Splitter leak

[dave ensign]

I have a very minor leak from the front of my 40+ year old "Home Made Splitter". When I say minor leak, I think I lost less than a pint of fluid during last seasons 8 cord split. My guess is that It happens on the return cycle as the detent kicks in. I don't recall what the ram came off of. In any case, should I take the ram to a shop or let it go. If I had any idea of what the ram came from, I would do it myself but no idea or part #.

 

[Stock]

Gland and wiper seal leaking and it will get worse............................................................................................
they are easy enough to change if you can open the gland nut.....................................................................
then one might be better just to fit a full kit of seals to the ram if you are opening it up a picture might help...........................................................

 

[isaaccarlson]

Piece of cake to fix. I used to do a pile at a time. I worked at the Menards DC years ago, and would rebuild forklift tilt cylinders. We kept a bin of new cylinders, but it was cheaper to fix them. I had a pile of seals, pistons, glands, and rods. Just in case. Those were held together with a big snap ring and I would use a dremel to smooth the edges so the seals would go in real nice without tearing. Fixed every forklift in the place and then went on to rebuild every steering box, then every set of microswitches and on and on. I don't think anyone really did maintenance there, because when I left there weren't any more forklifts coming into the shop for repairs and we had to hunt them down for pm's. They were lined up 12 deep when I started there. I loved the work, but hated the way I was treated. Everything was my fault, even if I was somewhere else or had nothing to do with it.

 

[dave ensign]

Should have posted a photo or two. I will do that tomorrow. Like to do it myself if I can identify the kit I need. I have good mechanical ability but not much experience with hydro rams.

 

[isaaccarlson]

The biggest part is not scratching anything. Be very careful when removing the seals. A lot of folks dig with a steel tool, but that can be disastrous. You can very carefully grab the seal with a needle nose pliers and use a fresh razor to cut it. A well rounded screwdriver can work if you are careful.

 

[calamari]

The biggest part is not scratching anything. Be very careful when removing the seals. A lot of folks dig with a steel tool, but that can be disastrous. You can very carefully grab the seal with a needle nose pliers and use a fresh razor to cut it. A well rounded screwdriver can work if you are careful.

You don't say where in the front of your splitter it's leaking. It sounds like it's the ram but are you basing that on a puddle on the ground or...? I'm a shareholder in a homemade/old commercial splitter that has what is now a slow leak of about your volume. It turned out to be the engine mount had cracked the oil tank from vibration and a messed up initial construction. We thought it was one of the hose fittings until I took the time to look closer. Those slow leaks are frustrating and can be like tar babies sometimes when you start to work on them. At least mine is.
isaaccarlson, I like your list of what you feel is important in life. I might put the dog above the truck but the cats definitely at the bottom. They're nice most times but still not as good as a good dog.

 

[isaaccarlson]

The dog gets jealous when I pet the cats, but he tolerates them. My last dog got along with the cats very well.

 

[dave ensign]

Photo of end leak,

 

[isaaccarlson]

You have leaks all over. It looks like the gland seal is leaking and there is also a very wet spot above the cylinder.

 

[calamari]

The first picture looks like where the back end of the ram is attached to the carriage. True? If the oil is coming from there I'd say you have a cracked weld on the back of the ram because I don't think there's any opening to the fluid back there. Personally, I can't tell where the oil is coming from and where it has just accumulated over time.

 

[isaaccarlson]

The back end is getting dripped on.

 

[calamari]

How does the rear of the ram get dripped on when there's only a fitting near there? If the fitting is leaking, that should be obvious. If the oil is actually coming from the end it's got to be a crack in the housing. I'm not being helpful. I'll shut up now.

 

[dave ensign]

Yeh, bad photo. As I said 40+ year old splitter.

 

[Stock]

Going by your pictures you have more than one leak, the ram appears to have been shortened at some point so Firstly get some brake cleaner and give everything a good clean then try and establish where the leaks are, if as I suspect there is a crack in the weld at the bottom of the ram it will need to be cleaned ground out and rewelded not a huge task in its self to one handy with the welder.
then look at the remainder of the leaks................................................................................

 

[kroog]

I would repair it ASAP. Remember if oil can get out, dirt and water can get in.

 

[GeeVee]

Douche the entire splitter with some foaming engine degreaser and pressure wash the entire thing. Motor, structure, hoses, everything. After 40 years, it deserves it. You may have a very well made device, built with some very good parts, but with it being so grimy, you'll be stepping over dollars to pick up dimes if you dont go through all of it, once. You'll be doing youself and others a favor to give it some love, and know everything is back in shape.

I had a Bobcat Skid steer with 10k hours, never touched the motor, never opened the pumps up. Just a few rams got re-sealed in its life. One starter, one alternator, many oil changes and fillters, but never broken down or failed to work. BUT- when it was too leaky to take to a clients for fear of dripping oil on a nice drvieway- had to get serious about it. At 10k, took the cab off, jacked it 3' in the air, steam cleaned/degreased that undercarriage and chassis, and started it up. (It took most of two days and multiple cleaning cycles to get it clean) The large hoses you could never see, all weeped under pressure, just started sweating oil out of the dry rotted rubber covering the lines braided hose jackets. it was not a cheap date, but they were easier to buy (and availible from Bobcat) and replace, than to use our own Hydraulic line making equipment, and the in house mechanic was relieved.

 

[Okie]

I use a oil dye KIT when I cannot tell for sure where it's leaking.
You have to get the correct type dye, for oil.

Just a hint:
When I have to go into something that has seals, o rings, etc and do not have a model number or cannot locate a decent priced kit and maybe just need one part from a expensive kit, I save my old parts and contact a place called CROWN PRODUCTS and they do not have a purchase minimum and real good CS.
They have more than one location and been in business since dirt.
http://crownproductsinc.com/contact/

 

[Okie]

Everything was my fault, even if I was somewhere else or had nothing to do with it.

As a married man, I feel your pain.