Manually Extending Hydraulic Cylinder

[Walt123]

I have to replace one of my FEL hydraulic cylinders. Extremely rust pitted, slightly bent and leaking.
The closest match at Surplus Center is pretty much like original except that it has a clevis rod end that is too large to fit this application. My plan is to cut the eye end off the old cylinder and have it welded to the new.
To do this I plan on fully extending the the tube and wrap in wet rags to keep the heat from the seals.
My question is: Will the tube extend with just an air hose connected or is a higher pressure needed. I couldn't budge it by any manual means. Maybe a come-along?

 

[Dunk]

150 lbs of air will do a pretty good bit.

Your mission, should you decide to accept it, is to find out.

I had to back my air pressure down to below 40 lbs to do a head gasket leakage test on my 8N last week, any more and I couldn't keep the valves closed, it would turn the engine.

 

[old]

Doesn't take much air to extend one of them. Be careful doing it because with air they like to go from close to open in a heart beat and when they open if you or something is in the way look out. Guess how I know about that, yep learned it the hard way

 

[Walt123]

(quoted from post at 19:26:03 05/06/09) Doesn't take much air to extend one of them. Be careful doing it because with air they like to go from close to open in a heart beat and when they open if you or something is in the way look out. Guess how I know about that, yep learned it the hard way

Good to know. I'll have my wife hold that end

 

[old]

I was rebuilding one one time and used air to pop it out and it went flying across my shop and put a big dent in the wall. Sure would not have wanted to be on the receiving end of it when it flew

 

[Bob]

Air will cause it to move quick and NASTY one it starts to move.

You can always tug it out with a "come-along" and chains tied between two stationary objects.