Working with hydraulic rams, the most important variables are the capacity, desired lift, and the space below the load. While those are the main three factors, in the world of hydraulics, your entire setup matters. While some variations have been made to achieve varying end goals, accessories can often achieve the same result when your project requires a solution that isn’t ready-made. Let’s go through a broad overview of just a few of the hydraulic accessories and how they can help you out on your next lift.

Pumps

• Electric single acting (Vacu-valve)
  • As you may ascertain from the parenthesis, the single acting variant of the electric pump has Venturi valves, or Vacu-valves. These valves create a vacuum-effect in the pump, drawing oil from the cylinder and back into the pump 3x faster.
  • Aids in retraction of single acting cylinders and rams, whether spring or load return.
• Electric double acting
  • Same pump as above without the need for the Venturi valve to draw out oil.
  • Runs on standard 115v single-phase power.
• Hand
  • Provides the greater control over the flow of oil, able to act as a needle valve of sorts.
  • The two-stage pump is only rated for single acting operation.
• Gas operated
  • The valve on the gas models has three-way operation with manual locking Vacu-valve, allowing for single and double acting operation.
• Split Flow
  • Operates on standard 115v single-phase power for increased versatility
  • For use with both single and double acting cylinders
  • Remote control pendant with selector switches for each outlet allows for single or multiple cylinder operation
  • Multiple outlets with equal flow for applications where near-synchronous lifting is necessary – tolerances of up to 4% are accepted
  • Notable applications – bridge deck lifting for bearing maintenance, stage lifting, leveling of structures
• Synchronous (EVO System) 
  • For use on projects where synchronous lifting is critical, accuracy to within 0.040” between leading and lagging cylinders.
  • Best suited for when numerous jacking points are necessary to lift at the same time – anywhere from 8 to 24 lifting points.

Valves

• Needle
  • Allows the user to manually dial in and regulate the pressure and relief of a cylinder when a controlled descent is essential.
  • Gradual and smooth adjustment to flow rate provides the most reliable method of controlling retraction of fluid when necessary.
• Check
  • Check valves can be added and utilized to prevent backflow of fluid in rams that are not equipped with locking collars and must be kept extended temporarily without a pump attached.
  • NOT a viable alternative to lock-nut or locking collar rams for long-term suspension of a load.

Hoses

• Hight flow HD & HDC 3/8” I.D. hoses are rated at 10,000 psi with minimum burst pressure of 30,000 psi. These hoses can achieve higher retraction speeds with minimal flow restriction.

Manifolds

• Available in 2-port and 4-port variants, can join together to create high-quantity setups.
• Allows for flow control to all cylinders in the setup, providing the ability to adjust flow rate to each cylinder.
• Can also direct flow to all or only selected cylinders at a given time. Greater precision with the lifting speed when paired with pressure gauges.

Pressure Gauges

• Suitable for up to 10,000 psi, allowing you to see actual pressure to each cylinder within a setup.
• Allows for manual adjustments to equalize pressures between rams.
• Accurate to +/- 1% full scale

Steel base

• Used to stabilize low-capacity or taller rams to prevent the likelihood of tipping
• Can also use to disperse ground forces over a larger surface area.

For more information on these products or others in our rental fleet, please click to chat with a live rental support specialist or give us a call at 800-878-7305.