adsm08 3,972 #51 Posted January 3 Well, I think I found my leak: These cylinders are super simple. I actually think the HY-2 lift ram is more complex, as it has two chambers. There is a JIB fitting that goes in this hole, which sits at the bottom of the ram, basically against the floor and fluid is pumped in, up the silver shaft, to a chamber at the top. This end seals to the inside of the big black tube and the fluid comes out the top, and pushes the black outer tube upward. The whole thing sits inside the post, and lays through a pair of holes in the carriages, the bottom of which sits against that ridge near the open end of the tube, and as it is pushed upward by the fluid pressure is pulls the whole thing along. The worst part of this whole thing so far, aside from the mess it made all over my new floor, was figuring out how to release the locking ring that holds the whole thing together. This video is the only one I found that actually showed it somewhat clearly: 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Handy Don 15,594 #52 Posted January 3 1 hour ago, adsm08 said: Well, I think I found my leak: I'd say yes! Hope the parts and repair time aren’t too much. I lent a hand to a friend who was refurbing the lift cylinder for a heavy forklift. Learned that this one was a single action (i.e. pressure fill, gravity drain!) with only a centering guide at the inner end of the rod and a multi-surface gland seal (which was worn and failing) at the outer end of the casing, i.e. no sealed piston. The fluid inlet was on the side of the casing about halfway up. Pressurize the casing and the rod pushes out; relieve the pressure and the lift carriage pushes the rod back in. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
squonk 45,055 #53 Posted January 3 On 12/6/2025 at 10:05 AM, SylvanLakeWH said: Excellent idea! Maybe add an air hose while you're at it... make clean up a breeze and just imagine the Mrs's reaction!!! Air tools for tearing down an engine in the kitchen! 1 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
adsm08 3,972 #54 Posted January 3 (edited) 1 hour ago, Handy Don said: I'd say yes! Hope the parts and repair time aren’t too much. Shouldn't be. Getting the cylinders out was about an hour, should be less to install them once they are back together. At this point it looks like it will be about 5 minutes per unit to swap out seals. I'm not sure what the local distributor will charge, but it looks like parts should be under $100. The real money in lift cylinders is the cylinders themselves, which most shops opt to just change the whole thing out, because the cost of having the lift down an extra day to have them rebuilt is more than the price of an exchange cylinder. Edited January 3 by adsm08 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
