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Hydraulic Cylinder Preventative Maintenance

If your Power Unit is the heart of your hydraulic system and the hydraulic fluid the lifeblood, then the hydraulic cylinders must be the muscles. In order to keep you equipment and machinery strong and healthy, its muscles must be exercised regularly and tended to on a regular basis. Follow these preventative maintenance practices to ensure that your hydraulic cylinders are not in need of repair any time soon.

Hydraulic Cylinder Preventative Maintenance

• Check hydraulic hoses on a monthly basis and replace them upon finding any signs of wear or damage.
• Check hydraulic oil daily. Change the oil on a regular basis along with filters according to the manufacturer’s recommendations.
  • Alternatively, practical mechanics can save money by cycling their oil through Curry Fluid Power’s very own mobile filtration system.
  • Hydraulic oil, before use, must pass through a 10 micron filter element. Pour only clean oil from clean containers into the hydraulic system’s oil supply reservoir.
• Bleed Air from the cylinder weekly to free entrapped air for better operation.
• Grease the cylinder base end and plunger end regularly
• Fully extend cylinder and check plungers for proper sequencing, abnormal wear and/or scoring on a regular basis (monthly).
• Check piston nut areas for oil leaks on a regular basis.
• Do not leave your cylinder partially or fully extended. Exposed plunger surfaces are subject to corrosion.
• Keep hydraulic oil operating within the proper temperature ranges.
  • Keep the viscosity index must be at a 90 minimum.
  • The aniline point must be at a 175 minimum.
  • The chosen oil must have high lubricity and film strength.
  • Never use a detergent oil, crank case draining, kerosene fuel oil, or any non lubricating fluid (water) in the cylinder.