Sealing areas within a hydraulic system is made possible thanks to hydraulic seals. They're particularly important for the performance of hydraulic cylinders. If you just bought new seals and want them truly working out, review the following installation protocols carefully.
Figure Out Which Seals Warrant a Replacement
You can buy hydraulic seals in a kit to save money and have access to a lot of seals. You just need to thoroughly review the current seals on your hydraulic cylinder to see which ones warrant a replacement. Then you can be more specific when completing this seal replacement and thus ensure it effectively restores hydraulic cylinder performance.
There are some visible signs of wear that indicate a seal replacement is needed, such as rough edges, tears, and sections missing completely. If you identify this type of damage, make a note of it so that you know where to put new seals on a hydraulic cylinder.
Use Lint-Free Cloths for Effective Cleaning
An important preparation to focus on before installing new hydraulic seals on a cylinder is cleaning. It's going to help you remove potential contaminants that might have gotten onto the seals during manufacturing or shipping. You just need to make sure you use lint-free cloths when cleaning these hydraulic components.
In addition to these cloths providing thorough cleaning results, they won't leave behind cloth particles that would otherwise interfere with this seal installation process. You can clean the seals as long as you want and not have to fear leftover debris.
See What Lubricants Are Optimal for Specific Seals
Applying lubricant to new seals just before they're set up on cylinders is a good idea because it will help alleviate any potential sliding friction. That being said, you need to be picky about the lubricant you use on seals because you don't want to damage them or negatively impact the way they perform post-installation.
Something you'll want to do is see exactly what lubricants are recommended for the specific seals you're installing on a hydraulic cylinder. Regardless of their materials and dimensions, you should have a couple of lubricants to choose from.
If you've discovered structural problems with seals on some of your hydraulic cylinders and there's nothing that can be done in terms of repairs, make sure you find new seals and prepare for their installation correctly. If you focus on the right things throughout this replacement process, nothing will cause issues.
