Bought new seal kits from A&W to fix all of my cylinders.  I have not done this before so I am looking for advice.  A&W did send me a picture of a special tool that helps remove the cylinder but I can't envision it's use until I dig into it.  It appears I have to make one like they have unless someone has another suggestion?  Here is what it looks like. 

Any help and guidance on the steps to disassemble would be greatly appreciated.

I understand the value of using a professional and know that is the safe thing to do, but I saw this as an opportunity to learn how to do it. 

I have had cylinders fail on my equipment and waited days to a week or more to get them rebuilt.  I thought since this wasn't an emergency, I could take my time and not be pressed.  I do realize not every cylinder is built the same nor the process the same but this would give me start. 

I also thought these cylinders might be easier to work on since they are older and possibly simpler.  So I am not just being cheap in trying to save $200 per cylinder but trying to learn.  If the tool to do this becomes a problem, then I may have to punt and go to a professional.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L5RMF0fJsqA" rel="nofollow - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L5RMF0fJsqA

After watching the video, I understand better now how the spanner wrench is used.  So big thanks on that! 

Will it really take that much force to remove the cylinder from the outside casing?  Looks like he was fixing a much bigger cylinder so not sure I will encounter the same pressure.  If it takes a bunch of pressure like that, I may have to work on my setup.

do not miss up the piston halves they are matched sets 

also have been using a quad ring for the rod seal ,number 222 ,work better then the oring on rod 

would not use a hammer and screw driver you will damage the thread inside the tube 

also i loosen the cap nut before i take cylinder off of loader ,the loader holds  it solid to get the end cap lose 

I thought leaving the barrel installed on the tractor would avoid the vice issue so glad to get that confirmed.  I have a spanner wrench tool on order that I think will work.  Didn't get it from Allis though so will see.  I don't have the seal kit yet but are you suggesting replacing the orings with a number 222 quad ring?  Where do I get that?  Never done this so don't know much about the parts options.  I was going to do one cylinder at a time so that should avoid getting piston halves mixed up unless the piston half is on the same cylinder?  Does it make sense to position the cylinders with the piston all the way extracted when leaving it on the tractor or does it matter?  Thanks for the details and sorry for not comprehending everything.

Yes... i would help to park with the cylinder extended and the piston up toward the HEAD end.. Then when you pull it out, there is not much oil setting on TOP of the piston.. if the cylinder is pointed DOWN, there will be oil BEHIND the piston after you pull the rod out.

look at the above youtube movie at the 9:00 minute mark and you can see the guy pull the piston halves apart to install the new seals.

I went ahead and removed the barrel portion of the cylinder so I could clean it out. I plan to keep the tractor for a long time, so I figured it best to clean it out while i was this far into it.
 

Thanks for the info.  Every response is making it clearer.  That kit is the one I bought and from A&W tractor so that picture should be what I am getting.  I will definitely take a picture as I disassemble.  I may not get to it for another week as I am waiting on everything to arrive. 

you take off the wear ring to get to the halves ,they are in a grove in shaft , next take off seal stack and them second wear ring and halves in second rod grove ,then you can take the other end out to install wiper , outer and inner orings , the inner is the one I use the quad ring and i install the back up to take up space flat side to quad 

Here is a picture of one of the lift cylinders.  The others look the same.  Those slots don't look right to me though and almost like it is chipped?    Do I have a bigger problem?  Slot looks a little longer than I expected.   I noticed there are some really small slots that look factory made and maybe that is where the spanner wrench goes?

Thanks for any insight.

This is the other lift cylinder.  Has the same long slot but looks broke to me.

Here is my update on this problem.  I did get the lift cylinders rebuilt over the weekend.  I am going to document everything in another post.  However, I did end up with a few twists.  I decided to stop and get things clarified before I did the tilt cyllinders.  I left the bucket up over night and it might have crept down 6 inches in 12 hours so I think that says it is fixed.

The first cylinder had a severe leak.  However, I think I am missing a flat rubber ring in the collar after reinstalling.  When I went to do the second cylinder, I found the flat rubber ring in the collar.  It was missing in the first collar.  I didn't see a flat rubber ring in my rebuild kit.  I also ended up with two extra parts.  I couldn't figure out where they would go.  My guess is that this rebuild kit is for other cylinders too?  See the pictures below.  I don't really want to take it apart at this stage but I rather be done with it so I might.  My guess is that the Oring will slip around in the groove and eventually have the same situation.

First collar.  Notice the badly mangled O ring.  Maybe because the flat rubber is missing?

Here is second with flat rubber before i replaced the Oring.

Here are the extra parts.  Made me nervous but when I disassembled there was nothing that matched.

I could never wrap my head around how the bottom rings stay together until I pulled it apart.  This is what I started with in case others might not know what it looks like.

I called A&W and they said the extra parts are for the inside of the collar.  I didn't replace the inside because I didn't see a matching part.  They didn't look mangled either.  I guess the hard brown washer and the smaller Oring can be used in place of the hard plastic ring I saw.  See below picture on what I saw.  As well, A&W also said there is only one Oring on the outside of the collar so I shouldn't have to take it apart.  Now that this is clarified, I will take the tilt cylinders apart.

Thanks Gary for the terminology.  Yes, they did tell me about the order of the internal rings had I used them.  They said that the inner plastic ring was not standard that I show.  It looked hard to remove and since I didn't have a matching part, I left it alone.  i wonder if it seals correctly versus the spacer washer and the oring.  Should I remove it on my tilt cylinders, if I find it?  It was obvious that my outer orings on the bearing were damaged and bad.

I am going to document this in detail when I am finally done.  However, I tried to use a spanner tool but my nuts were so badly mangled by the last guy using a punch, I had no choice.  I thought about cleaning up the nuts and grinding them square but I didn't want to do further damage.  A&W said they try to make the slots square so that a spanner tool stays in the groove next time.  My grease seal also was completely missing on the first cylinder which also made the spanner tool hard to keep in place. 

I also think it was a huge advantage to keep the cylinder on the tractor to do the job.  As you point out, no vice needed, no big nut to unscrew, no come-along to pull it out.

I pulled the first one by hand and it came out fairly easy because it was not sealed well.  The second was a different story and I could not pull by my own force.  However, I got smart and used the tractor to push the rod out and free the bearing (I called it previously collar) from the cylinder.  I removed the top pin from the loader, unscrewed the retaining nut, retracted it back with joystick and then forward with tractor hydraulics and it popped right out.  I then pulled by hand the rest of the way. 

I also didn't realize that once you disconnect the rod part of cylinder from the loader, the other side doesn't work.  I thought the other side would continue to work and move the loader up and down.  That's why I could use the tractor to remove the rod from the cylinder though.

I spent a lot of time looking at parts and trying to make sure I knew what I was doing.  Now that I have done it twice, I think I can do it pretty quickly.  I am happy to have learned and not screwed up anything learning!

Gary, thanks again for the detailed advice.  The bearing was tight when I tried to move the bearing down the rod for final assembly.  I couldn't move it with my hand.  I took a block of wood and hammer and nudged it down the rod.   However, that does not mean that the hard plastic piece is correct for the long term. 

I will attempt to remove the hard plastic on the tilt cylinders (assuming it is there) and use the correct parts.  It may not come out easy.  It seems to be a hard plastic and not flexible at all.  There is no gap in it either.  Any ideas or tricks to remove it?  Once I start tearing it up, I will have to get it out.

How would i feel way down into the cylinder for nicks?  Not sure my hand or arm can go very far into it?

Better late than never I guess, but we just made a step by step video for rebuilding these A-C specific cylinders. Hopefully it will give you more guidance when you reseal the other 2 cylinders.

part 1: https://youtu.be/dZ6JCjeOZw8" rel="nofollow - https://youtu.be/dZ6JCjeOZw8

part 2: https://youtu.be/6pcUCdmVLoc" rel="nofollow - https://youtu.be/6pcUCdmVLoc

part 3: https://youtu.be/CpNOT1uJu3M" rel="nofollow - https://youtu.be/CpNOT1uJu3M

part 4: https://youtu.be/d5vi120ZR6I" rel="nofollow - https://youtu.be/d5vi120ZR6I

Great videos!!!

Curt

Yes, I could have used these videos before I tackled my job!  However, I have goofed around and not done the tilt cylinders so learned a few tricks from the videos before I do them.

I was going to make a video about the repair but yours is a lot better than what I can do. 

I had a hard time with those last piston halves and kind of pounded them in.  I saw no other option at the time.  Don't think I did any damage but I was worried about that.

I do think removing the piston while on the tractor is still a good idea.  Once it is out, you can still remove the cylinder.  I did not do a proper inspection on the cylinder as done in the videos since I left them on the tractor though.

Nice work and thanks for the videos.  It really makes it very clear on how to do the job now.  I vote for knowledge base too.  It isn't hard if you have a little guidance.

Another update on this issue.  After about 3 weeks the cylinder started leaking again.  So, I replaced the seal kit based upon Alex's A & W Tractor videos thinking I did something wrong.  After doing it twice, I decided to get some professional advice and it turns out that my rod has a slight bend in it.  I noticed that it did not leak when mostly retracted and did not leak when mostly extended but leaked in the middle.  Apparently, the cylinder didn't leak after I put the new seal kit in it because it needed to be used to wear the seal by the bend.  The consensus is that if I installed it incorrectly, it would have leaked immediately.  To replace the rod it was estimated to cost about $500 per cylinder.  One was way worse than the other.  So, I decided to look around for new ones. 

I found Majister Hydraulics (that claimed to be made in Europe and not China) bought a 2 inch bore by 36 inch stroke cylinder and it fit perfectly as the lift cylinder.  The rod diameter is 1.25 inches versus 1.5 inches on the original cylinder but it seems to have plenty of power on lift.  It is way more controlled on up and down now.  No leaks either.  Best of all I got it for $209 and free shipping.  I am probably going to replace the tilt cylinders next.  I measured the maximum lift height and it is sitting at about 133 inches so very close to the original cylinder on a 190xt.

The only thing I miss is the metal line going to the top cylinder inlet like the original.  I had to zip tie the hose to keep it stationary.  

Ignore the worn out tire, that is getting replaced too.  Driving on the road too much has worn it out.

Here it is installed: