Hydraulic Cylinder Repair & Rebuild

Ames Hydraulics: Your Premier Destination for High-Speed Hydraulic Repairs

Welcome to Ames Hydraulics, where precision meets speed in hydraulic cylinder rebuild. Whether you’re a farmer, construction worker, or work in city maintenance, we understand the critical role that hydraulic systems on your equipment play in your daily operations. A malfunctioning piece of hydraulic equipment can grind your work to a halt, costing you valuable time and money. That’s where we come in.

Our Expertise

At Ames Hydraulics, we pride ourselves on being more than just a hydraulic shop. We’re a team of passionate hydraulic mechanics dedicated to restoring the power and performance of your hydraulic equipment. Our specialties include:

• Hydraulic Cylinders: We rebuild hydraulic cylinders to their original strength and efficiency, ensuring no leaks because we pressure test every cylinder. The only stipulation: if we need to build custom machined parts for your cylinder due to major structural damage, it might take a little longer.
• Hydraulic Valve Blocks: The heart of hydraulic systems, directing the flow of fluid to achieve the desired action. We ensure they function perfectly, channeling fluid seamlessly with no leaks.
• Pumps and Drive Motors: Vital for the operation of most hydraulic systems, we make sure they deliver fluid without leaks and at the correct pressure and volume. We also replace the bearings in hydraulic drive motors.

Equipment We Service

Here at Ames Hydraulics our hydraulic cylinder rebuild expertise isn’t limited to just one type of equipment. We service a diverse range of heavy equipment. From skid loaders and dump trucks to tractors and garbage trucks, our hydraulic team navigates the complexities of various pieces of hydraulic equipment with ease and experience. Our services aren’t limited to hydraulic cylinders — we breathe life back into hydraulic valve blocks, pumps, and drive motors with a finesse that stands testament to our years of experience and in-depth knowledge.

• Skid loaders are essential for construction and landscaping; we keep their hydraulic systems in top shape.
• Dump trucks rely heavily on their hydraulic systems. A faulty system is costly — we make sure that never happens.
• Tractors are essential to our farming community. Let us take care of their hydraulic components for you.
• Garbage trucks need to stay in top form to keep our towns clean. We make sure their hydraulic systems never miss a beat.

Why Choose Ames Hydraulics for Hydraulic Cylinder Rebuild?

Quality: At Ames, quality isn’t just a buzzword; it’s a promise. Our team is composed of seasoned professionals who use the right tools and techniques to restore your equipment to its prime.

Speed: We understand that time is money. That’s why we’re committed to quick turnarounds for hydraulic cylinder rebuild, getting your machinery back in action fast.

Fair Pricing: Quality service doesn’t have to burn a hole in your pocket. Our prices are competitive — top-notch service without the top-tier price tag. For hydraulic cylinder rebuild we offer a lowest-price guarantee: bring in a quote and we’ll match it, apples to apples.

Pickup, Delivery & Nationwide Shipping

Here at Ames Hydraulics we also offer pickup and delivery of hydraulic cylinders, hoses, pumps, motors, and other hydraulic equipment. We receive cylinders from all over the country, rebuild them, and ship them back to you. So even if we’re far from you, we can still rebuild your cylinder faster than the shop a mile down the road — and by pressure testing, we make sure it’s rebuilt correctly. Need custom parts made for your hydraulic cylinder? Drop it off, ship it, or let us swing by and pick it up, and we’ll build it and make sure it works. We stock the rod, so we can make a replacement rod faster for your hydraulic cylinders.

A Shop That Actually Answers the Phone

Navigating the complex world of hydraulic equipment repair can be daunting, but here at Ames Hydraulics we pave a smooth road for you. If you’re looking for a hydraulic shop that’s actually going to prioritize your repairs — a shop that answers the phone when you call, even when nothing is going right — you’ve found it. Nobody wants to have their hydraulic equipment repaired; it’s just part of owning hydraulic equipment, and we get that. The only thing more expensive than buying the equipment is continuing to pay for it while it sits broken.

So give us a call, even if you’re out of state. For your next hydraulic cylinder rebuild, experience the perfect blend of quality, speed, and affordability. Call Ames Hydraulics today at 515-292-2599.

Serving the Des Moines metro? See our page on hydraulic cylinder repair in Des Moines.

Hydraulic Cylinder Repair Near Me — Anywhere in Central Iowa

If you searched hydraulic cylinder repair near me and landed here, you are in the right place. Ames Hydraulics handles hydraulic cylinder repair for farmers, contractors, truckers, and shops across Central Iowa, and you do not have to be in Ames to use us. Pull the cylinder and drop it off, ship it to us, or use one of our drop boxes, and if the machine cannot give up its cylinder easily, we offer free pickup and delivery within 60 miles. Whether you call it a hydraulic cylinder repair, a reseal, or a full rebuild, the work is the same: we tear it down, inspect the rod, barrel, and gland, hone or replace what is worn, install new seals, and pressure test it before it goes back to you.

How much does hydraulic cylinder repair cost?

It depends on the cylinder and what is worn. A straightforward reseal is a modest bill; a scored rod or barrel that needs machining or replacement costs more. Send a photo or bring it in and we will quote it before we start, with no surprises.

How long does hydraulic cylinder repair take?

Most reseals and rebuilds turn around in a few days, faster in an emergency and when seal kits are on the shelf. Tell us you are down and we will prioritize it.

Related: Large-Bore Cylinder Repair — Mining, Marine & Military

Related: Hydraulic Piston & Ram Repair

Related: Volvo Excavator Cylinder Rebuilds

Cylinder Rebuilds Across Central & North Iowa

Customers bring cylinders to our Ames bench from across the region — it’s the one repair that’s easy to drop off or freight in. If you’re outside Ames, start here:

• Des Moines
• Marshalltown
• Fort Dodge
• Mason City

Fixing Hydraulic Cylinders: Rods, Pistons & Seals

Fixing hydraulic cylinders comes down to three wear points, and a real rebuild addresses all three instead of just the obvious one. The rod is where most cylinders die — a scored or pitted chrome rod shreds a new seal in weeks, so we repair or re-chrome it rather than sealing over the damage. The piston and bore come next: we hone the barrel back to a true finish and rebuild or replace the piston, which is the heart of any hydraulic piston repair. Then the seals — the correct kit for your exact cylinder, not a close-enough substitute that weeps in a month. Done together, that’s a full hydraulic cylinder overhaul: the cylinder comes back holding pressure and moving smoothly, tested before it leaves. A parts-store reseal that ignores the rod and bore is why so many “fixed” cylinders are back on the bench by next season.

Rebuilt Hydraulic Cylinders vs. Buying New

For most equipment, rebuilt hydraulic cylinders are the smarter buy — and often the only fast one. A new OEM cylinder can run many times the cost of a rebuild, and for older or discontinued machines it may be backordered for weeks or gone entirely. Rebuilding restores your existing cylinder to spec now, at a fraction of replacement, using the tube and rod you already own. The honest exceptions we’ll flag before you spend: a split tube or a rod bent past saving, where replacement genuinely wins. Otherwise, a rebuild is the answer, and we back it with a pressure test to working spec.

What Hydraulic Cylinder Repair Costs

Hydraulic cylinder repair cost depends on bore, stroke, rod condition, and seal availability — a small ag ram reseals for well under a new one, while a large-bore or long-stroke cylinder with rod damage costs more but still lands far below replacement. We quote every job in writing after we see the cylinder, with any surprises flagged before the work, not after. For a fuller breakdown of pricing, see our hydraulic cylinder repair cost guide. Text the bore, stroke, and photos to 515-292-2599 for a same-day ballpark on your rebuild.