Hydraulic cylinders are critical to the function of a wide range of machines. It's a matter of time before the systems at your business are going to require hydraulic service. You will want to stay on top of hydraulic cylinder repair needs, and you can do so by watching for these 8 possible signs of trouble.
Compression Loss
Properly functioning hydraulic cylinder equipment should deliver power within specifications. If a machine is struggling to produce the required level of compression, it's a problem. That applies even if it manages to achieve that level after building up pressure. Straining under pressure can cause systems to fail catastrophically so take the system offline and contact a hydraulics repair technician right away.
Leaking Fluid
While some leakage may be normal in some systems, you shouldn't see loads of it disappearing all the time. Even if you only see a bit around the rod, it's not a good thing.
Metal Shavings
The strain of a malfunctioning system may cause friction. Sometimes this leads to metal shaving off of the rod or surrounding surfaces.
Scoring
Once more, the rod can take a beating. In this scenario, you see the results as scoring on the rod because the pressure is hitting a specific spot. Once scoring is visible, it's time to ask for repairs.
Bending
The rod or surrounding component may bend under pressure. If this causes anything to rub, it can quickly lead to failure. Address any visible signs of bending immediately, even if the system still appears to function at capacity.
Smells
Yes, hydraulic cylinders tend to produce some metallic and oil smells. If you start to notice stronger smells than before, it may be a sign something is wrong. If this goes as far as producing smoke, shut the system down and request the attention of a hydraulics repair professional.
Declining Efficiency
Not all repair issues are as clearly evident. Instead, you might notice extra electrical or fuel consumption while operating hydraulic cylinder equipment. Even if the equipment is old, it should see such declines with appropriate maintenance.
Failing Mounts or Seals
Over time, the mounts and seals will wear down. A mount may develop more play, for example. Similarly, seals can crack and leak. Worse, seals can misalign if too much wear occurs to one side. The net effect of these problems is the machine may wobble, rumble, or skip. Once you see clear signs of such poor performance, request repairs. To learn more information about hydraulic cylinder repair, reach out to a company such as Miller Hydraulics Service, Inc.
