What Is a Clevis Mount Hydraulic Cylinder?

by | Jul 23, 2026 | single acting cylinder


A clevis mount hydraulic cylinder has a forked clevis bracket at the cap end — and often at the rod end as well — through which a mounting pin passes, allowing the cylinder to pivot freely as it extends and retracts. This pivoting capability is the defining feature of clevis mount hydraulic cylinders: where a flange mount cylinder must be perfectly aligned with the load direction throughout the full stroke, a clevis mount hydraulic cylinder accommodates the angular change that occurs when the load attachment point moves through an arc. This makes clevis mount cylinders the standard choice for agricultural implements, excavator linkages, tipper mechanisms, and log splitters worldwide.

HCYY11112017 towing lifting agricultural machinery clevis mount pin eye cylinder

How Clevis Mounting Works

The clevis mount is a U-shaped bracket — two parallel arms (the fork) with aligned pin holes through both arms. A cylindrical pin passes through the clevis fork and through a matching eye in the machine structure, securing the cylinder end at that pivot point while allowing it to rotate freely about the pin axis. On a double-clevis cylinder (clevis at both ends), the cap-end clevis pivots on the machine frame and the rod-end clevis (or pin eye) pivots at the load attachment point. As the rod extends, the cylinder swings in the plane perpendicular to both pins, naturally following the arc of the load attachment point. This is what makes a clevis mount hydraulic cylinder geometrically self-aligning — it accommodates the geometry rather than forcing the load into a fixed line.

Standard Clevis Mount Configurations

CB

Cap-End Clevis + Rod Pin Eye

The most common configuration. Cap-end clevis pivots on the machine frame; rod-end pin eye pivots at the load. Used in agricultural hitch cylinders, trailer tipping cylinders, and general mobile machinery.

CC

Double Clevis (Both Ends)

Clevis mounts at both cap end and rod end. Used where both pivot points need maximum angular freedom and the load geometry requires pivot capability at both attachment points. Common in heavy equipment and long-stroke applications.

CS

Cap-End Clevis + Spherical Rod Eye

Rod-end fitted with a spherical rod eye bearing that compensates for out-of-plane misalignment. Used where the load attachment point moves in two planes rather than a simple arc — steering cylinders and complex linkages.

CF

Cap-End Clevis + Rod Flange

Clevis at cap end for pivot; flange at rod end for fixed linear connection. Used where the rod end attaches to a linearly guided load that must be pushed with no angular displacement.

Clevis Dimensions: What to Measure for Replacement

Dimension What to Measure Why It Matters
Pin bore diameter Hole diameter through both clevis arms Must match the machine’s mounting pin exactly — undersized won’t fit, oversized allows play
Clevis width (jaw width) Gap between the two clevis arms Must match the width of the machine’s mating bracket — too narrow won’t clear it
Clevis arm thickness Thickness of each fork arm Determines shear area; must be adequate for the pin shear load
Centre-to-centre distance Distance from pin centreline to cylinder cap face Affects the collapsed length calculation for fitting in the available installation envelope
Pin material and grade Steel grade of the supplied pin Determines shear capacity; must be confirmed for the cylinder’s rated extension force
Agricultural hydraulic cylinder piston rod clevis pin eye assembly measurement

Clevis mount hydraulic cylinders from Ever-Power are available with standard clevis dimensions matching agricultural and construction industry norms, or with custom clevis bore, width, and arm dimensions to match specific machine installations. Single acting and double acting configurations are available in the same clevis mount format. For replacement clevis mount cylinders, provide the pin bore diameter, clevis jaw width, bore size, stroke, and working pressure — Ever-Power confirms dimensional match before manufacturing. Submit your clevis dimensions to the engineering team for a rapid quotation.

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Frequently Asked Questions

1. What is a clevis mount hydraulic cylinder?+
A clevis mount hydraulic cylinder has a forked clevis bracket at the cap end (and optionally at the rod end) through which a pin passes, allowing the cylinder to pivot as it extends. This pivoting capability makes the clevis mount hydraulic cylinder the standard choice for applications where the load attachment point moves through an arc during the stroke — agricultural linkages, excavator booms, log splitters, tipper hinge mechanisms, and any machinery where the cylinder swings as it works.
2. What is the difference between a clevis mount and a flange mount hydraulic cylinder?+
A clevis mount hydraulic cylinder pivots on a pin through a forked bracket, allowing angular movement during the stroke. A flange mount cylinder is bolted to a fixed plate, providing no angular movement — the cylinder and load must be in perfect linear alignment throughout the full stroke. Clevis mounts suit applications with arc-travel geometry; flange mounts suit fixed linear applications. Using a flange mount where a clevis is needed side-loads the rod, causing premature seal and bearing failure.
3. How do I size a clevis pin for a hydraulic cylinder?+
The clevis pin must be sized to carry the full cylinder extension force in shear across the two fork faces. Pin shear stress = Force ÷ (2 × Pin Cross-Section Area). Use a safety factor of 2–3 on the pin yield strength. Standard clevis pins are available in grades from mild steel to high-tensile alloy steel (Grade 8.8 or 10.9 equivalent). For cylinders above 50 kN extension force, use hardened steel pins in bronze or self-lubricating polymer bushings.
4. Can a clevis mount hydraulic cylinder be used horizontally?+
Yes — clevis mounts are used in both vertical and horizontal orientations. The clevis allows the cylinder to pivot in the plane of the pin, accommodating arc-travel geometry in any orientation. For horizontal clevis mount applications, confirm that the cylinder has either a spring return (for single acting) or double acting hydraulic retraction — gravity does not assist retraction in horizontal mounting regardless of clevis type.
5. How do I specify a clevis mount hydraulic cylinder?+
Specify: bore diameter, stroke, working pressure rating, cap-end clevis bore diameter and clevis width (the gap between the fork arms), rod-end mount type (pin eye, threaded rod end, or clevis), and whether the clevis is fixed (standard) or spherical (allows out-of-plane angular compensation). Also specify material — standard carbon steel for most applications, stainless steel for corrosive environments. Provide the pin hole diameter and fork width from the existing machine mount as the critical matching dimensions.