Didier SB26M replace seals

[LordDonkey]

Trying to replace the seals in a Didier SB26M wood splitter, It has a type "H" cylinder I believe, the cap on the front just turns and it won't come off. There is a small gap between the cap and the body of the cylinder, I thought it was loosening but it just turns and nothing happens, now it won't go back in. I can provide pictures if needed.

 

[JeffHK454]

Trying to replace the seals in a Didier SB26M wood splitter, It has a type "H" cylinder I believe, the cap on the front just turns and it won't come off. There is a small gap between the cap and the body of the cylinder, I thought it was loosening but it just turns and nothing happens, now it won't go back in. I can provide pictures if needed.

Does it have a small groove pocket about an inch down on the outside of the tube?..some cylinders have a perishable retainer wire that's hammered in and can be a real SOB to get out.

It's a straight piece of wire that fits into an I.D groove in the cylinder tube and a corresponding O.D groove in the end cap ..the round path the wire has to take makes it super tight.

 

[LordDonkey]

Here is a picture of the splitter, There is a notch on the bottom of it but I can't see it that well.

 

[JeffHK454]

This is a pic of the retainer ring being forced in with a screwdriver ..some rings are straight and some are formed round.

You can see the window it goes into in the pic..

 

[LordDonkey]

Does this come out or do you push it in?

 

[JeffHK454]

Some have a 90° "tang" that when installing bottoms out on the groove..when removing you just tap it out the opposite direction. The non-tang type needs a piece of strong yet semi-flexible wire to force the retainer back out far enough to get a vise grip on it.​

 

[LordDonkey]

I got the retainer out... I only gained about 1/2" on the cap, is there anything else I need to do because it won't budge.

 

[JeffHK454]

How much wire came out?....if you're sure the whole ring came out then you might just have the bottom O-ring stuck in the machined groove.

 

[LordDonkey]

I'll check tomorrow, it's a bit dark out right now.

 

[LordDonkey]

It come out finally, Had to use a little fluid pressure to budge it off. Now the real task begins, finding a place to get the seal kit.

 

[JeffHK454]

It come out finally, Had to use a little fluid pressure to budge it off. Now the real task begins, finding a place to get the seal kit.

Any hydraulic shop can spec in all the stuff you need ...what leaked or didn't work right? A wasn't gonna recommend you use air or hydro power to push it apart because that can be very dangerous but it all worked out in the end.