Hydraulic cylinders are an integral part of the hydraulic system. They are a mechanical actuator that provides the unidirectional force. Integration of hydraulic cylinders will eliminate the presence of levers and gears. Both mobile (hydraulic presses, cranes, forges, and packing machines) and industrial systems (agricultural machines, construction vehicles, marine equipment) utilize hydraulic systems. Among them, most of the application use hydraulic cylinders for lifting, picking and gripping. 

Every hydraulic system will contain basic components like pumps, cylinders, valves, filters, etc.. Hydraulic cylinder is one of the least complicated components in the list. So, they are easy to repair and maintain. A person having basic knowledge about the hydraulic system can perform hydraulic cylinder repairing. Before explaining the repairing of cylinders, I will give you brief details on the causes of hydraulic cylinder failure. Damage of seals is a common reason that creates hydraulic cylinder damage. Seal damage occurs as a result of the incorrect fitting, corrosion, inappropriate metalwork clearance, etc. Fluid contamination will damage the piston rod or seal surface. Improper alignment of cylinder and load will damage the rod bearings or piston rods. An internally corroded barrel will contaminate the fluid inside it. Extreme temperature and chemical attack are the other reasons for failure.

Before performing the repairing, clean the surface properly and disconnect the hoses and plugs attached to it. After disconnecting the parts, drain all the fluid present inside the cylinder. Now, let’s begin the repairing of the hydraulic system. For that we need tools. Proper seal kit, rubber mallet, screwdriver, punch, pliers, emery cloth, and torque wrench are the tools required for repairing. Leaking hydraulic cylinder is the most common issue that results in cylinder repair. Disassembly of the cylinder, diagnosing the cause of failure, repairing or replacing faulty components, and rebuilding the cylinder are the steps involved in cylinder repairing. During the process of hydraulic cylinder repairing, always consider the below-mentioned cylinder repair tips.
⦁ If you disassemble the hydraulic cylinder as a part of repairing, inspect not only the failed part also perform a thorough inspection of all other components.
⦁ Hydraulic wear bands (also called wear bush or guide ring) are used for guiding pistons. So, don’t forget to assemble the wear band because this will reduce the metal-to-metal contact. 
⦁ Premature failure of rod seals indicates the bend on the rod. 
⦁ Metal tools will scratch the surface of the cylinder and will create problems like corrosion. So always choose the best-fit tools for repairing.
⦁ Larger hydraulic cylinders use high tension springs to perform operations. So, if you are an inexperienced worker, be careful while handling such cylinders.
⦁ For replacing seals, don’t measure the existing size of the seal. It will expand or compress according to the environmental condition.
As a part of the scheduled hydraulic cylinder maintenance process, always check the rods, seals, and bearing. And during the inspection, if you found the rod as rough remember that your system is under danger. Because the rough surface will increase friction. So, the rod must be polished to lower the friction. These maintenance procedures will reduce failures to a greater extent.