Rebuilt Hydraulic Cylinders — Tested, Warranted, Ready to Ship

Rebuilt Hydraulic Cylinders — What You Actually Get When You Order One

The market for rebuilt hydraulic cylinders ranges from carefully-rebuilt-and-pressure-tested units on one end to seal-swap-and-ship jobs on the other. When a customer orders rebuilt hydraulic cylinders from Ames Hydraulics, this is what they get: a cylinder that went through complete teardown, inspection, honing where needed, fresh rod if the old one failed spec, new seal kit, and pressure test at the working PSI it will actually see in service. The ticket lists the tested pressure and hold time. That is the difference between a real rebuild and a returned-under-warranty statistic.

How Our Rebuilt Hydraulic Cylinders Are Built

Every one of our rebuilt hydraulic cylinders goes through the same shop-floor process:

• Complete disassembly and hot-parts-wash of every internal component
• Barrel bore measured with bore gauges and honed to within spec
• Rod measured for straightness and chrome condition — replaced with fresh chrome rod from our stock if it fails inspection
• Piston, head, and gland inspected under bright light and replaced when worn past spec
• Fresh seal kit installed with correct orientation and backup rings
• Reassembly with correct torque and thread lubricant
• Pressure test at the working PSI on our shop test bench
• Functional cycle test through full stroke under load
• Serial number recorded and pressure test results printed on the ticket

Types of Rebuilt Hydraulic Cylinders We Ship

• Tie-rod cylinders — the most common on ag, industrial, and mobile equipment
• Welded body cylinders — construction and forestry
• Telescoping cylinders — dump beds, dump trailers, refuse trucks, multi-stage extend
• Single-acting — dump body hoists, log splitters, lift assemblies
• Double-acting — bucket, boom, tilt, and steering applications
• Cushioned end cylinders — press and precision-load applications

Equipment We Supply Rebuilt Hydraulic Cylinders For

• Tractor loader lift and tilt cylinders
• Skid steer bucket, tilt, and boom cylinders
• Excavator bucket, arm, and boom cylinders
• Wheel loader lift and tilt cylinders
• Dump truck and dump trailer hoist cylinders (single-acting and telescoping)
• Boom lift and aerial device leveling cylinders
• Snow plow angle and lift cylinders
• Combine and sprayer cylinders
• Log splitter cylinders
• Press and industrial machine cylinders

Why Ship-In Rebuilt Hydraulic Cylinders From Iowa

A national customer buying rebuilt hydraulic cylinders has two main options: order rebuilt cylinders from a big-box remanufacturer or send the original cylinder to a shop that will actually rebuild the specific unit you own. The remanufacturer approach means a “close enough” match with a rebuilt core swap and no traceable history. The ship-in approach means the cylinder that goes back on your machine is the one that came off it, rebuilt properly. We are set up for both. Ship us your cylinder, we rebuild it, we ship it back — usually 5 to 10 business days from receipt including inbound and outbound freight time.

Warranty and Test Documentation on Rebuilt Cylinders

Every one of our rebuilt hydraulic cylinders carries a 90-day warranty on parts and labor. The ticket includes: cylinder serial (if the barrel had one), test pressure PSI, hold time in minutes, tester initials, and date. If a warranty issue comes up, that documentation is what makes the warranty claim clean.

How Rebuilt Compares to New

A properly rebuilt hydraulic cylinder that measured within spec on the rebuild bench is functionally equivalent to a new cylinder, at a fraction of the cost. Where new makes sense is when the barrel is cracked, the rod is bent past straightening tolerance, or the housing is scored past honing. We tell you honestly which category your cylinder falls into after teardown. If new is the right call, we source the replacement and quote it before doing the swap.

Local Pickup or National Ship-In

Customers within 60 miles of Ames, Iowa get free pickup and delivery on trailered equipment. National customers ship us the cylinder and receive the rebuilt unit back on their preferred freight lane. Rebuilt hydraulic cylinders leave our shop labeled, packed for damage-free transit, and with a pressure test certificate.

Central Iowa Coverage

Local pickup and drop-off available across Ames, Ankeny, Boone, Nevada, Story City, Huxley, Slater, Cambridge, Colo, Roland, Ogden, Marshalltown, Newton, Grinnell, Des Moines metro (Waukee, Urbandale, Johnston, Grimes, Clive, West Des Moines, Norwalk, Indianola), Perry, Adel, Winterset, Knoxville, Pella, Oskaloosa, Iowa Falls, Webster City, Fort Dodge, and Carroll. National ship-in accepted from anywhere.

FAQ

Are your rebuilt hydraulic cylinders new-equivalent?
Functionally, yes. A properly rebuilt cylinder that measured within spec on our bench performs the same as new at a fraction of the cost. The exception is when core components have failed — barrel cracked, rod bent past spec — in which case new is the honest recommendation.

Do you ship rebuilt cylinders back to me or is this local only?
Both. Local within 60 miles of Ames gets free pickup and delivery. National ship-in is common — send us the cylinder, we rebuild it and ship it back on your preferred freight.

Do rebuilt hydraulic cylinders come with a warranty?
Yes. 90 days on parts and labor. Ticket includes tested pressure and hold time on the test bench.

What if the barrel or rod is beyond rebuild?
We tell you honestly after teardown. If the barrel is cracked or scored past honing, or the rod is bent past straightening, we quote the new component before proceeding.

Turnaround?
3 to 5 business days on standard tie-rod and welded body cylinders. 5 to 10 on telescoping and specialty units.

Do you keep rebuilt hydraulic cylinders on the shelf ready to ship?
For high-turnover models — common tractor loader lift, skid steer bucket, dump body hoist — yes. Ask when you call.

Do you rebuild specialty cylinders (position-sensing, cushioned, rod-lock)?
Yes, all of the above. Send us the spec.