That $600 hydraulic pump I tried to rebuild myself

My old pump on the barge started making this grinding noise two months ago, so I figured I could save some cash by rebuilding it myself instead of buying new. Watched a bunch of videos from guys who made it look easy (you know how that goes) and ordered a rebuild kit for $85. After three Saturdays of fighting with seals and trying to get the clearances right, I finally got it back together and it lasted about 4 hours before it seized up completely. Ended up having to buy a brand new pump from the local supplier for $600 plus a rush delivery fee, and I lost two full days of production waiting on it. The worst part was my buddy across the dock had a used one sitting in his truck bed that he would have sold me for $150. Has anyone else here tried rebuilding pumps and actually made it work, or is it one of those jobs you just leave to the shop?

2 comments

2 Comments

uma_nguyen2413d ago

85 bucks sounds about right, but that kit probably wasn't meant for a high-pressure barge pump.

lucas_perez13d ago

Idk man, 85 bucks seems steep for something that might not even hold up under pressure. I've seen cheaper kits that do the same job if you know what to look for. Maybe it's just me but I wouldn't drop that much unless I was sure it was rated for the application. You gotta check the specs before you buy or you're just throwing money away.