Leaking forklift cylinder, can I DIY this?

[skyking1]

The old hyster at work started leaving a puddle. I pulled the wet cylinder and ran the plumber's pipe scope down it. It looked better with a flashlight from the end

I got the snap ring and washer out of the piston assembly but no luck pulling the check valve. It may be metric threads in that.


I ordered up the seal kit.


What do you think?
1) slap it back together as is.
2) attempt to hone it somehow, method to be determined.
3) take it to the hydraulic shop and open the bosses wallet.

It is one of two mast cylinders. It is a very lightly used forklift.

 

[crane operator]

Shouldn't be more than a couple hundered bucks to have them run a light hone at the cylinder shop, I would do that and slap new seals in it.

 

[1693TA]

"Vista" mast? Common for those to get water into them over the years if an outside used lift truck. I had a new barrel made for mine citing much the same reasoning and didn't want to do the job again.

 

[skyking1]

I will take it by a couple of shops to get an estimate. The one shop estimated 2K as a worst case scenario. Probably a new barrel and the rod too.

 

[OzDozer]

You can get away with honing pitted tubing, but long deep score marks won't come out, and will cause annoying constant leakdown that doesn't get any better.
You don't want constant leakdown on a forklift. You have to balance the repair cost against the level of use.

At least you've got modern seals! Pulled apart the leaking tilt cylinders on a buddys 1956 AY40 Clark forklift (Yes, we built Clark forklifts in Australia!) - and it still had the original leather bucket seals!

We had to get some new urethane seals machined up, and rework the pistons to take them, they worked a treat.

Here's an Australian AY40 being delivered in 1956.

238257PD: Fork lift 1956 : slwa_b2358950_4

Wesfarmers Tutt Bryant commercial machinery 238257PD: Fork lift 1956.

purl.slwa.wa.gov.au

 

[Mechanicsville804]

Often If I am slow enough as the only fleet mechanic at my shop, I will repack the cylinder myself here in the shop and never worry about the check valve if it didn't have an issue to begin with.

If you just had a puddle to begin with I would probably repack it my self and keep moving, this often works for me. I would inspect for any wear on the cylinder and the rod and if I have none keep moving.


If I need cylinder work:

We have two cylinder shops near by, one is extremely expensive(about 4x more) with a bunch of employees, the other shop is two brothers and a young guy they are training and they always only charge me three hours for a repack, even if they have to hone a little. I say that because Cylinder shops vary so much from shop to shop.

If you just had a puddle to begin with I would probably repack it my self and keep moving, this often works for me. I would inspect for any wear on the cylinder and the rod and if I have none keep moving.

 

[skyking1]

I'm going to see if I can get a quick hone job today, based on what I saw on that borescope video

 

[skyking1]

I took it to Epic Industries in the tideflats. I thought I would give them a try, and he looked at it and says he can ball hone that, put it back together with my seals and a new check valve for ~$300
I cannot quibble with that!

 

[Mechanicsville804]

That sounds like a fair deal and a good shop!