Rechroming a hydraulic cylinder rod

Thinking of getting a hydraulic cylinder rechromed.

it’s from the plough. It’s not bad but will only get worse over time and damage seals. It’s for the vari width, at a guess it’s probably from stone chips.

Has anyone ever used this company?

https://manlyengineering.ie/hydraulic-ram-repairs-and-press-brake-repairs-ashbourne-meath-ireland/

View attachment 79798

I think unless it's going to cost you massive money it would be better to get a new rod machined. I have seen material chromed/re-chromed by a specialist company in England for a large customer and there was all sorts of hassle with it. Get prices for both new rod and re-chroming from a few companys.
 
that 1 might be a bit specialist with the oil port through the middle but a good shop should sort you
 
Thinking of getting a hydraulic cylinder rechromed.

it’s from the plough. It’s not bad but will only get worse over time and damage seals. It’s for the vari width, at a guess it’s probably from stone chips.

Has anyone ever used this company?

https://manlyengineering.ie/hydraulic-ram-repairs-and-press-brake-repairs-ashbourne-meath-ireland/

View attachment 79798
Bring it with you to Abbey Seals and check for the price of a new machined chrome rod, not sure if they do machining actually so try an engineering shop also. I’d be surprised if a chromed rod machined to size cost over €100. I machined a new chrome of 25mm by 14 inches long and the rod was about €40 or less to buy by itself.
Looking at your chrome again, a bit of polishing with fine sandpaper in the direction of movement should reduce those marks to below the surface height and this should save the seals.
 
Bring it with you to Abbey Seals and check for the price of a new machined chrome rod, not sure if they do machining actually so try an engineering shop also. I’d be surprised if a chromed rod machined to size cost over €100. I machined a new chrome of 25mm by 14 inches long and the rod was about €40 or less to buy by itself.
Looking at your chrome again, a bit of polishing with fine sandpaper in the direction of movement should reduce those marks to below the surface height and this should save the seals.
It’s fairly mild rust to be fair. The rod has an internal bore so I thought this might make a new rod pricey.
 
Thinking of getting a hydraulic cylinder rechromed.

it’s from the plough. It’s not bad but will only get worse over time and damage seals. It’s for the vari width, at a guess it’s probably from stone chips.

Has anyone ever used this company?

https://manlyengineering.ie/hydraulic-ram-repairs-and-press-brake-repairs-ashbourne-meath-ireland/

View attachment 79798
Have used them before, was happy with the work and never had any problems after it. Generally it is only cost effective on larger diameter rods but because that ram has a central bore it should mean that rechroming is a better option than getting a new rod machined.
 
Dumb question.......

Is that ram always extended? Or only when the plough is flipped one way? Actually vari width so probably doesn't move much?

If its only exposed one way I'd be inclined to sand it with some fine wet n dry paper and then only ever store the plough with the ram retracted. It wont get any worse when stored in oil inside the cylinder

If that's viable
 
It's an unusual one with the bore through the rod , if it was a standard chrome rod a good engineering co could replace the rod with a new bit and re use the existing ends.
A Friend of mine was looking to get a chrome rod repaired or replaced on a very old cylinder but the rod was an imperial size (1 3/4") and chrome rod in that size was not easy to find and expensive as he would have to buy a full length of it.
Anyway I found a bit of polished stainless steel bar in that exact size left from another job, transferred over the end, tapped the other end to take the original piston and away we went , it's still working perfect!
 
It's an unusual one with the bore through the rod , if it was a standard chrome rod a good engineering co could replace the rod with a new bit and re use the existing ends.
A Friend of mine was looking to get a chrome rod repaired or replaced on a very old cylinder but the rod was an imperial size (1 3/4") and chrome rod in that size was not easy to find and expensive as he would have to buy a full length of it.
Anyway I found a bit of polished stainless steel bar in that exact size left from another job, transferred over the end, tapped the other end to take the original piston and away we went , it's still working perfect!
That was meant to be!!
 
Dumb question.......

Is that ram always extended? Or only when the plough is flipped one way? Actually vari width so probably doesn't move much?

If its only exposed one way I'd be inclined to sand it with some fine wet n dry paper and then only ever store the plough with the ram retracted. It wont get any worse when stored in oil inside the cylinder

If that's viable
Sorry John, only copped your post now. The ram operates each time the plough is rotated as it narrows in the plough to give more ground clearance and lessens the leverage effect on the tractor. I suspect that it was stones thrown up by tractor wheels that may have chipped the chrome, the ram would be fully extended when on the road.

Anyways, I dropped the ram into Manly’s in Trim a few weeks ago and they sent it back to me via Fastway couriers.

I haven’t tested it yet but the work looks fine. They had to put a new plunger in the ram as it was seized onto the rod.
New seals put in also. Cost was €370 plus vat so not a cheap fix. However, it’s a lot cheaper than a new ram.

As far as I know, choosing a memory ram over a standard ram on the plough would cost about 1k extra when buying a new plough (I could be wrong but I think that’s what someone in KV told me once).

While it was off, I decided to clean it and a couple of other bits up and spray them to keep them fresh looking as I had an old tin of paint.

36C98877-E8C4-4D72-A0FD-47E1A7C8FA64.jpeg 417AB40E-2E61-4904-BB79-541231085CFF.jpeg 06246724-1D3B-4AA7-8257-32576867B15C.jpeg
 
Sorry John, only copped your post now. The ram operates each time the plough is rotated as it narrows in the plough to give more ground clearance and lessens the leverage effect on the tractor. I suspect that it was stones thrown up by tractor wheels that may have chipped the chrome, the ram would be fully extended when on the road.

Anyways, I dropped the ram into Manly’s in Trim a few weeks ago and they sent it back to me via Fastway couriers.

I haven’t tested it yet but the work looks fine. They had to put a new plunger in the ram as it was seized onto the rod.
New seals put in also. Cost was €370 plus vat so not a cheap fix. However, it’s a lot cheaper than a new ram.

As far as I know, choosing a memory ram over a standard ram on the plough would cost about 1k extra when buying a new plough (I could be wrong but I think that’s what someone in KV told me once).

While it was off, I decided to clean it and a couple of other bits up and spray them to keep them fresh looking as I had an old tin of paint.

View attachment 81084 View attachment 81085 View attachment 81086

What's the stay bracket for or is it something to do with the press??

Nice job!
 
What's the stay bracket for or is it something to do with the press??

Nice job!
Thanks, the short piece of flat has a point at the end of it. It’s an indicator that points to a scale, the scale shows how many inches you’ve the vari width set at (12” - 20”).
 
Thanks, the short piece of flat has a point at the end of it. It’s an indicator that points to a scale, the scale shows how many inches you’ve the vari width set at (12” - 20”).

Of course silly me :blushing::blushing:
 
Having done those few bits, you know what’s going to happen now? You will think the rest of the plough looks shabby especially with the newly painted packer running alongside.
I can see a winter painting project coming up...........
P.S. I can’t work the fekin imogies
 
Having done those few bits, you know what’s going to happen now? You will think the rest of the plough looks shabby especially with the newly painted packer running alongside.
I can see a winter painting project coming up...........
P.S. I can’t work the fekin imogies
I know I know......:undecided: that OCD is starting to itch already.......
 
@CORK
Sunday job for you, get some sand paper and start taking the paint of the long spanner...
And there was I quite pleased with the paint finish that I achieved......
I’ll finish the job by tying the spanner to the plough beam with twine.....
 
And there was I quite pleased with the paint finish that I achieved......
I’ll finish the job by tying the spanner to the plough beam with twine.....
A big dirty twist of barbed wire would look the part..
 
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