How to Know When Your Hydraulic Cylinder Needs to Be Replaced

Generally speaking, your hydraulic cylinder will show certain warning signs if it’s going to begin to go bad and fail. Being able to recognize these signs is critical in helping you to avoid much bigger, more expensive problems. There’s no question that a scheduled repair to your hydraulic cylinders is better than waiting until it fails and creates the need for an emergency fix or replacement. In this post, we will discuss some of the signs that your hydraulic cylinder is going to fail.

The hydraulic cylinder is heating up to a high temperature. In general, your hydraulic cylinder should not reach a temperature over 80 degrees during normal operation. You should check your owner’s manual to see what the temperature guidelines are for your specific cylinder and regularly monitor it too ensure it is not getting too hot. If your cylinder is outside of the guidelines, this is a clear indication that something is wrong and needs to be addressed.

The hydraulic cylinder is making new and unexpected noises. If you hear banging or knocking during operation, your hydraulic cylinder’s system probably has air bubbles in it which can cause compression and decompression outside of its capabilities. This can even result in fluid vaporizing, because there is not enough reaching the components necessary for operation. If you hear concerning noises, you should stop the machine right away or you risk causing serious, sometimes irreparable, damage.

You notice that your utility bill has increases. If your energy costs have increased without a change in your operation, your hydraulic cylinder may be becoming less efficient. This can happen if your hydraulic cylinder system is leaking, causing your pump and motor to work overtime to provide enough fluid.

The good bnew is that hydraulic cylinders usually show signs of a problem before they fail completely giving your time to perform a repair. If you have any questions about hydraulic cylinder failure, do not hesitate to contact Best Metal Products, and we will do our best to assist you!