Cylinder reseal, can't get cylinder started back in tube

funwithfuel · Jul 3, 2020

Just asking for clarification. Did you pack the piston and want to load it right away, or did you wait a couple hours after stretching the piston seal over the piston?
I would think cold vinyl would be less forgiving, but if it had time to relax to its original size and shape, that might be a different story? You're there doing it , I'm just thinking out loud (sorta)

melben · Jul 3, 2020

Done hundreds, 4-5 wraps of electrical tape to protect the seal from the clamp ends, snug up a stainless steel hose clamp, let it set a while , will slide rite in .

Tinkerer · Jul 3, 2020

Nige has me wondering now about Bulldog kits.
That is the brand that I had all the trouble with.
I used a Hercules kit quite a few years ago the first time I packed that boom cylinder.
Mine was a two piece piston. Separate it stack up the piston rings and bolt it back together.

Doug580l · Jul 3, 2020

funwithfuel said:
Just asking for clarification. Did you pack the piston and want to load it right away, or did you wait a couple hours after stretching the piston seal over the piston?
I would think cold vinyl would be less forgiving, but if it had time to relax to its original size and shape, that might be a different story? You're there doing it , I'm just thinking out loud (sorta)

You're probably right. The first 2 seals that ripped I did pack the piston and tried to load it right away, didn't know any better. Maybe I all I needed to do was to put it on the wait a couple hours. Next time I'll put the piston ring compressor on it and let it sit a couple hours.

Nige · Jul 4, 2020

Here's a thought. Try heating the seal in boiling water before installing it on the piston, then after installing it dunk the whole piston/seal assembly in boiling water again to soften the seal. Then while it's all still hot apply the tape and clamp and allow everything to completely cool before attempting to install it.

kshansen · Jul 4, 2020

To add to the heat-tape-clamp ideas how about finding a soda bottle or some such that is slightly bigger than the piston and used a strip cut out of that under clamp? Seems I did that kind of thing on at least one where you had to stretch the seals over a piston to get them in place.

Tinkerer · Jul 4, 2020

FWIW - I have cut pieces out of 1 gallon milk jugs to protect the piston seals from the barrel threads when sliding them in.

Cylinder reseal, can't get cylinder started back in tube

funwithfuel

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melben

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Tinkerer

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Doug580l

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Nige

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kshansen

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Tinkerer

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