873G lift cylinder seal replacement without removing cylinder

[kfin]

I have a blown seal on the right lift cylinder. After reading up on it a bit, it sounds much easier to fix it without removing the entire cylinder. This is not covered in my manual though so I have a couple of questions on how to proceed. My best guess would be to lift the boom all the way up and and use the lift arm support on the left cylinder to hold the boom up. Once up, take the bolt out of the top of the cylinder and push the bushing out to release the top of the cylinder. I see that in another thread he was told to "take off the back" hydraulic lines. There are 2 hydraulic lines going to it, undo them both? Or which one? Am I on the right track here so far? Or is it possible to sit the bucket on something and take the cylinder apart with the boom down? It doesn't look to me like you could pull the ram all the way out without the boom raised. Then it sounds like if I can get the cylinder cap off, the ram should pull out and I can change the seals without removing the whole thing. Any advice on how to proceed is appreciated. I apologize in advance for not being smart enough to make paragraphs lol Keith

 

[Bswwood]

Boom will have to be in the air, remove bucket first of course, don't need that extra weight up there. Install boom cylinder lock and lower boom to rest on guard. Stay alert, should be safe but always keeps me on my toes. I use a crane or tree or what ever you have for added safety. You will need to remove base end hose so you can move rod down slightly to get into position to remove. It will not hurt anything to remove both hoses but its not necessary because the rod will come out once the cap is off. You should be able to get cap off with large channel locks or pipe wrench if you don't have the gland wrench. The cap is aluminum so be careful not to make to much damage. Also keep in mind when removing any hydraulic lines they can be under pressure, especially the base end hose if its not completely rested or supported in the air. After the rod is out then the fun part, removing the piston nut, get a long cheater bar and try grunting a little.

 

[farmshop]

Boom will have to be in the air, remove bucket first of course, don't need that extra weight up there. Install boom cylinder lock and lower boom to rest on guard. Stay alert, should be safe but always keeps me on my toes. I use a crane or tree or what ever you have for added safety. You will need to remove base end hose so you can move rod down slightly to get into position to remove. It will not hurt anything to remove both hoses but its not necessary because the rod will come out once the cap is off. You should be able to get cap off with large channel locks or pipe wrench if you don't have the gland wrench. The cap is aluminum so be careful not to make to much damage. Also keep in mind when removing any hydraulic lines they can be under pressure, especially the base end hose if its not completely rested or supported in the air. After the rod is out then the fun part, removing the piston nut, get a long cheater bar and try grunting a little.

Torch to heat the nut helps soften the loctite. Use a lot of lube to put it together. I usually heat up the piston packings before putting them on then stick it in the freezer to shrink them back or else a piston ring compressor helps

 

[kfin]

Torch to heat the nut helps soften the loctite. Use a lot of lube to put it together. I usually heat up the piston packings before putting them on then stick it in the freezer to shrink them back or else a piston ring compressor helps

Thanks guys...gonna try to get around to it this weekend.

 

[farmshop]

Thanks guys...gonna try to get around to it this weekend.

Make sure you have access to a 3/4"drive socket set. Or wrenches up to 1-5/8 or so for that piston nut

 

[Tazza]

Make sure you have access to a 3/4"drive socket set. Or wrenches up to 1-5/8 or so for that piston nut

The nut shouold be fixed with Loctite, so it will be a beast to get loose, make sure to clean the threads and loctite it back on, these nuts can back off and leak internally if you don't. I never thought it could happen, then i bought a machine that had a nut loose on the tilt cylinder a good 3/4"