Hydraulic cylinder repair

I frequently must make repairs to my equipment. Most of them would be of interest to the mechanics here. This is one I made yesterday. A large hydraulic cylinder on my Hagie agricultural sprayer broke an ear. Here are a few pictures of the repair process.

You can see where the cylinder was after removal. The far end of the boom is resting in the ground. Luckily the operator was only creeping along when this happened otherwise it would have been a catastrophe.
After marking the proper direction and placement I used an angle grinder and ground the original welds down. Exact placement is imperative the ear must be perfectly placed back to its original position. So it must be placed in a vice so that it's a flat weld and not a vertical. This means that I must work off a ladder. I use my 110 Lincoln wire welder to tack weld the ear into place. Then I brush the surface off and get the Miller arc welder with 7014 rod. This needs to be a multi pass job and 6011 isn't my rid of choice for thus application I retail it in a few locations. This time with the stick welder. Double check for straighteners and clean it up again.I weld it one side at a time. Then clean it up good and repeat and repeat.

After 2 layers I'm satisfied with the results.
The sprayer was reassembled. During reassy I noticed that this broken cylinder was merely a symptom of other problems.
There are some spots on the sprayer boom that need welding and pins (1.25" diameter) that need repacing. Do the job is really just getting started.......


I do have a question for some of you out there who burn rods for a living. The welding I need to do on the sprayer boom will be upside down and vertical. I think 7018 will be better than 6011. U haven't welded with 7018 in a few years and forgot the finer points. Do I need to positive ground that rod? Thanks

Trent

I dig the shirt bro!

BeeKool said:

Do I need to positive ground that rod?

Click to expand...

Negative ground is what I would use. Overhead is just like welding flat. You have a lot more flux on the 7018 rod, and it's a higher carbon content. 6011 would be strong enough and a little easier overhead. Go to a smaller diameter rod if it gives you problems overhead.

BeeKool said:

I frequently must make repairs to my equipment. Most of them would be of interest to the mechanics here. This is one I made yesterday. A large hydraulic cylinder on my Hagie agricultural sprayer broke an ear. Here are a few pictures of the repair process.
View attachment 428575
You can see where the cylinder was after removal. The far end of the boom is resting in the ground. Luckily the operator was only creeping along when this happened otherwise it would have been a catastrophe.View attachment 428577
After marking the proper direction and placement I used an angle grinder and ground the original welds down. Exact placement is imperative the ear must be perfectly placed back to its original position. So it must be placed in a vice so that it's a flat weld and not a vertical. This means that I must work off a ladder. I use my 110 Lincoln wire welder to tack weld the ear into place. Then I brush the surface off and get the Miller arc welder with 7014 rod. This needs to be a multi pass job and 6011 isn't my rid of choice for thus application I retail it in a few locations. This time with the stick welder. Double check for straighteners and clean it up again.View attachment 428579I weld it one side at a time. Then clean it up good and repeat and repeat.
View attachment 428580 View attachment 428581
After 2 layers I'm satisfied with the results.
The sprayer was reassembled. During reassy I noticed that this broken cylinder was merely a symptom of other problems.
There are some spots on the sprayer boom that need welding and pins (1.25" diameter) that need repacing. Do the job is really just getting started.......


I do have a question for some of you out there who burn rods for a living. The welding I need to do on the sprayer boom will be upside down and vertical. I think 7018 will be better than 6011. U haven't welded with 7018 in a few years and forgot the finer points. Do I need to positive ground that rod? Thanks

Click to expand...

Why didn't you extend the rod before welding? You've probably destroyed the wipers and teflon glide strip with the heat of welding so close to the retracted piston. And if there's an end cushion you roasted it worse than a British cook.

BeeKool said:

I do have a question for some of you out there who burn rods for a living. The welding I need to do on the sprayer boom will be upside down and vertical. I think 7018 will be better than 6011. U haven't welded with 7018 in a few years and forgot the finer points. Do I need to positive ground that rod? Thanks

Click to expand...

Generally, reverse polarity (positive electrode) is used, and will give better penetration. However, 7018 will give you a smoother bead but with less penetration on straight polarity. Most welders will stick to the reverse polarity.

The really important thing with 7018 is keeping the rods dry. Once the package is open, you need a rod oven at 250 degrees f. If you don't, you may think your welds are good but they will be more brittle from entrapped hydrogen.

Secret to good overhead welding is you have to be comfortable. Wear a good jacket, gloves, and I wear ear plugs. Nothing worse than a hot spark in your ear.

Yatzee said:

Why didn't you extend the rod before welding? You've probably destroyed the wipers and teflon glide strip with the heat of welding so close to the retracted piston. And if there's an end cushion you roasted it worse than a British cook.

Click to expand...

It wasn't retracted totally. If I extended it all the way I would need a ten foot extension ladder to make that weld.
I can always rebuild the cylinder if necessary. What I cannot do is replace it. Hagie sold out to John Deere and the parts have been discontinued.
It's got a couple hours on it and no leak so were good for now.
That boom is going to need all hoses, (product and hydraulic),fittings and valves replaced as well as some welding. These things are high maintenece to say the least.

Photon440 said:

Generally, reverse polarity (positive electrode) is used, and will give better penetration. However, 7018 will give you a smoother bead but with less penetration on straight polarity. Most welders will stick to the reverse polarity.

The really important thing with 7018 is keeping the rods dry. Once the package is open, you need a rod oven at 250 degrees f. If you don't, you may think your welds are good but they will be more brittle from entrapped hydrogen.

Click to expand...

So just leave it as is, make sure it's hot enough.