Hydraulic System Flush – And How to Avoid It

Not an ideal pump mounting positionThe objective of flushing a hydraulic system is to eliminate sludge, varnish, debris and contaminated or degraded fluid from conductor walls and other internal surfaces and system dead spots.

Reasons for performing a system flush include:

1. Fluid degradation – resulting in sludge, varnish or microbial deposits.
2. Major failure – combined with filter overload, which disperses debris throughout the … Read more

The 2 Ways to Get a Hydraulics Education

hydraulic cylinder failureA couple of questions I received from members in the past week got me thinking about how people divide into two groups when it comes to information: those who are willing to pay for it, and those who are not.

The first member explains how he has just paid $10,000 for an old crawler tractor that needs works. He says: … Read more

Hydraulic Filters. And Apples

Filter used on a filter cartHaving the right filters in the right places is essential to the success of the contamination control effort. But it can be easily compromised by buying filters on price alone. Like any other aftermarket or non-genuine part, replacement filter elements vary in both quality and price. And there are risks in installing ‘will fit’ filter elements.

The first is, if … Read more