Clarke Strongarm repair

[seadog]

I've had a Clarke strongarm kit for some 26 years, and who knows how old it was before I got it. Anyway, due to lack of space, it's been left in the garden for about three years and, of course, the piston has rusted. I've had it in mind to repair this for some time so being at a loose end last week I decided to set to. I contacted Clarke's and ordered what they seemed to think were the right seals for it.
The lever was removed and the piston pulled out. You can see in the 4th image where the rod has necked.
The resolution I decided up was to sleeve it with A2/304 stainless tubing which I ordered at the same time from that well known auction site. It was with me next day too!

Pictures 5 and 6 show the rod reduced to the tube bore size, plus a bito and then the finish turned piston.

The seals turned up next day. Normally I'd have dismantled before ordering anything, but how could it possibly go wrong?  Picture 7 is what they thought I'd need and picture 8 is in fact what came out 
Yes, a stack of nylon cup waslers together with a shaped 'O' ring upper seal. I could of course. at this stage, just stuffed the lot back in and cross my fingers that everything would be all right, which, of course, it probably would have been. But hey, we are Mad Modders are we not?

The solution I adopted is to follow.
 

[seadog]

The Fix!!!

I decided to make a steel plug and fit the hydraulic rod seal into the bottom of it, this of course would need sealing at the bottom, so after sorting through the fibre washer draler I came upon one of the correct OD andof thin sectisn, which was perfect for the job - Picture 9

The adjusting collar was machined flat to abut the plug - picture 10
I decided to fit an 'O' ring in the outer mazac locking collar, but had a quick shufty through my seal drawer and produced an 18x12x4 seal that was spot on for the job, so after relieving the collar, that was pressed into place - picture 11.

The parts laid out - picture 12 and, as assembled - picture 13.

It was at this point I thought I ought to make a peg spanner for the collars. I had a quick look in the scrap bin and found something of the right diameter, give or take, and produced said item - pictures 14 and 15. It's a strange piece of steel and is the last piece that I had left of what was an arbor press spindle that had been badly strained. A tough bit of steel, but perfect for the job. a bit of sawing, drilling and filing later and two 5mm silver steel pegs were fitted.

Job Done! and working ferfectly again. 

I hope this wasn't too tedious a read, but it was about time I posted something useful on here.

[awemawson]

Nice fix Seadog 

But next time you chuck a good bit of kit out in the garden for a few years slather it with Shell Ensis and it will save all that bother 

[seadog]

Thanks Andrew.
Not quite up to the standards you achieve, but it's a start. I'm eagerly looking forward to the next instalment of new workshop vehicle store.