+86 15868609134info@riverlakeco.com
Products Category
Hydraulic Press

Hydraulic Cylinder Leaks (And How to Fix them)

Hydraulic Cylinder Leaks (And How to Fix them)

What is a Hydraulic Cylinder, and How does it work?

A Hydraulic Cylinder is a mechanical actuator, designed to carry a Hydrostatic force in a single direction. Commonly used in construction equipment, civil engineering, and machinery designed for the manufacturing process. A hydraulic cylinder uses any form of hydraulic fluid, typically oil, that is pushed back and forth by a piston into each side of the cylinder. This enables the linear motion to work, making machines such as Bulldozers and tractors carry out movements such as breaking down buildings or heavy lifting that cannot be done through human force.

Hydraulic cylinders consist of a piston rod, a piston seal, and two separate regions, all nutted and bolted together to exert the force of hydraulic fluid within the cylinder tube.

A hydraulic cylinder exerts massive amounts of force, anywhere from several kilograms, to a couple of thousand tonnes! Whatever linear motion you need automating, a good quality hydraulic cylinder is the perfect solution for any manufacturing, farming, civil engineering, or automation company’s needs.

What Causes Hydraulic Cylinders to Leak?

A common problem for high-load engineering and manufacturing companies is working out ways to minimize leakages from their hydraulic cylinders. Leakages in the cylinders can generally be caused by a worn seal or a worn barrel between the separate fluid regions.

The hydraulic fluid will seep through the cracks and enter the opposing region, this is likely to drain the cylinder of energy and isn’t at all visible from the piece of the machinery itself. It isn’t until operational managers and staff notice the drop in performance, that they realize there is a problem with the hydraulic cylinder. As the fluid is maintained inside, there isn’t a way to stop internal leakages without being equipped with the necessary tools for the job. A fluid leak of this kind can be referred to as a “leak down”, as the oil leaks down into the piston region of the cylinder.

Hydraulic cylinders may also leak as a result of over-tightening of the seal upon construction, this will lead to cracks in the build of the cylinder, ultimately damaging performance, and again posing as an invisible problem. It is vital to ensure that hydraulic cylinders are properly fitted, and regularly lubricated, this will minimize the chances of future leakages occurring.

Before buying your hydraulic cylinder, it is always best to equip yourself with spare lubricant & stop leaks, additional valves, and a bit of pre-research into maintaining your equipment.

How to Spot a Hydraulic Cylinder Leak?

Almost all hydraulic cylinders will show the same signs of a leak, if you understand the theory behind it, it’ll be much easier to notice the problem. When the hydraulic fluid leaks through the worn or faulty seal, the pressure between each region will change, when this happens, the motion of the rod is affected, as there is an uneven balance of fluid between each region. When the rod in the cylinder is set to move and return, you will notice that the fluid dispersion will cause the cylinder rod to slowly slide back into the open position.

This issue will be more common on older equipment that has been in use for a long time. The cylinder will have worn seals and valves due to a longer operating life, which increases the likelihood of leak downs, leak downs are a major problem for any business working with cylinder machinery.

Hydraulic cylinder leaks will become noticeable, as you have to replace the oil in your machine more frequently, which leads to increases in operating costs, which is the last thing your business needs. Oil is an expensive commodity and hydraulic products, especially hydraulic cylinders, rely heavily on oil as the engine to make them operate.

How do I Stop These Leakages?

The cheapest and simplest solution is to invest in a bottle of “Hydraulic Stop Leak”, this is a useful plasticizer that is used to prevent hydraulic fluid from mixing in with the contents of the opposing region/reservoir. The stop leak material will act as a permanent seal on the hydraulic cylinder, to close up any previous gaps or cracks inside. The seal will also be able to retreat hydraulic fluid, which is great for ensuring you get a longer-lasting effect.

There are other ways you can prevent leaks from occurring in the future, such as good temperature control. By keeping your cylinders cool, ideally below 85 degrees Celsius (185 degrees Fahrenheit), you will greatly reduce the possibility of any leaks. Even a one-time exposure to temperatures above this can damage the seals and rubbers with your hydraulic cylinder, which can lead to future leaks.

Investing in a cylinder with high-quality connectors is vital to prevent leakages, cheap and short-life connectors will have a noticeable difference from high-quality, branded cylinder components, and connectors. When leakages occur due to poor connectors, operational managers can often be hesitant to allow time for repairs. Maintenance is costly, and these kinds of businesses generally cannot afford a prolonged length of downtime, if the hydraulic cylinder is still creating results, managers will generally choose to keep the machine running, just because it costs less.

For those who are looking for a permanent solution to minimize and perhaps even eradicate the problems of hydraulic cylinder leakages, it is recommended that you look into purchasing the highest quality cylinder.

Whatever your needs are, whether you need to minimize the amount of space your cylinder takes up, or you need several hundreds of tonnes of pressure in your cylinder, we suggest that you check out the range of our products here at Riverlake Hydraulic.

We cater to companies large and small, for all operating needs. If you need help working out what type of hydraulic cylinder you require, feel free to contact us by phone or email here https://riverlakeco.com/contact-us/

To view our range of products that are on offer, please visit the following link https://riverlakeco.com/products/

Related Posts

how to clean rust off the hydraulic cylinder

how to clean rust off the hydraulic cylinder

Rust is a common problem that can affect hydraulic cylinders. The corrosion caused by rust can lead to pitting and other damage to the cylinder, which can cause it to fail. In order to avoid this, it is important to take steps to prevent rust from forming in the first place. Why does rust form on hydraulic cylinders There are several reasons why rust can form on a cylinder. One reason is that the cylinder is not properly sealed. If dirt, moisture, or other contaminants get inside the cylinder, they can cause rust to form. Another reason why rust can form on a cylinder is because of the material that it is made out of. Some materials are more prone to rust than others(learn more about the materials used in cylinder production here). And finally, the way that the cylinder is used can also contribute to rust formation. The various ways that rust can be removed from a cylinder Rust can be very difficult to remove and often requires the use of special tools and chemicals. There are several methods that can be used to remove rust from a cylinder head. One common method is to use a wire brush to scrub off
How To Remove Bearings For Replacement

How To Remove Bearings For Replacement

Regardless of the type of bearing or the conditions under which it operates, all bearings eventually wear out and have to be replaced. Nowadays, the two most common ways to remove an old bearing are either to use a bearing puller to remove the bearing or use a bearing heater to disassemble the bearing. We will talk about both the advantage and disadvantages of the two ways. Bearing Removal With A Bearing Puller When using a bearing puller to remove the bearing, the price is particularly cheaper, but its disadvantage is that it may scratch the shaft if carefully operated. Because of the difference in mechanical mechanism and driven power, pullers can be divided into hydraulic pullers and mechanical pullers, two-jaw pullers, and three-jaw pullers. Before disassembling the bearing, choose a suitable type of puller from the puller manufacturer with sufficient capacity to finish the task. Bearing Removal With The Bearing Heater Heating bearings is a good way to temporarily expand the bearing rings to facilitate mounting or disassemble without the use of excessive force that could damage bearings. Major manufacturers of the bearing puller around the globe 1.Taizhou Chuanhu Hydraulic Machinery Co., LTD The company was set up in 2005. It is presently the foremost manufacturer of hydraulic
Bolt Tensioning vs Torquing: Introduction, difference, pros and cons.

Bolt Tensioning vs Torquing: Introduction, difference, pros, and cons.

Introduction Bolt tensioning and torquing are two different ways to adjust the tension on a bolt. Torque is the ability to apply a rotational force and is used to tighten and loosen bolts, while bolt tensioning is when the bolt’s nut is tightened against the head of the bolt. This tightening creates a drag on the bolt, increasing its stability and preventing it from loosening during use. Torque wrench use generally depends on the size of the bolt, while tensioners can be used with almost any bolt size. What is bolt tensioning? Bolt tensioning is the process of adjusting the tension on a nut or bolt by using a hydraulic press force. This is done to precisely adjust the strength of the connection between the parts being joined. The process can tighten or loosen connections, and it is an often-needed procedure in many industries. Hydraulic bolt tensioners are an essential part of modern machinery, as they allow for accurate and repeatable adjustment of bolt tension. What is bolt torquing? Bolt torquing is the act of tightening or loosening a bolt by turning it with a wrench. It’s an important part of industrial maintenance, and it can be done by hand or using a torque wrench. Torque is measured in
Pile load testing hydraulic jack

North-South Commuter Railway Extension Project 1569 Ton Pile Load Testing

Project Images Project Introduction The North-South Commuter Railway, also known as the Clark–Calamba Railway, is a 147-kilometer urban rail transit system under construction on the island of Luzon, Philippines, primarily in the Greater Manila Area. The project will utilize the Japanese railway system that uses energy-efficient and reliable trains.  RIVERLAKE supplied a pile load testing system consisting of 2 units of 1000-ton hydraulic cylinders and 1 unit PLC-controlled electric hydraulic power unit. The system will perform pile load testing work up to 1569 tons in the NSCR Extension Project. RIVERLAKE PLC controlled hydraulic jacking system is designed for pile load tests up to 2000 tons where the load is to be applied in different stages and displayed accurately in real-time. The plc pile load test jacking system provides 6 default tonnage options, user can preset the loading tonnage and holding period of time for each option. During pile load test operation, the whole process is run automatically, just select one of the preset tonnages and press the auto-run button. the hydraulic jack will raise to its full stroke, upon reaching the preset load, the jacking system will stop automatically and hold the pressure for the preset period of time. The