Oilfield hydraulics take the hardest service anywhere on earth — long runs at high pressure, dirty environments, and equipment that has to work in remote places. Ames Hydraulics does oilfield equipment repair for drilling contractors, service-rig operators, and oilfield fabricators who need cylinders, pumps, valves, and welded steel done right. Drilling rig repair, mud pump repair, frac pump repair, and the hydraulic power packs and hoists that keep it all moving. Free pickup within 60 miles of Ames.
Drilling Rig Repair
Rig hydraulics are one of the toughest environments any cylinder sees. The mast cylinders, brake cylinders, spinner and torque cylinders, and rotary-table hydraulics on a drilling or service rig deal with continuous cycling, high pressure, and mud contamination. Drilling rig repair here means rebuilding those cylinders to spec, honing bores that mud has scored, and pressure-testing to working pressure before the rig goes back out. If you’re running workover or service rigs, we can rebuild the whole hydraulic package on your slow week rather than during a job.
Mud Pump Repair
The mud pump is the heart of the circulating system, and when it goes down, the rig goes down. Duplex and triplex mud pumps have predictable failure points — the fluid end (liners, pistons, valves, seats), the power end (crankshaft, crossheads, connecting rods), and the plumbing. Ames Hydraulics does mud pump repair on the fluid end, valve packages, and the hydraulic side of the power-end drive. If the pump housing or the frame has cracked, that’s a welding job we handle in the same shop.
Frac Pump Repair
Frac pumps are mud pumps on steroids — higher pressures, harsher fluids, and shorter fluid-end lives. Frac pump repair for us is mostly the fluid-end side: liners, packing, valve seats, and the plumbing. We can also weld and machine cracked frames, worn skids, and the trailer running gear these pumps live on. Text us a photo of the pump and the failure and we’ll tell you what’s involved before it hits our shop.
Hoists, Winches, and BOP Hydraulics
The rest of the oilfield equipment repair we see is the accessory hydraulics: rig hoists and drawworks brakes, spinner cylinders, catwalk and V-door hydraulics, BOP accumulator systems, and the pumps and valves that run all of it. If it moves under hydraulic power on a rig or a service unit, we’ve probably rebuilt one.
Iowa Is Not Texas — But We Know the Work
Central Iowa isn’t a major oil patch, but plenty of Iowa fabricators build oilfield equipment, and plenty of contractors run rigs and pumps that come here for winter service or off-season overhauls. If you’re one of them, our shop is set up for it: big cylinder capacity, in-house honing, pressure-testing to real working pressure, and a welding shop that does structural work every day. Free pickup within 60 miles of Ames on anything that fits our trailer.
Get Your Oilfield Iron Running Again
See our full hydraulic repair, welding & fabrication, and trailer repair services. Call or text 515-292-2599 or bring the equipment to 210 Freel Dr in Ames. Open Monday through Friday, 7AM to 5PM.
Winter Overhauls and Off-Season Work
The right time for major oilfield equipment repair is when the equipment isn’t earning — typically winter and slow-season windows. If you have a rig sitting between contracts, a mud pump on the yard, or a frac unit down for the season, that’s the time to hand it over to us for a full teardown, cylinder rebuild, and pressure-test rather than trying to squeeze the work into a job break. Off-season oilfield equipment repair is cheaper because we can schedule it, and it prevents the emergency call at the wrong moment.
Iowa Fabricators Building Oilfield Equipment
A meaningful piece of our oilfield equipment repair workload comes from Iowa fabricators building oilfield products — skids, power packs, mud-pump bodies, and structural steel that ships to the patch. If you’re a manufacturer producing oilfield equipment and want a local shop for hydraulic subassembly, cylinder rebuilding, or welded structural repair on returned units, that’s a conversation worth having.
Free Pickup Within 60 Miles
Rigs and pumps are heavy and awkward. If you can get the piece on a trailer, we’ll come get it — free within 60 miles of Ames. Text a photo and the tag to 515-292-2599 and we’ll tell you the same day what your oilfield equipment repair needs and roughly what it will cost.
How Much Does Oilfield Equipment Repair Cost?
Rig hydraulics take real money to repair, but that’s the trade-off for keeping equipment out of the OEM channel. Cylinder rebuild on drilling rig mast cylinders runs $800-$3,000 per cylinder depending on bore size and stroke. Mud pump fluid-end rebuilds are $1,500-$5,000 per pump-end depending on liner size. Frac pump fluid-end rebuilds run higher — $2,500-$8,000 — because of the abrasive fluids and heavier construction. Welded structural repair on skids, subframes, and mast steel is $500-$5,000 depending on scope. Full off-season overhauls on drilling rigs or service rigs land in the $10,000-$50,000+ range but represent months of extended equipment life at a fraction of a new-rig cost.
How Long Does Oilfield Equipment Repair Take?
Cylinder rebuilds turn in 3-7 days once seal kits are in-hand. Mud pump fluid-end rebuilds are 5-10 days depending on parts. Frac pump work is 7-14 days. Full off-season overhauls run 3-8 weeks depending on scope and how much fabrication is involved. If a rig is between contracts and you have a defined idle window, share the dates and we’ll build the schedule to fit.
Signs Your Oilfield Equipment Needs Attention
- Mast cylinder drift when the mast is up — cylinder seal wear or bypassing check valve
- Mud pump not building rated pressure — worn liners, damaged valves, or worn packing
- Excessive vibration under load — worn crossheads, connecting rod bearings, or crank bearings
- Cracks at skid frame, subframe, or truck mounts — cyclic fatigue, welded reinforcement needed
- Hydraulic oil contamination — oil sample analysis flagged wear metals
Frequently Asked Questions
Are you set up for large oilfield cylinders?
Yes. We have honing capacity for cylinder bores up through the sizes typical on drilling rigs and workover rigs. We pressure-test to real working pressure (not a token 500 PSI) before any cylinder goes back to the customer. That’s the specific reason large-bore rig cylinders come to our shop.
Can you rebuild mud pump fluid ends?
Yes — liners, pistons, valves, valve seats, and packing on duplex and triplex mud pumps. We stock common wear parts and can source specialty items in 3-5 days for most makes. Fluid-end rebuilds get pressure-tested before they go back to the rig.
Do you weld to API or specific oilfield standards?
For structural welded repair on rig and pump components, we follow the applicable spec — API, ASME, or the equipment manufacturer’s procedure — and document the repair. If your job has a specific standard tied to it, tell us up front and we match the procedure exactly.
What’s the smart time of year to schedule oilfield repair?
Off-season (winter shutdown, between contracts, defined idle windows) is by far the best time for major work. Emergency repairs during active operations cost more and turn slower. If you know your idle windows, share them — we’ll book preventive work in advance.
Do you handle Iowa-based oilfield manufacturers as well as operators?
Yes. Meaningful part of our oilfield workload is Iowa fabricators building oilfield equipment for shipment to the patch. If you’re producing oilfield product and want local hydraulic subassembly, cylinder rebuild capacity, or welded structural repair on returned units, that’s a real conversation to have with us.
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Written by Josiah Ragsdale
Owner, Ames Hydraulics — Ames, Iowa
Josiah owns and operates Ames Hydraulics. He has worked on hydraulic and heavy equipment since he was 18, and every hydraulic cylinder his shop rebuilds is pressure tested before it ships back to the customer. More about Josiah →
Got something broken? Call or text 515-292-2599