Main boom cylinder is leaking a bit around the main seal. I'm talking the seal that rides on the ram just to be clear. How much of a pain is it to replace this seal and is it something a average mechanic can do? thanks
The seal you are talking about is a wiper seal, meant to clean off the rod before it enters the barrel, the high pressure seals are behind the whisper. Not undo able for average mechanic, I would suggest enlisting someone who has done one as a helper though.
Overworked is right, it's the wiper seal. Get the right mechanic.
You have to be capable of removing the piston from the rod in order to slide the rod guide off and replace the seals. Most of the time the nut on the end of the rod is VERY tight and will require more tooling than the average owner/operator has available. There are a few exceptions and I can't remember on a JD 200 exactly.
Well shoot thats kinda what i figured the answer would be but i thought it was worth a shot. This winter ill have to pull it off and go to the local cylinder shop. thanks
If you do the rod seals, do the piston seals. Many rod seal failures are contributed to by the pressure multiplication that happens due to piston seals bypassing. Mind you it can be either piston bypassing on a twin boom cylinder set. If you have more than a little boom drift with a full bucket lifted up and the controls all in neutral, it would be best to do both cylinders at the same time. :IMO