Six Signs Your Hydraulic Equipment Needs Professional Maintenance

Hydraulic equipment is characterized by its excellent reliability, but only if it receives on-time professional maintenance. Ideally, your organization will track its maintenance processes so that every hydraulic power unit and hydraulic cylinder is maintained on time.

However, there are signs that your hydraulic equipment needs immediate professional maintenance. Six of those signs include:

• Your maintenance processes are behind schedule
• Loss of power delivery or inconsistent power delivery
• Signs of contamination in your hydraulic fluid
• The presence of hydraulic fluid leaks
• Unusual sounds or odors during operation
• Components wearing out faster than expected

Each of these are concerning issues that demand follow up with an expert hydraulic technician. If ignored, they can lead to major breakdowns that result in extended downtime.

If your crews do not pay attention to the signs that maintenance is required, it will likely result in costly repairs and downtime on the jobsite. If any of the following are true regarding your hydraulic equipment, it’s time to schedule a round of professional maintenance:

• • Your maintenance processes are behind schedule – If your organization relies on hydraulic power for its operations, it’s highly recommended to establish a maintenance tracking system for your equipment. Modern maintenance tracking uses software to inventory every piece of hydraulic equipment and record every instance of hydraulic equipment maintenance. If a new set of seals are installed in a hydraulic pump, it’s recorded. If corrosion is removed from a hydraulic cylinder rod, it’s recorded.
    
    

    The point of maintenance tracking is to know exactly when it’s time to schedule preventative maintenance for a particular piece of equipment. Manufacturers recommend maintenance intervals around the 10,000-hour mark for hydraulic pumps and cylinders, and if your assets are behind on these recommendations, it’s time to bring them up to date. There’s a chance that your equipment is developing minor issues that could be corrected before they become something worse.

  • Loss of power delivery or inconsistent power delivery – Inconsistent power delivery is an efficiency and safety concern. It can also point to one of several causes. Reduced power output is often due to an undetected hydraulic fluid leak, which may be internal and causing bypass. Poor power delivery could also result from a malfunctioning valve or altered hydraulic fluid characteristics, such as elevated fluid temperature or contamination.
    
    
  • Signs of contamination in your hydraulic fluid – Hydraulic fluid contamination is the chief concern for equipment operators, as nothing is more likely to cause a hydraulic equipment failure. Contamination may be visibly apparent. If it is, the fluid will appear cloudy or milky. However, in most cases it won’t be that easy to determine. Fluid contamination may be impossible to see, but that doesn’t mean it’s impossible to detect. Every month or two, it’s recommended that one of your operators take a fluid sample and have it sent to an engineering lab. These labs can measure microscopic levels of contaminants and alert your organization to their presence. If contaminants are detected, expert maintenance will be necessary.
    
    
  • The presence of hydraulic fluid leaks – Hydraulic fluid leaks may be external or internal. External fluid leaks are easier to spot and may present with fluid residues on your equipment. External leaks may also cause hydraulic fluid to pool around your hydraulic pumps or cylinders, though that fluid may run down your hydraulic lines and pool away from the leak.

    Internal fluid leaks are obviously harder to detect, and your crew may notice other issues first. For instance, loss of power or rough handling may be signs that a leak is affecting your system.

  • Unusual sounds or odors during operation – Your hydraulic equipment operators will quickly grow accustomed to how your pumps and cylinders sound (and smell) while they’re working. If either is off, it may indicate an emerging issue. Concerning sounds include high-pitched whining, banging or gurgling, it could be a sign of overly worn components or aeration. If unusual odors are present, that’s often the result of fouled hydraulic fluid. Both necessitate a follow up with your hydraulic equipment technician.
    
    
  • Components wearing out faster than expected – Component wear is expected, but if your hydraulic seals, bearings, gears or other internal components are wearing faster than they should, that’s a troubling sign. It could be due to issues with hydraulic fluid quality or how your system is calibrated.