Hydraulic cylinder servicer and repair experts Yates Cylinders have locations in Michigan, Ohio, Alabama and Georgia. We specialize in hydraulic cylinder repair, and also offer complete cylinder rebuild and replacement services.
Choose a professional hydraulic cylinder servicer carefully to ensure you receive the best in customer service and final product quality.
Servicing a cylinder is more affordable than replacing one in many cases, but extended periods of downtime can be costly. Choose a service provider who offers the following guarantees:
Cylinders don’t always wait until normal business hours to break down. If your service provider isn’t available for 24/7 services, you may need to wait additional hours or days to get started on the repair process, which can delay your entire production facility.
Continuous communication keeps you in the loop as you wait for your cylinder. A quality hydraulic cylinder servicer can recommend replacement options in the rebuild process is too costly to be practical. Failure reports allow you to see the cause of the inefficiency and discuss some ways to extend the lifespan of your fully rebuilt actuator.
Our hydraulic cylinder repair experts can handle all types of cylinders and are available 24/7. Contact us today.
Contact Yates Cylinders
Fill out the form below to contact our expert hydraulic cylinder servicers today. A Yates Cylinders associate will contact you within one business day.
What Is a Hydraulic Cylinder?
When working with a hydraulic cylinder servicer, it’s essential to understand the basic components in a cylinder to properly size this component to your hydraulic system. This actuation device is the primary component to harness the pressurized fluid in hydraulic components.
The system also includes piping and valves to power the actuator. Valves can allow a single hydraulic system to power multiple cylinders or two directions of the same cylinder. The piping is typically made of corrugated stainless steel or another suitably flexible hose material. A hydraulic pump and filter system keep the fluid pressurized and reduce contamination that could compromise its performance.
Common Types of Hydraulic Cylinders
These actuators can be either single- or double-acting. A single acting hydraulic cylinder only allows the hydraulic fluid to apply pressure in a single direction. It then uses gravity or a spring to return to the closed position. A double acting hydraulic cylinders has hydraulic lines running to both sides of the cylinder, allowing pressurized fluid to power it in two directions.
Work with a hydraulic cylinder servicer to explore more specialized options for your industrial system, like telescopic and tandem cylinders. A telescopic hydraulic cylinder doesn’t just use a single ram, but has a series of components to create a telescoping ram. The result is a long stroke compared to the size of the cylinder housing.
Tandem cylinders are connected mechanically but use separate hydraulic systems to increase the overall force of the actuator. The first cylinder rod is usually connected so that it pushes the base of the second cylinder.
Signs Your Cylinder Needs Servicing
Intense pressure and extended use can cause your cylinder to wear out, leak or otherwise become compromised. Signs that it’s time to repair or replace your actuator include:
Leaking cylinder
Compromised mountings
Buckled or marred piston rod
A cylinder can leak underneath the gland or around the piston rod. These are both signs that you need to repair the gland. These seals wear out over time, but a damaged gland can also be a sign of improper installation or another issue. Inspect the entire unit to establish a cause of deterioration, particularly if it wore out quicker than expected, before scheduling a service call.
Your hydraulic cylinder servicer can assist you with proper mounting of your hydraulic actuator, but over time the mounting hardware can become damaged. Pivot mountings require routine lubrication, and fixed mountings must be inspected routinely to prevent bolts from loosening. Compromised mounting hardware can cause the piston rod to apply pressure in an incorrect angle, which could damage the piston or other components.
Inspect your piston rod for signs of wear. Deep scratches, buckling or a marred surface should all be treated seriously. In most cases, it’s more cost-effective to replace the rod rather than attempt a repair.
Important Operating Specifications for Hydraulic Cylinders
Hydraulic actuators come in a range of sizes and specifications designed to perform optimally and efficiently for their specific application. From a small automotive system to large-scale industrial processes application, all cylinders use similar components for operation. Compare cylinders based on the following operating specifications:
Bore and rod diameter: The bore houses a rod or piston that actuates to achieve a horizontal, vertical or other plane of motion. The diameter of each needs to be weighed against the size of your system and the amount of force required.
Cylinder type: Ram, welded and tie-rod cylinders alter the stability, durability and mounting options of your product. Work with a hydraulic cylinder servicer to find the optimal type for your application.
Stroke: Some stroke lengths are less than an inch, while others are many feet. The optimal length depends on the purpose of your hydraulic system.
Maximum operating pressure: The pressure of the cylinder must be at least as high as the maximum pressure of the piping, valves and pump to create a safe, effective operation.
A hydraulic cylinder servicer can assist you with identifying any issues with one or more operating specifications. Consider replacing an actuator or scheduling a service call if one or more specifications are interfering with your industrial process.
Hydraulic Cylinder Repair Process
Some industrial facilities maintain and repair their own cylinders for in-house convenience. While this may seem like an efficient way to reduce downtime, it could result in long-term costs and inefficiencies in the process. A dedicated hydraulic cylinder servicer uses the following steps to restore OEM or better performance.
Disassembly
While many components in an industrial actuator are incredibly durable, there are others that must be handled with care. The disassembly process needs to be conducted with extreme care to avoid additional damage or calibration issues.
Our team at Yates Cylinders conducts repairs in our facility to avoid contamination. We carefully inspect and catalog every component to ensure everything is in order before the assembly process.
Evaluation and Inspection
A visual inspection isn’t enough to accurately identify every area of wear and damage on a cylinder. From the smallest hydraulic system to a massive-bore cylinder, we carefully inspect the entire unit and run tests on these and other aspects of the unit.
Chrome hardness
Crack detection
Gland wear
Operational tolerances
Seal and Other Component Replacement
Now it’s time for the repair process. We source OEM components or, when necessary, can manufacture our own high-end replacement components. As both a cylinder manufacturer and servicer, Yates Cylinders offers industry-leading support and rapid turnaround time for replacement parts and seals. If a seal has prematurely worn, we may recommend a higher heat rating to extend the lifetime of your repair service.
Reassembly and Testing
After every individual component is repaired, replaced or simply cleaned, it’s time for reassembly. We conduct this step in a carefully environmentally controlled facility to prevent contamination. This is particularly important to ensure a proper seal.
Reliability Simulations
Don’t wait until your cylinder is back in your equipment to see how it operates. We conduct thorough tests and reliability simulations to be confident in the full restoration and extended longevity of your component.
Cylinder Specialists in the USA
Contact hydraulic actuator servicers and specialists Yates Cylinders today. We have facilities in Michigan, Ohio, Alabama and Georgia fully capable of repairing and rebuilding your hydraulic cylinders.
