Steering Cylinder Leakage — Repair or Replace?

When you see oil pooling under the front axle and steering feels heavy, the steering cylinder seals are gone. Two options: rebuild with a seal kit (₹1200-1500) or replace the whole cylinder (₹12000-15000). Rebuild is worth it IF the rod has no pitting or scoring — run your fingernail along the rod surface, any catch means score marks. If the rod is scored, the new seal will fail in 200 hours. Cylinder body bore should also be smooth — use a bore gauge to check ovality. JCB part 991/00136 cylinder includes a fresh rod. Rule of thumb: rebuild twice, then replace.