Exploring Industrial Supplies

When you are working with hydraulic systems, the connections from the pump to the lines, reservoir, and hydraulic cylinders need to be secure. Each connection will have hydraulic seals that designed to withstand the pressure inside the system and prevent these connections from leaking.

Seeping Seals

One of the first signs that the hydraulic seals in any hydraulic system are worn and need to be replaced is oil seeping around the seals or connections. The seal may begin to break down over time and allow small amounts of oil to get through the seal. The hydraulic oil will accumulate around the fitting over time and create an oily spot on the equipment. 

These small leaks are often so minor that they don't affect the performance of the hydraulic system. However, they are an early indication that the hydraulic seals are wearing out and will need to be replaced soon. If you see seeping around a fitting, clean the oil off the fitting and surrounding area, then observe it for a few hours to determine how much oil is leaking. 

Taking the time to clean any oil leaks or wet spots from the equipment can help you better monitor the fittings and seals as you use the machine or equipment. The sooner you identify seeping hydraulic seals, the quicker they can be replaced, which will hopefully eliminate downtime due to failure.

Hydraulic Cylinder Seals

If you are using hydraulic cylinders in your system, the seals along the top of the cylinder body are critical. These hydraulic seals allow the ram to move in and out of the cylinder body while containing the oil in the body and maintaining pressure in the system. Oil leaking around these seals indicates a worn seal and cylinders that need to be replaced or rebuilt. 

If you see oil coming out around the seal, there is a high probability that air can get in. Air in the hydraulic system will cause air pockets to form that can cause the pressure to drop, and when the air pockets reach the pump, they can cause catastrophic damage inside. 

Hydraulic cylinders often have a thin layer of oil on the ram surface, but if there is enough to pool or drip off the ram, you need to inspect the hydraulic seals to see where the oil is leaking. If the cylinders are in good shape otherwise, the hydraulic seals can be replaced by a hydraulic machine shop and the cylinders can be rebuilt and reused. 

In some cases, the seals are the only part of the cylinder that need to be replaced, but if you are going to have them refreshed, have the shop clean the cylinders, check the ram for damage, and change the O-rings inside when they are replacing the hydraulic seals on the body.