large 4 pin socket

[Frank S]

A neighbor friend of mine does a lot of work for the same construction company that I do. He does mostly mobile work while I prefer not to go mobile any more than I have to, so when they called him out to repack a large hydraulic cylinder. After he had pulled the gland and the rod out he said he had no way to get the piston off without damaging it. This didn't matter anyway because it had a broken seal land and needed replacing.
Brooks told him to bring the new piston to me and ask me to make a socket for him
Here is what I made.
First I machined a cylinder and cut 4 flat pins then welded them to it



Then I made a sleeve to fit over the pins and the protrusion of the piston

Then wrapped the piston to protect it from weld splatter


A little clean up and this is what it became

I didn't notice while making it but the socket will only go on the piston in 1 position as 1 of the pin groves is not equally spaced around the piston with the others so the tool will probably only fit that piston if he ever has to repack the other cylinder we can only hope that one will be spaced the same way otherwise I will have to make another one for him the socket fits the piston tight enough that when you push it on you can pick up the piston by the socket