Opposing hydraulic cylinders

I recently bought a thrashed Bobcat brand dozer blade for my tracked skid and am getting close to finishing. There are 2 hydraulic cylinders that give the angle and one cylinder for the tilt, Is there supposed to be pressure at the bottom of one while there's pressure at the top of the other opposing cylinder while angling the blade ? As in using the power of both cylinders or is it normally just one or the other. Thanks in advance.

Post a picture or two and it might get more comments and good advice is my suggestion. Put some arrows on the pictures at specific ends so we know exactly what you mean. Simon C

Typically yes the cylinders connect from top of one to the bottom of the other. The same way backhoe swing cylinders work. One pushes while the other pulls. It's a much stronger system this way and easier on the cylinders.

Simon C said: Post a picture or two and it might get more comments and good advice is my suggestion. Put some arrows on the pictures at specific ends so we know exactly what you mean. Simon C Click to expand... I'll do that as soon as I get the cylinders mounted up.

Always wondered if a skid steer works even remotely decent as a dozer. Old timers have told me nope. Get a dozer. Even a little 450 will out work a 5+ ton skid steer.

IceHole said: Always wondered if a skid steer works even remotely decent as a dozer. Old timers have told me nope. Get a dozer. Even a little 450 will out work a 5+ ton skid steer. Click to expand... It depends on what you expect it to do. The large frame CTLs with a dozer blade work well as long as you're not expecting it to do the work of a D3. There is a learning curve though. It took me several hours to be really productive the first time I tried one.

It's hard to use a dozer blade on a skid steer/CTL and get level on hard surfaces. On looser material they kind of work but the general consensus is they don't work very good unless it's a specially designed machine like a Case Minotaur.

IceHole said: Always wondered if a skid steer works even remotely decent as a dozer. Old timers have told me nope. Get a dozer. Even a little 450 will out work a 5+ ton skid steer. Click to expand... I'm under no illusion that it will be anywhere near the capability of a dozer, I just got it on the cheap and think it will work to clear the existing water bars and ditches on my rural property's. It could be that it's up for sale an hour after I try using it!

bmckenzie said: I'm under no illusion that it will be anywhere near the capability of a dozer, I just got it on the cheap and think it will work to clear the existing water bars and ditches on my rural property's. It could be that it's up for sale an hour after I try using it! Click to expand... I was mostly thinking out loud as I've almost bought one a few times but figured I'd just be ahead with using a bucket.

bmckenzie said: I recently bought a thrashed Bobcat brand dozer blade for my tracked skid and am getting close to finishing. There are 2 hydraulic cylinders that give the angle and one cylinder for the tilt, Is there supposed to be pressure at the bottom of one while there's pressure at the top of the other opposing cylinder while angling the blade ? As in using the power of both cylinders or is it normally just one or the other. Thanks in advance. Click to expand... Sounds like a snowplow swing circuit as well.

That’s how I set up my Dozer/skid steer. Put in a cushion valve, so during the winter, I have my hoses routed through the cushion block, which trips around 1300psi depending on what I’m doing Then, if I want to push a little harder, I bypass the cushion block. Will admit, it has done quite a bit of gravel work. My Skids only a 50 HP and feel quite confident, I could tear it up if I wanted too.

HarleyHappy said: That’s how I set up my Dozer/skid steer. Put in a cushion valve, so during the winter, I have my hoses routed through the cushion block, which trips around 1300psi depending on what I’m doing Then, if I want to push a little harder, I bypass the cushion block. Will admit, it has done quite a bit of gravel work. My Skids only a 50 HP and feel quite confident, I could tear it up if I wanted too. Click to expand... My skid is 65 h/p so It's a small 7600lb machine with an outside track measurement of 62" but the blade is 90" so it's way oversize. The previous owner of the blade managed to break all the cylinder eyes off. I don't think I'll have enough H/P or traction to do much damage (I hope!)

bmckenzie said: My skid is 65 h/p so It's a small 7600lb machine with an outside track measurement of 62" but the blade is 90" so it's way oversize. The previous owner of the blade managed to break all the cylinder eyes off. I don't think I'll have enough H/P or traction to do much damage (I hope!) Click to expand... Yes to the crossover/cushion relief valve, especially in your situation.

bmckenzie said: My skid is 65 h/p so It's a small 7600lb machine with an outside track measurement of 62" but the blade is 90" so it's way oversize. The previous owner of the blade managed to break all the cylinder eyes off. I don't think I'll have enough H/P or traction to do much damage (I hope!) Click to expand... You will probably find that the bucket will work better than that large of a blade on a 7600 lb machine. YMMV.

You have plenty enough power and weight to damage it if you pushed too hard.

I think what a machine can do depends on the hands it's in. I did a driveway this week. The owner wanted the material I cut out. It ended up being about 5 tandem loads. He began spreading it out with an old Ford 8n. It had one of those buckets that is not as wide as the tractor. When I came back to finish in the morning it looked like I had used the grader