Türkçe
Русский
Español
العربيةDump Trailer Hydraulic Cylinder: Types and Sizing
A dump trailer cylinder lifts the loaded body around its rear hinge. The force it needs is highest at the very start of the lift, when the body is flat and the load's centre of gravity is farthest from the hinge.
Fenitsa builds telescopic and single-stage cylinders for tipping bodies to drawing; the sizing method below applies to any of them.
Three Common Layouts
- Front-mount telescopic — a single-acting telescopic cylinder at the front of the body; long stroke, compact closed length.
- Scissor hoist — a double-acting cylinder under the body works through a scissor linkage; low mounting height.
- Direct-lift under-body — one or two cylinders under the floor; simple, for smaller trailers.
How to Calculate the Lifting Force
Starting force F ≈ W × (a ÷ b) ÷ sin α, where W is the weight of body plus payload, a the horizontal distance from the hinge to the centre of gravity, b the distance from the hinge to the cylinder attachment, and α the angle between cylinder and floor at the start of the lift.
Example: W = 10 t, a ÷ b = 0.5 (cylinder at the front, load centred), α = 70° → F ≈ 5.32 t. With a 25 % reserve the cylinder needs 6.65 t, which a Ø80 mm stage delivers at 160 bar (8.2 t). On a telescopic cylinder this is the first, largest stage; the force needed falls as the body rises.
Force by Bore at 160 bar
For a telescopic cylinder read the bore of the first (largest) stage.
| Bore | Metric tonnes | US tons | lbf |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ø63 mm (2.48") | 5.1 | 5.6 | 11,213 |
| Ø80 mm (3.15") | 8.2 | 9.0 | 18,080 |
| Ø100 mm (3.94") | 12.8 | 14.1 | 28,250 |
| Ø125 mm (4.92") | 20.0 | 22.1 | 44,141 |
| Ø160 mm (6.30") | 32.8 | 36.2 | 72,321 |
Practical Points
- Lift on level ground: a side slope loads the cylinder and hinge sideways.
- Single-acting telescopic cylinders lower under the body's weight; the lowering speed is set by the valve.
- Protect the stages from road dirt with good wipers.
Frequently Asked Questions
What size cylinder do I need for a dump trailer?
Calculate the starting force with F ≈ W × (a ÷ b) ÷ sin α and add 25 %. For a 10 t load centred on the body with the cylinder at the front, about 6.7 t at the first stage — a Ø80 mm bore at 160 bar.
Telescopic or scissor hoist?
Telescopic cylinders give the long stroke needed for steep tipping angles; scissor hoists suit trailers with low frame height.
Why is the force highest at the start?
When the body is flat, the centre of gravity is farthest from the hinge and the cylinder angle is least favourable.
Are dump cylinders single-acting?
Front-mount telescopic cylinders usually are; scissor hoists often use double-acting cylinders.
Send Us Your Cylinder Data
Bore, rod, stroke, working pressure, mountings and quantity — or a drawing or photo of the cylinder you want to replace. Our engineers reply with a technical proposal and a quotation.
Related Pages
Hydraulic cylinders for dump trucks
Tipper bodies
Telescopic hydraulic cylinder
Multi-stage cylinders
Telescopic cylinder for a tipper
Selection guide
10-ton hydraulic cylinder
Bore and force
Force calculator
Any bore and pressure