I have an issue where I've narrowed it down to one cylinder is 1/2" shorter than other cylinder. This is keeping the boom from resting against the solid stop on one side, tilting my bucket. I pulled apart the longer cylinder, thinking the nut may have backed off the rod, it had not. I'm now wondering if the previous owner possibly had the cyl rebuilt, and they used the wrong piston, or possibly the wrong chrome rod. Closed length is 41" on the longer of the lift cylinders. Should be same on 5635, 5640 & 6640. I have pics of the disassembled cylinder with measurements but nothing to compare too. I guess I'll have to pull the good side and see what the inside components look like...anybody know what length should be?
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If it's not fully retracting to allow it to rest on the stops, you can machine the rod to make it sit a bit deeper in the tube.
If it was me, i'd take that cylinder off and see how it sits with the other one on, if it sits right, make the other rod the same length?
If it was me, i'd take that cylinder off and see how it sits with the other one on, if it sits right, make the other rod the same length?
Actually, they both do retract fully, which is how I know one is 1/2" shorter. It will twist the boom where one side hits the stop and other side has a gap. My guess is the rod was replaced with the wrong length. Being hardened, can I have 1/2" cut off the threaded end and have the threads recut? Else I'm going to have to try to find an OEM replacement.
flyerdan
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- Mar 7, 2009
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If one side is too long, rather than physically shortening it, it might be possible to virtually shorten it by adding an external two piece collar, like these from McMaster Carr .
It won't be the prettiest fix, but it's the least intrusive and quickest solution.
Thanks for the suggestion, but the collar won't work, because it would have to be put on the correct length cylinder side that actually hits the hard-stop on the boom now. The collar would then limit the closed length, which would then match the 1/2" too-long side...but then both sides of the boom will be resting a distance from the hard-stops. This would probably compound the problem because now the boom can flex, not resting against the chassis when grading. Would also cause the bucket to not sit flat, having an angle-of attack which would cause a lot of jabbing the front edge. I think the answer is to either find the correct length rod or try to get 1/2" cut off the long one, and have the 1"-14 thread re-cut for the nut. I'll have to try to call around to see if any shops have the capability.
I have cut chrome bar that was induction hardened. The outer shell is hard, the inside is nice and soft. Any machine shop can do this work with tungsten tooling.
With the cylinder open, and with the piston on, is there any thread left at the end of the nut? if there is, you can just cut this part of the rod off to get your extra 1/2" if not, the material will need to come off the part of the rod that rests on the piston and cut the end of the threaded part off. (if that makes sense)
I did call around and found a place that can do it. In the mean timeI also called a Gehl parts supplier and they confirmed the length on the longer rod is 1/2" too long. Not sure who installed it, but it's wrong. Anyway, I found a new one for a decent price, so ordered it. By the time I drop it off to be machined, pay the machining costs etc, this was almost a wash is cost. This way there is no issues. Thanks for all the suggestions!
Glad you sourced a new rod that is correct, sadly, getting other shops to do machining sure adds up fast. Machine work, then you need new seals it does get out of hand.
New rod arrived. Its 1/2" shorter than the rod that is installed now. I installed it and boom drops to hard stops on both sides now. Not sure where the longer rod came from, but it's fixed now. Grading is much improved! Thanks for all the suggestions.
