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Crawler Crane Lift Cylinder — Φ280mm Bore, 2200mm Stroke, 31.5MPa
Φ280mm Bore · 2200mm Stroke · 31.5MPa Rated Pressure — engineered for heavy-lift crawler crane operations across construction, infrastructure, and marine sectors in the United Kingdom.
When a crawler crane raises a 200-tonne load on a UK infrastructure project, the lift cylinder is carrying every gram of that weight — and every second of that operation. Our Crawler Crane Lift Cylinder is designed from the ground up for exactly that demand. With a 280mm bore diameter, a 2,200mm stroke, and a rated working pressure of 31.5MPa, this hydraulic cylinder delivers the sustained force, thermal stability, and structural rigidity that British engineering contractors expect on long-cycle heavy-lift operations. Unlike light-duty solutions, it is built to perform over thousands of cycles without measurable bore wear or seal fatigue — even in the wet, variable-temperature conditions common to UK job sites from Aberdeen to Bristol.
How the Crawler Crane Lift Cylinder Works
The lift cylinder operates as a double-acting hydraulic actuator. Pressurised hydraulic fluid — supplied at up to 31.5MPa by the crane’s pump circuit — enters through the base-end port, pushing against the full 280mm bore face of the piston. This generates the enormous extension force needed to raise the crane’s boom or main frame. Retraction is achieved by redirecting fluid to the rod-side port, providing controlled lowering with equal precision. The 2,200mm stroke matches the kinematic envelope of mid-to-large crawler crane superstructures commonly deployed on UK civil engineering, wind energy, and heavy industrial projects.
Material selection is where longevity is won. The cylinder barrel is manufactured from seamless cold-drawn steel tube with a precisely honed bore — surface roughness Ra 0.4µm — to maximise seal life and minimise friction. The piston rod is produced from high-tensile alloy steel, hard-chrome plated to a minimum depth of 25µm and mirror-polished, providing outstanding resistance to corrosion, hydraulic fluid contamination, and the abrasive particulate found on UK construction sites. Piston seals and rod seals are sourced from recognised European manufacturers and rated for continuous operation across the full UK ambient temperature range, from sub-zero Scottish winters to summer heat on southern infrastructure projects.
Why UK Engineers Specify This Cylinder
31.5MPa High-Pressure Rating
Certified for sustained operation at 31.5MPa working pressure with a test pressure of 47.25MPa, matching the hydraulic specifications of major European crawler crane platforms used across UK civil infrastructure.
Hard-Chrome Plated Rod
The alloy steel piston rod carries a minimum 25µm hard-chrome deposit, mirror-polished for optimal seal engagement. This directly translates to lower seal wear rates and extended service intervals, reducing downtime costs on long-duration UK project sites.
Seamless Steel Barrel
Cold-drawn seamless tube eliminates the weld seam that is the most common point of fatigue failure in heavy cylinders. The honed bore to Ra 0.4µm provides a precisely consistent seal contact surface across the full 2,200mm stroke length.
Custom End Configurations
Clevis, flange, and trunnion mount options available. Our engineering team works directly with UK crane OEM rebuild shops and equipment dealers to match existing crane mounting geometry — reducing engineering change costs on retrofit and refurbishment projects.
IP67 Wiper & Seal System
Dual-lip wiper seals at the rod gland remove particulate contamination before it reaches the primary rod seal — a critical feature for UK sites where clay, silt, and driving rain are daily realities. Seal kits are stocked for rapid replacement without specialist tooling.
Documented QC & Test Reports
Every cylinder ships with a full hydrostatic test certificate, dimensional inspection report, and material mill certificates — documentation that UK crane inspection bodies and lift supervisors require for compliance sign-off on large civil and offshore wind projects.
Technical Specification
Full parameters as per factory test records and product data sheet. All data verified against production drawings.
| Parameter | Specification | Unit | Remarks |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cylinder Type | Double-Acting | — | Standard hydraulic circuit |
| Bore Diameter (D) | Φ280 | mm | Seamless, honed bore Ra 0.4µm |
| Piston Rod Diameter (d) | Φ200 | mm | Hard-chrome plated, min. 25µm |
| Stroke (S) | 2200 | mm | Full extension travel |
| Rated Working Pressure (P) | 31.5 | MPa | Continuous duty rated |
| Test Pressure (P_test) | 47.25 | MPa | 1.5x working pressure, factory tested |
| Extension Force (F_ext) | 1,940 | kN | At rated 31.5MPa, full bore |
| Retraction Force (F_ret) | 1,254 | kN | Annulus area at 31.5MPa |
| Barrel Material | 27SiMn / ST52 seamless steel | — | Cold drawn, honed |
| Piston Rod Material | 45# / 40Cr alloy steel | — | Hard-chrome plated |
| Seal System | Parker / Hallite (EU sourced) | — | Dual-lip wiper + primary rod seal |
| Mounting Style | Clevis / Flange / Trunnion | — | Custom per crane OEM drawing |
| Operating Temperature | -20°C to +80°C | °C | UK climate compatible |
| Hydraulic Fluid Compatibility | Mineral oil HM / HV (ISO VG 46/68) | — | Fire-resistant fluid on request |
| Port Thread Standard | BSP / Metric (SAE optional) | — | BSP standard for UK market |
| Surface Treatment | External phosphate + anti-rust paint | — | Enhanced corrosion protection |
Where This Cylinder Operates in the UK
Civil Infrastructure
Bridge deck lifting, motorway structure installation, and heavy precast element placement — crawler cranes fitted with Φ280 lift cylinders are the backbone of UK road and rail infrastructure delivery.
Offshore Wind Energy
UK offshore wind installation is one of the most demanding crane environments in the world. Lift cylinders in this sector must handle cyclic loading in marine atmospheres — our chrome-plated rods and EU-sourced seals are specified precisely for this.
Petrochemical & Refinery
Major UK refinery turnarounds and petrochemical plant maintenance routinely require 200t+ crawler crane lifts. The 1,940kN extension force at rated pressure puts this cylinder within specification for the heaviest single picks encountered in this sector.
Crane Rebuild & Retrofit
UK-based crane rebuild specialists and hire fleet owners use this cylinder as a direct-replacement or upgraded unit for aging Liebherr, Manitowoc, and Kobelco crawler platforms — where sourcing OEM cylinders carries long lead times and premium pricing.
Crawler Crane Cylinder Series — Full Range
The Φ280 / 2200mm model sits within a wider crawler crane cylinder series covering bore sizes from Φ80mm to Φ500mm and strokes to 6,000mm. Contact us to match the correct specification to your crane model.
Related Hydraulic Cylinder Products
Customer Success: UK Offshore Wind Sector
Challenge: A UK-based heavy-lift specialist operating a 600-tonne Liebherr LR 1600/2 crawler crane identified critical wear in the main lift cylinder assembly during a planned maintenance survey ahead of a 12-month offshore wind installation contract. The OEM lead time for replacement cylinders was 26 weeks — incompatible with the project start date. The operator required a Φ280 bore, 2,200mm stroke, 31.5MPa-rated unit with full test documentation and BSP hydraulic ports within six weeks.
Solution & Outcome: Our engineering team matched the existing crane mounting geometry from the customer’s assembly drawings, confirmed compatibility with the crane’s hydraulic circuit, and delivered two fully tested replacement cylinders — complete with hydrostatic test certificates and material mill certs — in five weeks. The crane passed its pre-mobilisation inspection without issue, the contract started on schedule, and the cylinders completed a full 11-month offshore campaign with zero hydraulic issues reported. The customer has since placed a standing arrangement for annual inspection and seal replacement across their full crawler fleet.
“We had a six-week window to source, test, and install replacement lift cylinders before our East Anglia offshore contract started. These cylinders arrived in five weeks with full documentation. The crane passed inspection first time. That’s the kind of supplier reliability that keeps a programme on track.”
“We rebuild and hire crawler cranes across Scotland and the north of England. OEM cylinder pricing and lead times have become genuinely unworkable since 2022. These Φ280 units are dimensionally accurate, the documentation is complete, and the chrome quality on the rod is visibly better than some OEM parts we’ve received. Recommended without hesitation.”
“We specified these cylinders for a refinery turnaround lift in Teesside — 185-tonne single pick with a 600t crawler. The technical data package was complete from day one: mill certs, hydrostatic test records, dimensional report. Our lift study team signed off on it without a single query. That’s unusual for non-OEM equipment and genuinely saved us two weeks of back-and-forth.”
Manufacturing & Customisation Capability
Our manufacturing facility operates CNC deep-hole boring machines, large-format honing lines, and robotic hard-chrome plating cells capable of handling cylinder bores from Φ40mm to Φ600mm and barrel lengths to 8,000mm. The plant’s quality management system is built around ISO 9001 procedures, with full traceability from raw material receipt through to finished product despatch. Every cylinder produced in the facility carries a unique serial number linked to its complete manufacturing and test record.
Customisation is not an exception here — it is the standard way we work. UK crane fleet owners, OEM rebuilders, and project engineering teams regularly request modifications including non-standard stroke lengths, alternative port positions, integrated pressure-relief valves, position sensing provisions, specialist paint systems for marine environments, and non-standard mounting geometry. Our engineering team prepares a detailed dimensional drawing for customer approval before any machining begins, and we are experienced in working to customer-supplied drawings at no additional engineering charge for straightforward adaptations. If your crawler crane has a non-standard cylinder requirement, send us the existing unit’s drawings or a dimensional survey — we will confirm feasibility and provide a detailed quotation within five working days.
Frequently Asked Questions
Ready to Source Your Crawler Crane Lift Cylinder?
Send us your crane model, existing cylinder dimensions, and required delivery date. We will confirm compatibility and provide a full quotation within five working days.
edit by gzl
