7 Types of Trucks That Can’t Function Without Hydraulics
Aug 11
6 min read
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Hydraulics are the muscle behind many heavy-duty trucks, enabling them to perform powerful lifting, tilting, rotating and moving tasks. Without hydraulic systems, these trucks wouldn’t be able to operate efficiently or at all. Here are 7 types of trucks that rely heavily on hydraulics:
Dump Trucks
Dump trucks are an essential piece of equipment in the construction and transportation industries, primarily designed to facilitate the quick and efficient unloading and moving of various materials. These vehicles are equipped with sophisticated hydraulic systems that play a crucial role in their operation.
The hydraulic system enables the dump truck to lift and tilt its dump body, which is typically mounted on a pivot point on the vehicle. This mechanism allows for a significant tilting of the bed, creating an incline that facilitates the rapid discharge of its contents.
When the operator activates the hydraulic system, hydraulic fluid is pumped into cylinders that are connected to the truck bed. This fluid pressure causes the cylinders to extend, raising the bed to an angle that can typically range from 45 to 70 degrees, depending on the design of the truck and the type of materials being unloaded. As the bed tilts, gravity assists in the unloading process, allowing for a swift release of gravel, sand, or debris.
This is particularly advantageous on job sites where time is of the essence, as it minimises the need for manual labour and speeds up the workflow.
Interesting Facts:
Hydraulic rams can typically lift loads of up to 30 tons.
The bed can typically be raised in under 30 seconds, streamlining unloading.
Tow Trucks
A tow truck is a specialised vehicle designed to transport disabled or improperly parked vehicles, crucial in industries like automotive repair, roadside assistance, and law enforcement. They maintain road safety by removing inoperable vehicles.
Tow trucks use hydraulic lifts and booms to safely and efficiently raise and secure vehicles. The hydraulic system, using pressurised fluid, provides the lifting force needed to elevate stranded vehicles due to mechanical failure or accidents.
Adjustable booms extend and pivot to accommodate various vehicle types and situations, ensuring effective and damage-free towing. They offer stability and control, allowing safe manoeuvring.
Hydraulic lifts include safety features like locking mechanisms and emergency release valves to protect operators and road users, ensuring secure vehicle transport and prompt removal of road obstructions.
Interesting Fact:
A typical hydraulic winch can exert pulling forces of 8,000 to 20,000 pounds.
Refuse Trucks
A refuse truck is a specialised vehicle designed to collect and transport solid waste to a disposal site, such as a landfill, recycling centre, or waste treatment facility. These trucks are a key part of municipal waste management systems.
Refuse trucks use advanced hydraulic arms and compactors for efficient waste collection and compression in residential and commercial areas. These arms extend and retract precisely, allowing easy lifting of heavy bins. The hydraulic system securely grasps bins, speeding up collection and reducing physical strain on workers by automating heavy lifting.
After lifting and tilting a bin, the truck's compactor compresses the waste into a smaller volume, maximising storage capacity. This reduces trips to landfills or recycling centres, improving efficiency and lowering fuel consumption. The compaction process involves mechanical actions that tightly pack the waste, allowing the truck to carry more material safely.
The integration of hydraulic systems in refuse trucks have revolutionised waste collection, making it faster, safer, and more eco-friendly. As cities & towns grow and waste volumes increase, this technology is crucial for urban cleanliness and sustainability.
Interesting Facts:
A typical refuse truck can reduce waste volume by compacting its load by ratios between 4:1 and 7:1 of its original size.
Hydraulic lifts typically can handle bins weighing up to 1,000 pounds.
Concrete Mixer Trucks
A concrete mixer truck, or cement mixer truck, transports and mixes concrete from a batching plant to a construction site. It is used across construction sectors like residential building, commercial development, road and highway construction, bridge and tunnel projects, and large-scale infrastructure works.
The truck features a large rotating drum mounted on the back, which mixes the concrete ingredients (cement, water, sand, and gravel) while in transit. The hydraulic pump, powered by the truck's engine, sends high-pressure fluid to cylinders that rotate the drum ensuring the concrete remains homogeneous and doesn't set prematurely. This system includes pumps, cylinders, and valves that generate the force needed for drum movement.
The same hydraulic system also helps in the tilting of the drum to unload the mixture.
The hydraulic system ensures smooth, controlled drum movements to maintain concrete quality and prevent damage.
Modern hydraulic systems often include electronic controls for precise adjustments, accommodating different concrete types and load sizes, enhancing truck versatility and efficiency.
Interesting Facts:
Drums typically rotate at speeds of up to 18 RPM to keep concrete fresh.
Without hydraulics, concrete would harden within a few hours.
Crane Trucks
A crane truck, also known as a mobile crane, is a vehicle equipped with a mounted crane used to lift, move, and position heavy loads at construction sites and industrial facilities. It is used across construction sectors like commercial development, residential building, bridge and tunnel construction, roadwork, and infrastructure maintenance.
The truck features a telescopic or articulated boom mounted on its chassis, which can extend vertically and horizontally to reach and lift materials. The crane’s movement is powered by a hydraulic system that uses high-pressure fluid to operate cylinders and motors, enabling precise lifting, lowering, and rotation of the boom.
It also allows for millimetre-level control, which is essential for safely manoeuvring heavy materials in tight or elevated spaces.
Interesting Facts:
Hydraulic cranes can lift over 50 tons.
Boom extensions can reach 100+ feet
Flatbed Trucks
Flatbed trucks with hydraulic ramps are specialised vehicles designed for transporting heavy and oversized loads. These trucks feature a flat, open bed that provides a stable platform for loading and unloading cargo. The inclusion of hydraulic ramps enhances the functionality of these trucks, allowing for easier access to the flatbed.
Hydraulics play a crucial role in the operation of flatbed trucks with hydraulic ramps. The hydraulic system is responsible for the movement of the ramps, enabling them to be easily adjusted for loading and unloading.
Hydraulic ramps are easy to operate with minimal physical effort, making cargo loading and unloading more efficient. They enhance safety by securely positioning the ramp during use, reducing the risk of accidents. Their adjustable angles also offer versatility, accommodating various vehicle types and load sizes.
Interesting Facts:
The heavier the load, the more axles your flatbed truck will need. The Authorised Weight Regulations 1998 set out that
2 axle flatbed trucks have a maximum combined weight of 18,000kg
3 axle flatbed trucks have a maximum combined weight of 25,000kg (26,000kg with road-friendly suspension)
4 or more axle flatbed trucks have a maximum combined weight of 30,000kg (32,000kg with road-friendly suspension)
Deployment takes less than 60 seconds, improving turnaround time.
Logging Trucks
Logging trucks are essential vehicles in the forestry industry, specifically designed to transport timber from logging sites to processing facilities or storage locations. These specialised trucks are equipped with hydraulic lifts and grapples, which play a crucial role in the efficient loading and unloading of logs.
The hydraulic lift system enables the truck to elevate heavy loads, allowing for easier placement and removal of timber. This mechanism is particularly beneficial in rugged terrains where manual handling would be impractical and unsafe.
The grapple, a type of mechanical claw, is attached to the hydraulic system and is used to grasp and hold logs securely. Its design allows for a firm grip on various sizes and shapes of timber, ensuring that logs can be loaded onto the truck without falling or shifting during transport. The combination of hydraulic lifts and grapples not only enhances operational efficiency but also significantly reduces the physical strain on workers, making the logging process safer and more effective.
Furthermore, the use of these advanced hydraulic systems allows logging companies to optimise their operations. By streamlining the loading and unloading processes, they can minimise downtime and increase productivity.
Interesting Facts:
Hydraulic grapples lift logs weighing in the region of 2,000 pounds.
They offer 360-degree rotation, ideal for manoeuvring in forest terrain.
Looking for customised truck hydraulics experts?
Hydraulics are the heartbeat of modern heavy-duty trucks. Without them, critical lifting, tilting, and compressing functions come to a halt. Lister Fluid Power specialises in keeping your hydraulic systems running at peak performance.
Whether you need custom hydraulic solutions, hydraulic fittings and components, hydraulic hose repairs, system upgrades, or expert advice, we’ve got the experience and parts to keep your fleet moving. Don’t wait until downtime costs you. Partner with a team that understands the pressure.
We invite you to explore and take advantage of our complimentary hydraulic calculators, designed specifically to assist engineers, technicians, and students in performing a variety of hydraulic calculations with ease and precision. These tools are essential for anyone working in fields related to fluid dynamics, hydraulic systems, or any application where fluid flow is a critical factor.
Contact Lister Fluid Power today to optimise your hydraulic systems and keep your trucks performing when it matters most.
