Purchased My Last Bulldog Seal Kit

[Tinkerer]

Like the title says - never again.
I had a bit** of a time getting the piston in the cylinder. Screwed the gland down and the piston was so tight I couldn't get the rod to move. I had to chain the barrel to the tractor frame and use my truck trailer hitch to pull the rod back out.
Two piece piston. The seals that are on the bottom of each stack are way out of spec. So bad that I could see a bulge on them while the piston was still tight on the rod. I found that the ID of them was quite bigger than the others. That allowed them to move off center and create a bulge.
A new kit from CNH is on order.

 

[Vetech63]

I’ve never used them. The reviews here seem mixed at best.

 

[Blocker in MS]

What size cylinder are you rebuilding? The CNH part perked up my ears.

Are you supposed to be able to move the rod on a freshly rebuilt cylinder? Seems like all the ones I can remember doing it was hard to move even with 150psi air. Most all my experience is with 1.5-2” rods. Maybe this is not correct??

Not trying to be smart or anything. I am genuinely curious.

 

[Tinkerer]

2 inch rod, 5 inch bore, 40 inch stroke.
I could barely turn the rod with a 6 foot long steel rod in the eye of the cylinder rod. Yes, they are always tight when a fresh kit is installed. This one wouldn't move with a good hit on the eye with a sledge hammer. That's when I decided take it apart again.

 

[Blocker in MS]

Yes I see now. That is a bit excessive if the sledge hammer will not turn the rod!

You must be doing something wrong though....there is no big mess!

That is about the first thing we like to do when pulling a cylinder apart.

 

[Tinkerer]

The rest of the story......
I called the local CNH dealer and ordered a new Case OEM cylinder seal kit.
Two days later they call me an sez, come and pick it up. So I get there an the parts guy hands me a package with 1/2 of a PISTON seal kit.
I asked him where the rest of the complete seal kit is an he says "I don't know that is what was sent"
He looks in the system and there are only 2 complete kits in stock in the entire US. $133.00 each !!!
I asked how much the 1/2 piston package was going to cost -----$55.00. Good grief. I asked how much to walk away an leave it. He sez, special orders not purchased have a 25% restocking charge and a shipping charge you have to pay.
I purchased it. Took it home and installed it on my piston.
Now I have 1/2 Case piston seals and 1/2 Bulldog seals. It still won't go in the cylinder barrel.
I load the barrel and rod up and take them to a professional cylinder shop. That is all they do full time. I told them my sad story.
I went there today because they called and said it was back together.
They didn't change anything to it all. He said we just greased it up and hammered on it some and it went together. No piston compressor, nothin.
I guess I owe Bulldog an apology for bad mouthing their product.