Hydraulic system maintenance
Three hydraulic maintenance ideas to assure equipment uptime.
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John Brown is Merlo's,lead technical support specialist who has more than 20 years of experience working with heavy equipment and hydraulic systems. |
Heavy machinery works hard. But when a hydraulic system goes down, work stops. For rental center managers and service techs, keeping equipment running is job number one. By using a smart diagnostic process, understanding your environment, and building safer workflows, you can prevent small issues from becoming big, costly problems.
John Brown, who is the lead technical support specialist for Merlo America has more than 20 years of experience working with heavy equipment and hydraulic systems. He shares some insights on what to look for and how to address the issues that inevitably arise.
Start with diagnostics
Is it an electrical issue, or is it truly about the hydraulics? Brown shares that his most common calls start with the big issues, like a machine function not working, being sluggish or not moving as it should, such as a cylinder moving one way, but not the other.
“One of the first things I ask a tech or operator is always: are the controls getting power? It’s important to start from the top of a system and work in order. Check whether the system is operating under a restriction, test the controls, ensure the system is receiving power and verify that the servos are working properly. Most times, we identify the root cause of any issue before we even start touching the true hydraulic system.”
When nothing is working, or just one function is blocked, don't guess. Check the controls, servos and the distributor first. Brown says if you're not achieving the expected maximum pressure after confirming the spool is opening, you can deadhead the two hydraulic lines to check whether the pressures normalize. This means blocking the hydraulic flow to a specific area to test the pressure. By doing this, you can easily find internal issues like a hidden leak or a bent part. He shared that this simple step-by-step check can save hours of wasted time.
Know your machine and your environment
Hydraulic fluid is the lifeblood of your machine and the weather and temperature change how that fluid acts. You must put the right fluid in the right system. The perfect fluid weight for a hot July in Florida will not work for a freezing January in Wisconsin. Brown shared that the first freeze of the year often creates a headache for service teams and leads to numerous calls about machines not functioning properly.
“I always know when it’s starting to get cold up north because that’s when my mornings start with phone calls about machines operating sluggishly or not at all. Usually, once the third or fourth customer calls in with a similar issue, service teams realize the weather is causing it. They can help operators work through ways to warm up their machines and return functionality.”
Brown recommends always checking the fluid specification on a machine and making sure that you’re using the right hydraulic fluid for your climate. For dealers and rental centers that cover a wide area or rotate machines from warmer to cooler clients, he recommends checking to ensure the correct fluids are in the machine for the locations where they’ll be working. An extra step during routine service can save major headaches on cold mornings.
It’s not simply about weather and temperature; checking service manuals to ensure the machine has the correct fluid is an important step, even on a machine with which technicians may be very familiar. “I always reference the service manual to make sure we’re servicing fluids at the right intervals. It’s a small thing, but when uptime is everything, I think it is worth it.”
A good workflow means everyone goes home clean and safe
Hydraulic systems operate under extreme heat and pressure, which means an accident can create a huge mess at best, waste money or cause injury on the worst days. Brown shares some of the ways he’s learned to help technicians save a mess and head home safely.
“When hunting for a leak or servicing a cylinder, there’s a lot that can go wrong. A pinpoint leak can shoot a jet of hot fluid and cut you. Heavy cylinders that experience a change in pressure can drop unexpectedly, or a boom can shift. That’s why safety gear like boom locks is an important tool to give technicians extra protection and time to get out from under a part that shifts.”
Even routine maintenance creates opportunities for waste. Brown prefers to go the extra step to drain and recycle hydraulic fluid when changing something routine like a filter. “A filter is the lowest point on a small hydraulic system, and all that hydraulic fluid sits in the reservoir just above the filter. A common mistake newer technicians make is trying to change a filter without thinking about where the fluid will go. It is easier and cleaner in the long run to drain the tank first or to pull a vacuum on it to preserve the fluid. It allows technicians to recycle the fluid back into the machine and save time, money and mess.”
Another common workflow best practice when servicing a hydraulic system is to inspect for potential failures before they occur. Brown says the wear and tear that naturally occurs where parts vibrate against each other or rub as components move in their normal function. He recommends visually checking hoses, fittings and other areas where friction happens. Securing those places now stops leaks before they happen.
Routine maintenance doesn't have to be a headache. By staying proactive, technicians can protect the equipment, the work crew and the bottom line.
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