When you look for new hydraulic cylinders, there are some things you should think about when you open a dialogue with a potential supplier. If you are looking for replacement parts, or need to have whole cylinders replaced, be aware that all hydraulic cylinders are not created equal. Like any motor, a hydraulic cylinder is assembled by hand, and needs to be tested before use. If your supplier can't tell you who tested the cylinder you're buying, you may want to stop and consider a few things.

There are many places that offer standard types of hydraulic cylinders, both here in the UK and abroad. But it is important to realise that hydraulic cylinders have to be built and tested by professionals, and that all guarantees aren't equal. When you deal with Ranger Caradoc, you can be confident that you are buying the best in class in terms of quality, and that all our cylinders have been thoroughly tested in house. We want you to get a good, safe product for your application.

Learning how to buy hydraulic components is just as important as knowing the specs that will get the job done. Let us give you a little bit of advice for measuring up your hydraulics supplier, so that you can avoid a potential catastrophe.

Level of Experience

It is important that you find out how much your supplier knows about hydraulic systems generally. If they are a marketer or the front end of a distribution company, you may want to think carefully about what you are buying from them. Buying off the shelf hydraulic cylinders would seem like a simple enough process, and sometimes it is. But often you will be faced with a range of options for a replacement cylinder.

At Ranger Caradoc we can offer you a depth of industry knowledge, and even when buying standard hydraulic cylinders this will be a big benefit to you. When you deal with a sales front for a large manufacturer, they are there to push a particular product as the solution for you. They want to make a sale. It is also unlikely that the sales representative has a team of hydraulic engineers on their team, should any questions come up.

Industry experience is a big advantage that we offer our customers, and we recommend that you only deal with cylinder suppliers that know hydraulic systems inside and out. Whether or not you choose Ranger Caradoc, look for experience in your hydraulic supplier. If they don't have it, find someone who does.

Know Your Manufacturer

Ideally your hydraulic cylinder supplier will know the manufacturer very well. At Ranger Caradoc we make our own hydraulic cylinders, and this allows us to stand behind all of our work with confidence. While you don't have to buy directly from the company that manufactures your cylinders, it is a good idea to know who is making them.

When a company looks at hydraulic cylinders as a product to be sold, and not as a vital part of your infrastructure, you may end up on the losing end of the transaction. There are any number of issues that can arise from a poorly machined or quickly tested hydraulic cylinder, and none of them are good. Once you have your cylinder installed, you want it to perform as expected. Knowing your manufacturer will help you to ensure that you are getting the specs that you are paying for. If there is an issue with the products you buy from us, we will be there to back up what we sell. If another supplier can't make the same promise, keep looking.

Testing

If a hydraulic cylinder hasn't been rigorously tested by experienced professionals, you shouldn't even think about using it. At Ranger Caradoc every cylinder we make has to pass a comprehensive evaluation before we sell it to the public. We do this because when we sell a hydraulic cylinder we know that if there is a problem, it will be our problem. We are here to support our clients, to make sure that our products will perform to, or exceed expectations. Testing plays a vital role in the confidence we have in our products.

When you buy from a standard catalogue, or from an overseas supplier, how will they make good on the guarantee that they offer you? And how do you know that the hydraulic cylinder that you are putting your faith in has been exhaustively tested?

A lower price isn't always cheaper. When you are dealing with vital infrastructure, having local connections offers you distinct advantages over a lower up-front cost. Some products in the market almost certainly do not have the quality that we offer, and you will be paying good money for inferior quality.

Support

Having a good relationship with your supplier all comes down to one thing: Confidence.

Eventually you will need service and support for your hydraulic systems. And this is where using a local UK company that has been around for more than 30 years really makes a difference to you. We manufacture a comprehensive line of hydraulic components, and if you need something, we can make it.

We have proprietary manufacturing facilities in West Bromwich, and our lead times for custom work are flexible based on your needs. When you buy out of a catalogue, you will probably get a replacement part. When you deal with Ranger Caradoc you get local support, from a company that has extensive hydraulic knowledge and engineers on staff.

Take a moment and consider who you would prefer to put your confidence in, and then give us a call. We are happy to talk to you about your needs, and will get you a fair price on best quality hydraulic cylinders you can be confident in.

More information about hydraulic cylinders can be found in our free Buyer’s Guide To Hydraulic Cylinders. Click here to download your copy!