What Hydraulic Cylinder Do I Need for My Dump Body?
Before purchasing a replacement hydraulic cylinder for a dump truck body, it is important to understand your truck’s specifications, lift measurements, and criteria to ensure your hydraulic cylinder can meet your daily work demands.
Dump Truck Telescopic Hydraulic Cylinders
Telescopic hydraulic cylinders are the most common cylinder for dump trucks. Compared to welded rod cylinders, telescopic cylinders are well-suited for dump truck work due to their versatile designs. Telescopic cylinders provide the necessary stroke length capabilities in a compact design needed for effective dump body operations.
Two main configurations are available: single-acting telescopic cylinders and double-acting telescopic cylinders. While double-acting cylinders provide high-quality and versatile performances, most dump truck jobs are satisfied with cost-effective, low-maintenance single-acting cylinders.
Determining Dump Truck Lift Cylinder Requirements
Measuring the requirements of lift cylinders for dump truck front mounts, frame types, and dump bodies might seem like guesswork, but they are established through a few simple calculations. Follow these instructions to accurately determine the requirements for lifting a fully loaded dump body, including the necessary stroke.
Note: these calculations will not work for a framer or twin underbody hoist. Call 888-771-1894 for assistance calculating lift requirements for these dump truck configurations.
Measurements Needed to Calculate Dump Truck Cylinders Lift Requirements
Begin by determining where the hinge of the dump body is and then measure from that point forward to the center of the load, which is generally near the middle of the dump body. Be sure to take that measurement in inches. From that same hinge location, measure forward to where the cylinder connects to the dump body. This measurement will be larger than the previous and should also be in inches. This is the cylinder base point.
These two numbers, plus the weight of the load, are critical for calculating dump hoist cylinders lift requirements.
Dump Angle Multipliers
Because the laws of physics work in our favor, the initial hydraulic cylinder force will make the highest demands. As the hydraulic cylinder extends, the necessary force will decrease as the dump body rises.
- To calculate the initial force required for lifting, take the load in pounds and multiply it by the distance from hinge to load center.
- Divide the result by the distance from the hinge to the lifting point to determine the initial force required to lift the load.
For example, say you need to lift 50,000lbs of load with 85” to the center and 166” to the cylinder base point.
- 50,000 x 85 = 4,250,000
- 4,250,000 / 166 = 25602.4
To complete this job, you would require a cylinder capable of lifting 25,063lbs of force.
Determining the Needed Stroke
After calculating the lifting force required for your dump truck telescopic hydraulic cylinder, you can determine the stroke needed based on the dump body.
- You will again use the measurement from the hinge to the hydraulic cylinder base point on the dump body. You then use a “multiplier,” a number based on the dump angle, to get the required stroke.
- Most normal dump angles range from 45-57 degrees. Use the chart on the left to identify your correct multiplier, and then multiply the base length in inches with the multiplier to get the stroke.
For example, say your measurement of the hinge to the cylinder base is 166” with a multiplier of .845 (or 50 degrees):
- 166 x .845 = 140.27
That gives you a stroke length of 140”.
The Best Replacement Lift Cylinders for Dump Trucks
Once you’ve made the necessary calculations and determined your dump truck lift cylinder requirements, Hydraulic Cylinders, Inc. is here to support your operations. We are your #1 source for built-to-last replacement telescopic cylinders for dump trucks and dump hoist cylinder knowledge. In addition to our vast and ready-to-ship hydraulic cylinder inventory, we offer custom telescopic options to fit your exact specifications.
Ready to get started? Fill out our cylinder calculations app or request a quote today! Our expert team will tackle any question and provide the best replacement cylinders for dump truck bodies.
