Tips to Store Spare Hydraulic Cylinders

20 April, 2010- For every hydraulic equipment owner, the storage of spare hydraulic cylinders for an extended period is an area of concern. Here are few tips which can be used for storing the cylinders for an elongated period. :

• Hydraulic Cylinders should always be stored fully retracted.
• It is best to store the cylinders indoors that too in a clean and dry area.
• The internal surfaces of eye/clevis bushes or bearings should be smeared with grease to enhance the shelf life of cylinders. Greasing must in case of steel cylinders.
• It is advisable to protect all sorts of exposed chrome on rod. Oil-impregnated Denso tape can come handy for this purpose. Make sure that the rod is fully retracted before applying the tape or else it can lead to rod seal damage.
• The service ports should be plugged with steel plates instead of plastic plugs or blanking plates.
• The cylinder can be filled with clean hydraulic oil through rod end service port in case of an expensive, high pressure cylinder or large diameter. Complete filling of cylinder with clean hydraulic oil prevents the rusting or pitting of tube surface which can happen in case of empty cylinder filled with moisture laden air. But there are few things which needs to be understood before filling the cylinder.

Make a point to check that the worst-case temperature rise in storage doesn't end up in a static pressure which exceeds the cylinder's working pressure.

The cylinder should be filled only when it is fully retracted and should be done only through the rod end point. It would help avoid the dangerous pressure intensification.

Service port plugs or blanks should be used as per the cylinder's working pressure ratings.

It is wise to attach warning tags to both service ports.