The document provides tips for maintaining hydraulic systems during winter, including checking for leaks and wear in hoses and fittings, looking for trouble points like dented lines, changing filters, ensuring the reservoir is clean and filled with the appropriate fluid, and changing breather filters. Proper maintenance can help prevent issues like leaks and decreased pressure or flow that are more likely in cold weather.

1. Hydraulics: Winter Tips
Advancing sophistication, operating pressures,
and closer tolerances mean that today’s
hydraulic systems require more careful
maintenance, and as winter approaches, these
demands increase.
Here are a few fundamental tips to help with
getting ready for cold-weather operation:
-Overall, the right operating temperature for a
hydraulic system is somewhere between 120-
degrees and 135-degrees Fahrenheit. Therefore,
check for areas where lower temperatures could
produce increased stress. With the system
working, take a look at all fittings and hoses and replace any that show wear or
leakage. If the system is frequently low on fluid, place a piece of cardboard where
you think the leak is taking place. Keep in mind, that under pressure hydraulic
fluid is hazardous; therefore, it is crucial to wear eye protection when working with
it.
-Looking for possible trouble points is vital for a number of reasons:
• Hoses that may have worked properly in summer can rupture under higher-pressures
due to winter starting
• Dented or pinched lines can trigger oil foaming, loss of power and
overheating.
• Air leaks can produce fluid-oxidation and develop harmful sludge and gum.
-Clean and flush the hydraulic reservoir and make certain that it is refilled with
hydraulic fluid that corresponds with the manufacturer’s suggestions for cold-weather
use. Differing brands of hydraulic fluids should never be mixed together
unless their agreeableness can be verified.
-Change all system filters. A filter that is partially clogged may function properly in
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2. the summer but can be pressured into by-pass status due to the pressures
generated in cold-weather starting. This situation should be avoided because
allowing unfiltered-fluid right into the system means additional wear on valves and
pumps.
-When utilizing filters with cellulose-media, think about changing well-matched
models with synthetic-media. Though cellulose-media can be just as capable in the
application, the additional expenditures of a synthetic-media filter is frequently
justified by its decreased restriction. This is crucial for winter starts and warm-ups
as this indicates that there is decreased pressure buildup ahead of the filter,
reduced likelihood for going into by-pass status, and reduced stress on the general
system.
-Moreover, if there is a breather-filter on the hydraulic reservoir, make certain this
is changed as well. The breather is often ignored, and if it is not functioning, there
can be dangerous condensation as temperatures fall.
Additional Tip:
Maintaining your hydraulic systems to keep them running properly in order to
avoid hydraulic repair can be challenging. Hydraulic motors and cylinders start to
leak, valves will not move or function correctly, and decrease in flow or pressure
takes place because of pumps becoming less efficient. Filters become congested
and limit flow to and from the system. Though most of these issues could be
because of normal wear and tear within a hydraulic system, proper maintenance,
usage, and setup can help avert early wear and increase the life of any hydraulic
system through summer and winter.
For assistance with hydraulic repair or maintenance, give us a call or fill out our
form for more information. We’ll be happy to help you get your gear ready for
winter.
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