Preventative Maintenance Tips to Extend the Life of Your Hydraulic Equipment
Hydraulic equipment offers maximum reliability and performance only when it’s properly maintained. Hydraulic pumps and cylinders are prone to failure if they’re not serviced on time, and what starts as a minor issue can develop into a catastrophic, system-wide failure that causes expensive downtime.
To ensure that doesn’t happen to your hydraulic equipment, integrate these preventative maintenance tips into your operations:
- Check hydraulic fluid levels and quality regularly
- Clean each piece of hydraulic equipment following operation
- Stick to the equipment’s maintenance schedule as defined by the manufacturer
- Observe proper hydraulic equipment storage practices
- Keep an eye on any high wear components such as seals, bearings, filters, etc.
- Recognize the signs of hydraulic system issues, and respond accordingly
- Partner with a hydraulic equipment expert to provide quality preventative maintenance
If your organization observes these preventative maintenance tips, that will go a long way to extending your equipment’s useful lifespan and efficiency.
Preventative Maintenance Tips to Extend Your Hydraulic Pump’s Life
The hydraulic pump is the central feature of every hydraulic system, responsible for delivering consistent flow under extremely pressures. As such, it should be protected with on-time preventative maintenance that includes:
- Checking hydraulic fluid levels and quality – Hydraulic pumps are quickly fouled by the presence of hydraulic fluid contamination. Hydraulic fluid contaminants such as dust or water are responsible for the vast majority of hydraulic system failures and must be caught early to prevent extended downtime.
To ensure your system’s hydraulic fluid is where it needs to be, take a sample every 1-3 months from a test point in the system. Look for any suspended solids or a milky-like appearance, as this indicates contamination. Every few months, send a sample to an engineering lab to check for any microcontaminants that can’t be seen with the naked eye.
- Cleaning the pump body and reservoir – The most effective way to avoid contamination issues is to keep every part of the hydraulic system clean when it’s not in use. This starts with the hydraulic pump, so following operation, give the pump body a thorough wipe down. When it’s time to replace hydraulic fluid, first clean out the pump’s reservoir to minimize the risk of internal contamination. To do this, drain the reservoir and wipe down all of its interior surfaces with a lint-free cloth. A mild solution may be used to aid in cleaning, but it’s important to verify that it’s safe to use with the pump. Some cleaning solutions will eat away at the reservoir, so speak with your hydraulic equipment technician for the best cleaning solution.
- Servicing the hydraulic pump on time – Every piece of hydraulic equipment is placed on an optimal preventative service schedule by the manufacturer. This is spelled out in the operator manual, and for hydraulic pumps, service intervals are typically 10,000 hours or so. Stick to this maintenance schedule and be sure track your equipment’s maintenance history.
- Checking hydraulic fluid levels and quality – Hydraulic pumps are quickly fouled by the presence of hydraulic fluid contamination. Hydraulic fluid contaminants such as dust or water are responsible for the vast majority of hydraulic system failures and must be caught early to prevent extended downtime.
Preventative Maintenance Tips to Extend the Longevity of Your Hydraulic Cylinders
Hydraulic cylinders are responsible for outputting and withstanding intense forces. As such, any failure with the cylinder may mean catastrophe. Preventative maintenance is key to avoiding those major breakdowns and any situation that may expose your workers to potential harm. That includes the following:
- Inspecting the hydraulic cylinder barrel and rod for wear – The bulk of the wear and tear to your hydraulic cylinder will be focused on the cylinder’s barrel and rod. As such, these parts should be the focus of any hydraulic cylinder inspection. Look for scoring or pitting on the rod or along the barrel, as this may suggest a misaligned rod. Look for signs of corrosion as well, as this may indicate issues with internal leaks or failing seals.
- Storing the hydraulic cylinder properly following operation – When the hydraulic cylinder is not in use, store it properly to prevent damage. Specifically, store it in a dry, clean room with the rod retracted. The exposed part of the rod should be greased for protection and the service ports plugged. If the hydraulic cylinder will be placed in long-term storage, consider filling it with clean hydraulic fluid.
- Recognizing when the hydraulic cylinder is developing issues – Before a hydraulic cylinder experiences a serious failure, it will likely show signs of distress first. This includes loss of power or rough stroking while delivering force. Unusual sounds during operation are also a concern. If any of these troubling signs are present, shut the hydraulic cylinder down until it receives a full inspection.
- Inspecting the hydraulic cylinder barrel and rod for wear – The bulk of the wear and tear to your hydraulic cylinder will be focused on the cylinder’s barrel and rod. As such, these parts should be the focus of any hydraulic cylinder inspection. Look for scoring or pitting on the rod or along the barrel, as this may suggest a misaligned rod. Look for signs of corrosion as well, as this may indicate issues with internal leaks or failing seals.
In addition to these preventative maintenance measures, your operators should apply the same maintenance routines used with your hydraulic pumps. That includes a detailed cleaning following high-cycle operation and scheduling expert maintenance in line with the manufacturer’s recommendations.
Additional Preventative Maintenance for Your Hydraulic Accessories
Your hydraulic pumps and cylinders may be the most important parts of your hydraulic system, but they aren’t the only components that require a maintenance-focused approach. Your hydraulic hoses, hydraulic valves, connectors, manifolds and more will all provide additional reliability and performance with the following preventative maintenance tips:
-
- Clean every component after use – Your hydraulic hoses and connectors are primary vectors for contamination if they aren’t cleaned after use. Wipe them down and use a cleaning solution to remove soils and grease from connectors.
- Inspect hoses for fraying and connectors for wear – Wear is another major concern with secondary hydraulic accessories and parts. Look for fraying or tears with your hydraulic hoses, and corrosion or damage on your hydraulic connectors. These are all potential failure points.
- Keep an inventory of replacement components on hand – Many high wear hydraulic components just need to be replaced when it’s time as repairs aren’t an option. This includes hydraulic seals, connectors, hoses and more. If your organization has these replacement parts on hand, it will greatly speed up any repair time and minimize the impact of component wear.
- Clean every component after use – Your hydraulic hoses and connectors are primary vectors for contamination if they aren’t cleaned after use. Wipe them down and use a cleaning solution to remove soils and grease from connectors.
For Maximum Reliability, Partner with an Expert Hydraulic Technician for Preventative Maintenance
The most important preventative maintenance tip is to ensure it’s being done properly and on schedule. Many companies find that the best way to do that is to partner with a proven hydraulic equipment technician for maintenance and repairs.
Expert hydraulic equipment technicians are skilled at disassembling and reassembling hydraulic pumps and cylinders without introducing contamination into the system, which is a common problem for inexperienced operators. The experts have sophisticated troubleshooting technology on hand and can uncover emerging issues that may otherwise go unnoticed. They can verify that your hydraulic system is properly calibrated and can optimize its performance if there are tweaks to be made.
By partnering with a proven hydraulic technician, you’ll have access to expert hydraulic equipment maintenance that will maximize your system’s reliability, performance and longevity.