Before running a hydraulic hammer on your backhoe, mini-excavator, or crawler excavator, nearly everyone installs a front windshield guard or rock shield to protect the glass from breakage.

Why not protect the much more expensive and difficult-to-remove and repair cylinder rods?

Hydraulic cylinder rod damage costs thousands of dollars in downtime and oil leakage on the job site. One ding, dent, scratch, or gouge from rock or other debris will carry out a small cup of oil, with its jagged edges often cutting piston or gland seals, resulting in cylinder leakage onto what are increasingly becoming “sensitive” job sites.    

A hydraulic hammer is designed to smash rock and concrete, with resultant debris flying in all directions, especially towards the bucket cylinder and boom cylinders. If you have a drill rig, scrap shear, scrap material handler or grapple, jaw crusher, or crushing plant, dropping the grapple onto jagged scrap metal or falling rock or debris from the conveyor are all ways to put your expensive cylinder rods in harm’s way. Aside from the leaks and expense of replacing or re-chroming the cylinder rod, you will also have the added expense of removing the hydraulic cylinders-often using two men and a machine to assist.  

From years of experience in hydraulic breakers and the rental world, Gorilla has learned the damage that a hydraulic breaker can cause to a carrier due to flying rock.  A large majority of hydraulic cylinder leaks are caused by damage to the cylinder rod.

Cylinder rod protectors, also known as cylinder guards, seal savers, protective cylinder boots, cylinder shields, cylinder covers, and cylinder rod shields, are a great way to protect your excavator cylinder rods, save on seals and downtime, and take only a few minutes to install.

The most common cylinder rod protector or cylinder guard against impact damage is ballistic nylon,  but these can be made to resist heat and chemicals in severe plant conditions in steel plants, aluminum plants, forges, and smelting applications.  Reaching into a pot with the arm or stick of the excavator or backhoe to clear out the slag subjects your cylinder rod to damage from flying metal, and the heat can melt the seals.  The caustic chemicals used in such industrial, metal-producing plants can also deteriorate the chrome and cause cylinder rod and hydraulic seal damage.

Kevlar: is resistant to chemicals and acids, as well as heat up to 650 degrees Fahrenheit

Silica: It protects against heat up to nearly 2000 degrees Fahrenheit.

Aluminized Kevlar: Resists heat and abrasion up to 650 degrees Fahrenheit.

Call a Gorilla Hammers advisor today to protect your carrier’s cylinder rods, and save money and downtime.

Protecting your hydraulic cylinder rods is crucial for avoiding expensive downtime and repairs. Installing cylinder rod protectors, such as ballistic nylon, Kevlar, silica, or aluminized Kevlar, provides reliable defense against impacts, heat, and chemicals. Take a few minutes to shield your excavator cylinder rods and save on maintenance costs. Ensure the longevity and efficiency of your equipment by contacting us at (888) 814-6745 for more information