Wear Ring Installation Tips

29 January 2013

A wear ring guides the rod or piston inside a cylinder. Installation practices vary: some users fit the ring with its cut ends touching, while others leave a gap. If the ends touch and the wear ring is positioned ahead of the seal, the ring may act as a seal itself and prevent oil from reaching the seal behind it. The seal can then fail to work effectively, causing oil to leak from the cylinder.

The correct installation technique is to leave a gap between the cut ends so that oil can pass through to the seal behind the wear ring and allow it to operate effectively.

Correct seal installation helps extend component service life and reduce repair costs.