Updated: 8 September 2026
Transporting a large or damaged hydraulic cylinder can be difficult, time-consuming and disruptive — especially when the machine is already out of service.
Completely Hydraulic offers a free hydraulic cylinder repair collection service for qualifying repair work, helping customers move damaged rams and cylinders into the CH workshop network without arranging their own transport.
The process is simple: we assess the collection requirement, arrange suitable collection where eligible, inspect the cylinder in the workshop and then advise on the appropriate repair, refurbishment or replacement route.
Completely Hydraulic can collect qualifying hydraulic cylinders for repair, transport them into the CH workshop network, assess the damage and carry out the required repair or refurbishment. Eligibility depends on factors such as location, cylinder size, accessibility and the repair requirement.
Typical Collection & Repair Process
1. Tell us about the cylinder
Provide the location, machine type, approximate cylinder size and a description of the fault.
2. Confirm collection suitability
CH assesses whether the cylinder qualifies for free collection and what access or handling arrangements may be required.
3. Arrange collection
Where eligible, collection is arranged so the cylinder can be transported into the appropriate CH workshop.
4. Inspect the cylinder
The cylinder is assessed to identify the actual repair requirement.
5. Repair or refurbish
The required repair work is carried out based on the condition of the rod, bore, gland, seals and other components.
6. Return to service
Once the repair is complete and final checks are carried out as appropriate, return arrangements can be made.
The service is particularly useful for businesses dealing with:
Collection suitability depends on the actual cylinder, site access, handling requirements and location.
“Free collection” does not mean every cylinder in every location can automatically be collected. CH should first confirm the cylinder size, location, accessibility and repair requirement.
Large hydraulic cylinders can be awkward to transport and may require suitable handling equipment.
Collection can help reduce the burden of:
For many operators, the biggest benefit is simply getting the cylinder into the repair process more easily.
The repair route should be based on the cylinder’s actual condition rather than assuming it only needs new seals.
Assessment can include:
Depending on the cylinder and condition, CH can support work including:
The exact scope depends on what is found after inspection.
See Hydraulic Ram & Cylinder Repair.
Seal failure is a common reason cylinders are sent for repair, but seals should not automatically be treated as the root cause.
Recurring seal failure may be associated with:
Replacing the seals without correcting the underlying problem can result in another leak soon afterwards.
The condition of the piston rod is critical to cylinder reliability.
Common rod problems include:
Depending on the severity of the damage, a rod may be suitable for repair, reconditioning or replacement.
Where a suitable replacement is not available, CH can also support component and cylinder manufacturing depending on the application.
See Hydraulic Cylinder Manufacturing.
Not every damaged hydraulic cylinder should automatically be refurbished.
| Factor | Why It Matters |
|---|---|
| Extent of damage | Severe structural or internal damage may change whether repair remains practical. |
| Repairability | Rod, bore, gland and mounting condition affect the available repair options. |
| Replacement availability | Older or specialist cylinders may be difficult or slow to source. |
| Downtime | Repair and replacement lead times can affect the best commercial decision. |
| Machine value and future use | The expected service life of the equipment should be considered. |
See Repair or Replace Your Hydraulic Cylinder?.
A cylinder may fail because of more than ordinary component wear.
Possible underlying causes include:
If the same cylinder repeatedly damages rods or seals, simply replacing worn parts may not prevent the fault returning. Machine alignment, contamination, load and operating conditions may need investigation too.
Construction cylinders often operate in mud, dust, water and highly loaded applications.
Collection may be useful for cylinders removed from:
See Construction Hydraulic Services.
Hydraulic cylinders are also widely used in industrial machinery where downtime can interrupt production.
Applications can include:
Where the cylinder cannot be repaired on the machine, collection into the workshop can provide a practical route.
Marine and port environments can expose cylinder components to moisture, contamination and corrosion.
Rod condition, sealing surfaces, mounting wear and environmental exposure should therefore be considered during repair.
See Ports & Dockside Hydraulic Services.
No.
The free cylinder collection service is primarily a route for transporting qualifying cylinders into the CH workshop network for repair.
An urgent hydraulic breakdown on a working machine may instead require a mobile hydraulic engineer.
For example:
See 24/7 Site Mobile Hydraulic Service.
No. Collection arrangements depend on the individual job.
CH may need to consider:
Providing photographs and approximate dimensions when requesting collection can help the team assess the job.
Useful information includes:
This helps determine the most practical collection and repair route.
Completely Hydraulic operates four trade-counter and engineering locations:
Collection availability depends on the job and location, so it should be confirmed with the CH team before transport arrangements are made.
Birmingham and the wider West Midlands are supported through CH mobile engineering.
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✔ 30-day credit terms (approved accounts)
Completely Hydraulic combines collection, workshop engineering, cylinder repair and manufacturing capability within one hydraulic service network.
Support can include:
The objective is to choose the correct repair route for the actual cylinder rather than applying the same solution to every failure.
✓ Confirm the cylinder has been made safe and removed where required.
✓ Have the collection address ready.
✓ Provide approximate cylinder dimensions.
✓ Tell CH about access or handling restrictions.
✓ Provide photographs where possible.
✓ Describe the fault and any previous repair history.
CH’s free hydraulic cylinder repair collection service removes one of the practical barriers to getting a large or damaged cylinder into the workshop. For qualifying repairs, we can arrange collection, assess the cylinder and then advise on the most appropriate repair, refurbishment or replacement route.
Send CH the cylinder details, site location and photographs where possible so the team can confirm collection suitability and the next step.
Yes. CH offers free collection for qualifying hydraulic cylinder repair work, subject to location, cylinder size, accessibility and the repair requirement.
Not automatically. Collection depends on the location, cylinder dimensions, access requirements and the nature of the repair.
That depends on the job. In many cases the cylinder will need to be safely removed before collection, while other situations may require separate mobile engineering support.
Useful information includes location, machine type, cylinder dimensions, photographs, fault description and whether the cylinder has already been removed.
Depending on condition, CH can support seal replacement, rod work, gland and piston repair, mechanical repair, refurbishment and custom cylinder manufacture.
Sometimes, but the rod, gland and other components should be inspected because recurring leakage can result from damage, contamination, misalignment or side loading.
Yes. CH supports hydraulic cylinder repair for construction, industrial and heavy equipment, subject to the cylinder and application.
Yes. CH can support custom hydraulic cylinder manufacturing where appropriate to the application.
No. Cylinder collection and 24/7 mobile breakdown support are different services. Urgent machine breakdowns may require a mobile hydraulic engineer rather than collection.
CH operates locations in Harlow, Dagenham, Belvedere and Hayes, with Birmingham and the wider West Midlands supported through mobile engineering.
