Hydraulic Cylinder Rebuild in Ames, Iowa
If your excavator arm won’t hold up, your car lift drifts down overnight, or your loader bucket loses grip halfway through a job, you’re probably looking at a hydraulic cylinder rebuild, not a whole new machine. We pull cylinders out of everything from skid steers to shop lifts, tear them down on the bench, and put them back together with the right seals for that bore — no guessing, no reused wipers just to save ten minutes.
How We Do a Hydraulic Cylinder Rebuild
A proper hydraulic cylinder rebuild starts with getting the cylinder off the machine. We support the load, disconnect the hoses, cap the ports so dirt doesn’t get in, and bring the cylinder to the bench. From there:
- Disassemble the cylinder and inspect the barrel bore, rod, and gland for scoring or scratches
- Measure and match new head seals, piston seals, U-seals, and wiper seals to the exact bore and rod size (we keep common sizes like 3″ x 0.062″ head seals and 1-1/2″ x 3″ wiper seals on hand)
- Clean or hone the barrel if it’s just surface wear — not deep scoring
- Reassemble with new seals, reinstall the cylinder on the machine, and bleed the system to clear trapped air
- Run the cylinder through full extend and retract cycles under load to check it holds
Most of the time this is straightforward. But we’ll tell you straight: it’s really common for the other cylinder on the same lift or arm to blow out shortly after we rebuild the first one, especially if both have been running the same hours. If you’re dealing with a two-post lift or a dual-cylinder attachment, plan on us checking the second one too — better to catch it on the bench than have it fail with a load up.
Common Signs You Need a Hydraulic Cylinder Rebuild
Cylinders don’t usually fail all at once — they tell you first. Here’s what we see most:
- Slow drift down under a static load (lift settles overnight, boom creeps down)
- Visible oil weeping around the rod or at the gland
- Scoring marks on the rod itself, usually from dirt getting past a worn wiper seal
- Loss of full extension force, especially noticeable under a heavy bucket or attachment
- A grinding or catching feel as the rod moves through its stroke
If you catch it at the weeping-oil stage, a hydraulic cylinder rebuild with fresh seals usually solves it. If you wait until the rod is deeply scored or the barrel bore is scratched too far to hone, a rebuild won’t hold — and at that point you’re looking at a full replacement cylinder instead. We’ll always try the rebuild first because it’s the cheaper fix, but we won’t pretend it’s going to last if the metal itself is too far gone.
How Much Does a Hydraulic Cylinder Rebuild Cost
Pricing depends on the bore size, seal availability, and how the cylinder comes off the machine. Rough numbers from recent jobs:
- Small cylinders (lock releases, gate cylinders, small lift arms): often $145 to $400 for parts and labor
- Mid-size cylinders on car lifts, skid steers, and attachments: typically $400 to $900
- Larger excavator or loader boom cylinders: can run $900 to $1,800 depending on seal kit and rod condition
Here’s the part we’re upfront about: if the barrel is scored too deep and the rebuild doesn’t hold, you’ll need a new cylinder instead — that’s usually another $300 to $800 on top of what the rebuild attempt already cost, since we already put the labor into removal and teardown. We’d rather tell you that going in than surprise you after the fact. If you’re outside Ames proper, we also charge mileage for on-site work — commonly a flat rate for round trips within 30 to 40 miles when we can’t bring the cylinder back to the shop.
For a deeper breakdown of what drives cost up or down, our hydraulic cylinder rebuild cost guide walks through seal kits, bore honing, and when replacement makes more sense than repair.
We Work On More Than Just One Type of Cylinder
Most of our hydraulic cylinder rebuild work comes through car lifts, skid steers, tractors, and construction attachments, but we also handle heavier equipment. If you’re running an excavator with a worn boom or bucket cylinder, check out our excavator cylinder rebuild work out of Boone, and if you’re closer to Winterset we’ve got a dedicated page for hydraulic cylinder repair in that area too. We also cover a wider service area for hydraulic cylinder rebuild work across central Iowa, so if you’re not in Ames proper, give us a call and we’ll figure out logistics.
If your cylinder is leaking, drifting, or just not holding like it used to, don’t wait for it to fail completely — bring it in or give us a call and we’ll take a look at what a hydraulic cylinder rebuild will run for your specific machine. Call us at 515-292-2599 and we’ll get you scheduled.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I know if my hydraulic cylinder needs a rebuild instead of just new seals?
If oil is only weeping slowly and the rod isn’t scored, new seals alone might do it. But most of the time when a cylinder’s leaking or drifting, we recommend a full hydraulic cylinder rebuild since we’re already tearing it down anyway — it doesn’t cost much more to check the barrel and rod at the same time.
How long does a hydraulic cylinder rebuild take?
A small cylinder can often be turned around same day or next day if we have the seal kit in stock. Larger excavator or loader cylinders can take a couple days if we need to order specific seals for that bore and rod size.
Can you rebuild a cylinder onsite or does it have to come to your shop?
Some work we can do onsite, especially removal and reinstall, but the actual teardown and seal replacement happens at our bench at 210 Freel Dr. If you’re within 30 to 40 miles we can come pick it up or handle the on-site portion for a mileage charge.
What if the other cylinder blows out after you rebuild this one?
It happens more than you’d think, especially on dual-cylinder lifts and arms where both sides have equal wear. If the second cylinder fails shortly after, we treat it as its own job, and we’ll usually recommend checking both cylinders at once next time to avoid a repeat trip.
Do you work on cylinders for excavators, skid steers, and car lifts?
Yes — we do hydraulic cylinder rebuild work across all of that equipment, plus tractors, loaders, and shop lift systems. Call 515-292-2599 and describe what you’re running and what it’s doing, and we’ll tell you what to expect.
Written by Josiah Ragsdale, Ames Hydraulics