Cat (Caterpillar) Repair in Central Iowa — Ames Hydraulics

Cat equipment runs hard and runs on hydraulics, and when a machine goes down a dealer wait can cost you a week. Ames Hydraulics is the independent shop that does Cat repair for farms, contractors, and operators across Central Iowa — the hydraulics, the machining, and the welding that keep Cat equipment working. Free pickup and delivery within 60 miles of Ames.

Cat Machines We Work On

Caterpillar skid steers and compact track loaders, mini and full-size excavators, wheel loaders, dozers, and telehandlers. Whatever Cat built, if it runs hydraulics or needs structural welding, it’s the kind of machine we fix every day.

What We Repair

• Hydraulic cylinders — lift, tilt, boom, and stick — resealed and rebuilt, pressure-tested
• Hydraulic pumps, drive and travel motors, valves, and power units
• Hoses and leaks — new assemblies made same-day
• Cracked booms, arms, buckets, frames, and attachments — welded and reinforced
• Quick couplers, pins, and bushings rebuilt
• Final drives and travel motors on tracked machines

Common Symptoms

Slow or weak hydraulics point to pump or cylinder wear; a machine that won’t hold a load has blown cylinder seals; final drives and travel motors fail on tracked machines; and cracked booms, sticks, buckets, and frames are structural welding. Whatever it’s doing, we diagnose the real cause and quote it before we start, so a Cat repair job doesn’t turn into a guessing game.

Built for the Heavy Stuff

Caterpillar machines do the heaviest work, and they bring the heaviest repairs — excavator boom, stick, and bucket cylinders, final drives and travel motors, and structural cracks that need serious welding. We rebuild the cylinders and pressure-test them, service the final drives, and weld booms and frames back to full strength. On the skid steers and compact machines it’s the same hydraulic and welding work at a smaller scale. Independent Cat service, without dealer pricing on a cylinder reseal.

Independent — Faster and Often Cheaper Than a Dealer

We’re not a Cat dealer, and that works in your favor: no long service queue, no dealer-only markup on a cylinder reseal or a welded bucket, and one shop that handles the hydraulics and the steel together. We source the parts to match and get your machine back to work. And because we service every brand, your Cat equipment gets fixed right alongside the rest of your fleet.

Free Pickup Within 60 Miles

Can’t move it? We’ll come get it, free within 60 miles of Ames. Text a photo of the machine and the problem to 515-292-2599 and we’ll tell you the same day what your Cat repair needs and roughly what it will cost.

Heavy Cylinders and Honest Quotes

Caterpillar cylinders are big, high-pressure, and expensive to replace — which is exactly why a rebuild makes sense, and why we pressure-test every one before it goes back on. When you need Cat repair, text a photo of the machine and the cylinder or crack to 515-292-2599; we’ll tell you the same day whether it’s a rebuild, a final drive, or a weld, and quote it before we start. Free pickup and delivery within 60 miles of Ames means a down Cat machine doesn’t add a heavy tow bill to the job.

Get It Back to Work

See our hydraulic repair, cylinder repair, hose repair, and welding & fabrication services. Call or text 515-292-2599 or bring it to 210 Freel Dr in Ames. Open Monday through Friday, 7AM to 5PM.