Temps of 180 degrees F & higher will cause the hydraulic fluid to breakdown & seals to fail prematurely. (Per Brendan Casey, Hydraulic consultant.)
Thomas, if there is identification numbers/names on the cylinder, getting a rebuild kit should be fairly straight forward & most any hydraulic shop or farm equipment dealer could get the kit(s) as well as Surplus City. Frequently there are 2 kits involved in repacking a cylinder, one for the rod cap & one for the rod piston. If the cylinder is working but just leaking fluid from the rod cap around the rod, you can probably get by with a simple repair. If you were closer I would be happy to help.
If you want to do it yourself:
- Get kit
- Extend the rod 1/3 - 1/2" the way out.
- While the cylinder is still attached to the splitter, loosen the cap end but do not yet take it totally loose. If you could post a photo of the cap end it would make it easier to explain how, but you will probably have one of 3 common options. 1 - Holes in the end of the cap which require an adjustable side pin spanner, 2 - Notches in the side of the cap which require an adjustable hooked or pin spanner spanner, or 3 - There may be a cast on hex nut you can turn. There are other options but #1 & 2 will be the most likely.
- Disconnect the rod from the push block & prop the cylinder housing up with a piece of wood or 2.
- The mounting point on the end of the rod will unscrew, (yoke or tube) & you will need to take it off to remove the rod cap from the rod.
- Remove any paint found on the end of the rod to allow the rod cap to slide of/on easier.
- Place a drain pan under the cylinder to catch the hydraulic fluid when you remove the rod cap.
- Remove rod cap from cylinder & rod.
- Take photos of how the seals/"O" rings are installed before removing the old ones. There will be some on the inside as well as the outside. It is not uncommon for the design of the seals in a rebuild kit to vary from the original ones especially with older cylinders. In your case the cylinder is fairly new & the seals will probably be the same. Make sure the new seals are installed with the same orientations as the old ones. After installing them, compare them to the photos you took to verify then re assemble.
Since your valves are to the side of the cylinder, you should not have to remove the hoses or disconnect the base of the cylinder unless the rod end hose will not allow you to prop the cylinder up.
