Why Does a Hydraulic Cylinder Not Extend?

A hydraulic cylinder that will not extend has stopped receiving the pressure, flow, or mechanical clearance it needs to move. Unlike a slow-extending cylinder — which is a degree of the same problem — a hydraulic cylinder that will not extend at all provides a very...

Why Does a Hydraulic Cylinder Lose Pressure?

A hydraulic cylinder that loses pressure — allowing a raised load to drop gradually, a clamped workpiece to slip, or a pressed component to spring back — has a bypass path somewhere between the pump and the load. Finding that path requires distinguishing between...

How to Bleed Air from a Hydraulic Cylinder

Bleeding air from a hydraulic cylinder is a straightforward procedure when the correct technique is used — but skipping it after installation or maintenance produces a system that performs poorly from the first operation and may damage seals within hours. Air trapped...

What Is a Clevis Mount Hydraulic 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...