Freeman Loader Cylinder Leaking around threads

[Jason S.]

I have a Freeman loader that was on my grandfathers MF 165. I can not find a tag on the loader to identify it but I would say the loader is mid 1960's. It is the kind of cylinders that has the four bolts around the packing and there is no oring. Recently while using the loader it started leaking from the threads where the cap screws down onto the cylinder tube. I have taken it apart but I do not see a gasket in there. What seals the cylinder tube to the cap? Is there supposed to be a gasket? Any kind of sealer on the threads? I have looked closely at the cap and did not find a crack in it. Any ideas? Thanks for your help.

 

[Bob]

I would clean the male and female threads of debris and oil, then reassemble it with a slather of the stuff shown below or equivalent. Don't OVERTIGHTEN to avoid breaking the casting.

<img src = "http://www.hardwareworld.com/files/pi/l4/X/W3AV.jpg">

 

[rrlund]

Any I've seen like that had a large o ring in a groove in the casting.

 

[dgoddard]

If I understand the geometry of the parts you described then either teflon tape or loctite ought to do the trick. Clean the threads thoroughly and apply the loctite to the threads. if the threads are pipe threads (threaded on a taper) then teflon tape might be preferred. I doubt that you need or want anything more than the blue loctite, although they may have a special grade for that application. Their tech people are most helpful give them a call or track them down on the internet. Loctite thread locker is not only for keeping threads from unscrewing but also for sealing the threads against leakage.

By the way, loctite not only keeps screws from coming loose, but also seals against corrosion, thereby assuring the threads can come apart. If you ever have to take something apart that was assembled with high strength (red) loctite, it lets go around 325 F or there abouts so warm it up a bit and unscrew it.

Beware, Red Loctite is wierd The screw starts to turn at one torque and then gets harder to keep turning. The other ones start to turn and then continue to turn at a lower torque than it took to start them.

 

[PJH]

My old Freeman loader had tapered pipe threads in the location that I think you're describing. The outer tube for the cylinder was a common pipe, about 2 inches, maybe 2 1/2 inches inside diameter. There was no internal piston, just a cylinder rod with a keeper to serve as a stop at full extension. The only leak I ever had on my cylinders was in the packing area where you mentioned the four bolts. It makes me think you have a tiny crack that you aren't seeing, or for some reason the head is loose on the tube.

 

[vscummins]

Get some of this