Welded VS Bolted hydraulic cylinder?

[unioncreek]

I'm looking at a hydraulic cylinder for the tilt on my loader and have noticed that the price varies between the welded and bolted one's. Is there a difference in performance and quality of the two and can the welded ones be repaired as easily as the bolted together one's.

Thanks,
Bobg

 

[Renze]

Bolted hydraulic cylinders is an American thing. Here in Europe they dont make them that way at all, and the odd one to be seen here, is the same Chinese stuff that you guys get retailed by Harbour Freight.
You can allways unscrew the caps of welded cylinders because they arent fully welded: only the end cap is welded on, the front part (from which the piston sticks out) is screwed into the tube.

Off course it depends on how its built, but as a rule of thumb i think cylinders with welded or screwed caps are more sturdy than those that hang together with some threaded rods: Especially on long rods, they need a lot of pre-tension because the full length can stretch out, and lead to leakage if stretched further than the seals can make up for.

It might be cheaper to manufacture, because the DOM tube only has to be chopped to length and deburred, not requiring the extra welding and thread machining, which are extra steps in the manufacturing process.
In high end applications, i dont think you'll see any cylinders held together with threaded rods.

 

[Wayne County Hose]

Bolted hydraulic cylinders is an American thing. Here in Europe they dont make them that way at all, and the odd one to be seen here, is the same Chinese stuff that you guys get retailed by Harbour Freight.
You can allways unscrew the caps of welded cylinders because they arent fully welded: only the end cap is welded on, the front part (from which the piston sticks out) is screwed into the tube.

Off course it depends on how its built, but as a rule of thumb i think cylinders with welded or screwed caps are more sturdy than those that hang together with some threaded rods: Especially on long rods, they need a lot of pre-tension because the full length can stretch out, and lead to leakage if stretched further than the seals can make up for.

It might be cheaper to manufacture, because the DOM tube only has to be chopped to length and deburred, not requiring the extra welding and thread machining, which are extra steps in the manufacturing process.
In high end applications, i dont think you'll see any cylinders held together with threaded rods.

Very well said from a different perspective than we on this side of the pond have.

The tie rod cylinders are a little easier to rebuild.

 

[Renze]

Very well said from a different perspective than we on this side of the pond have.

It seems acceptable in the USA... but over here, if the company i work, showed a payloader with tie rod cylinders on a fair, that would be a total embarrassment...

 

[Wayne County Hose]

It seems acceptable in the USA... but over here, if the company i work, showed a payloader with tie rod cylinders on a fair, that would be a total embarrassment...

Over here as long as it's cheap it's okay. And if it doesn't work, it's not an embarrassment, it's an experiment.

BTW, I don't agree with it, but it's what the American public has asked for. Now, they got it.

 

[RickB]

Over here as long as it's cheap it's okay. And if it doesn't work, it's not an embarrassment, it's an experiment.

BTW, I don't agree with it, but it's what the American public has asked for. Now, they got it.

How very, very true.

 

[EV59]

In the USA machinery needs to look HD and be functional. In Europe machinery needs to have Beauty-Smooth lines-and be functional.

Buy the cheaper cylinder...90% are made in China.

EV59

 

[Renze]

In the USA machinery needs to look HD and be functional. In Europe machinery needs to have Beauty-Smooth lines-and be functional.

Even though the American culture has strong roots in several European cultures, there is, and allways will be, a difference in many little things...

And: I'd rather put it the way that the European market requires the looks/appearance of sophisticated engineering, rather than just the looks of smooth design lines.... Lets put it this way: no two dogs are alike (read my signature)

 

[Wayne County Hose]

I'm looking at a hydraulic cylinder for the tilt on my loader and have noticed that the price varies between the welded and bolted one's. Is there a difference in performance and quality of the two and can the welded ones be repaired as easily as the bolted together one's.

Thanks,
Bobg

Bob,

If you get the tie-rod cylinder, you will probably never notice a difference on performance. The welded one is definately higher quality and will stand up to more abuse and last longer. However, for your application, the tie-rod will work just fine.

Andy

 

[Renze]

The welded one is definately higher quality and will stand up to more abuse and last longer. However, for your application, the tie-rod will work just fine.

I agree with that..
compact tractors would probably not go over 150 bar... construction applications go over 300 bar.. If i had to build something for a customer, i'd use "welded" cylinders because it looks better... if it was for myself, in this application i'd probably use whatever is cheapest..