Types of Hydraulic Cylinders

What is a hydraulic cylinder?

A hydraulic cylinder is a tube closed at one end with a movable rod inside. There is a piston inside the cylinder. The piston separates the inside of the cylinder from the outside. Fluid moves to both sides of the cylinder to extend or retract the rod. Hydraulic cylinders are important components of earth-moving machinery such as excavators and wheel loaders, which convert hydraulic pressure into linear motion to facilitate the lifting and moving of heavy materials. Hydraulic cylinders can push, pull and lift different types of loads of different weights and sizes.

Types of hydraulic cylinders

Bucket cylinders

The bucket cylinder allows the movement of the bucket or any other accessory mounted on the quick hitch. Bucket cylinders are attached to rods or arms. It exerts a cavity force on the machine. The bucket filling machine mainly uses bucket cylinders and balance cylinders. The speed of these cylinders is not a priority, but their force is essential. The larger the radius is, the lower the digging force will be. The bucket cylinder is subject to intense foreign body exposure due to prolonged contact with dust, debris and impacts. Although the antiparticle seal expands over time, dust buildup inside the barrel is unavoidable. The accumulation of such foreign matter in the cylinder will seriously damage the cylinder, causing the cylinder to leak, scratch and even pollute the hydraulic pump.

Lift cylinders

The lift cylinder is structurally a very important part of the crane. The outriggers keep the crane level and elevated off the ground. Much like the outrigger, the lift cylinder support the boom and everything involved with the boom, like the load, jib, etc. Using a lift cylinder allows the arm to move and verify the effort made by the machine while lifting the materials.

Arm cylinders

Arm cylinders allow digging movement through the controls and determines its ideal position for the type of work to be done. However, they’re subject to many potential breakdowns -- any of which can cause your machine to go down, halting your progress on the job.

Suspension cylinders

Suspension cylinders are used for hydro-pneumatic chassis suspension of mobile cranes. This kind of cylinders generate mechanical force during linear motion and are suitable for a variety of applications. They are often used to press, pull, push or lift something that requires special strength.

Steering cylinders

The steering cylinder is basically a hydraulic ram that is attached to the steering linkage and it allows you to drive the excavator in the desired direction.