the outrigger cylinder shafts. The chrome is a little pitted in those spots and that will likely cause the seals to fail. Is there any good fix for small rust spots? Is there any coating that could be applied to help out?



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Rust spots on hydraulic cylinder shafts

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earthwrks
Join Date: Dec 2003
Posts: 3853 Home Office in Flat Rock, Michigan
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2008-09-26          156879


If you look closer you will likely see a nick or scratch of the plating and the rod. Depending on the depth and size of the injury, the standard is simply use some fine emery (emory?) cloth (machinists and engine builders use this for polishing parts on lathes) and polish the portion of injury smooth that is higher than the rod itself. A crosshatch pattern is most desired IMHO. Keep in mind that the more polishing you do the more plating will come off exposing more bare steel to rust. Deep or large injuries IMHO can be peened/tapped back down with a common ball peen hammer---then polish it out. Not all injuries will damage a seal---with all the equipment I have or have owned, I've never had the need to do anything to the rods as far as seals and rust go.

Keep in mind if you decide to put some sort of curing- or drying-type agent or coating like paint, that will a. rub or disolve off by the hydraulic fluid and/or b. if it does stick, it will likelly cause even more damage to the seals than just a rod injury. The reason being the rubber can react with the coating and literally suck the seal inside and turn it inside out---or tear it too. Masking tape from painting the cylinder will do this too (DOH! don't ask).

Bottom line is: to prevent rust after "fixing" injuries to the rod, keep them retracted and surrounded with oil.

If you find that rocks are damaging the downrigger rods, consider installing a rubber "sock" over the rod made of a new, clean motorcycle inner tube (you'll need to remove the rod end from the downrigger foot to slide it over the rod.) A hose clamp around the gland end secures the top of the inner tube, and some sort of non-sliding keeper and hose clamp at the other end. A split bushing like an externally mounted rod stop from TSC might do the trick. And a drain/air-vent needs to at the bottom of the inner tube. Cycle the downrigger a few times to be sure the tube isn't too long or short--too short and the tube will rub on the rod and thin out and won't last---like a fat girl wearing too tight Spandex; conversely, a tube that is too loose will get bunched up at either end and get damaged. This idea will keep the rod cleaner too, not just protect it from chips. ....


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Rust spots on hydraulic cylinder shafts

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kwschumm
Join Date: Feb 2003
Posts: 5764 NW Oregon
TractorPoint Premium Member -- 5 Tractors = Very Frequent Poster  View my Photos  Pics

2008-09-26          156880


Thanks, I've got tons of emery cloth and that makes sense. I do retract them when parking the hoe but they always drift down over time, and sometimes a few months go by between uses. Guess I need to start blocking them so they stay up. ....


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