Data Sheet 77: Hydraulic Cylinder Speeds – Extension and Retraction
Lines in bold type show cylinder piston extension speeds in “Inches per Minute”. Lines in italic type show piston retraction speeds in “Inches per Minute” with various size piston rods. The smallest diameter rod for each bore is the standard size rod. The largest diameter rod is a “2:1” rod in which piston area is approximately twice rod and net areas. Since speed is directly proportional to GPM, for flows not shown, multiply speed in the “1 GPM” column times the desired GPM. For cylinders of larger bore, see chart on back side of this sheet.
| Piston Diam. | Rod Diam. | 1 GPM | 3 GPM | 5 GPM | 8 GPM | 12 GPM | 15 GPM | 20 GPM | 25 GPM | 30 GPM | 40 GPM | 50 GPM | 60 GPM | 75 GPM | 100 GPM |
| 1-1/2 | None* | 131 | 392 | 654 | – – – | – – – | – – – | – – – | – – – | – – – | – – – | – – – | – – – | – – – | – – – |
| 5/8˝ | 158 | 475 | 791 | – – – | – – – | – – – | – – – | – – – | – – – | – – – | – – – | – – – | – – – | – – – | |
| 1 | 235 | 706 | – – – | – – – | – – – | – – – | – – – | – – – | – – – | – – – | – – – | – – – | – – – | – – – | |
| 2 | None* | 74 | 221 | 368 | 588 | 882 | – – – | – – – | – – – | – – – | – – – | – – – | – – – | – – – | – – – |
| 3/4˝ | 86 | 257 | 428 | 684 | – – – | – – – | – – – | – – – | – – – | – – – | – – – | – – – | – – – | – – – | |
| 1 | 98 | 295 | 490 | 784 | – – – | – – – | – – – | – – – | – – – | – – – | – – – | – – – | – – – | – – – | |
| 1-3/8 | 139 | 418 | 697 | – – – | – – – | – – – | – – – | – – – | – – – | – – – | – – – | – – – | – – – | – – – | |
| 2-1/2 | None* | 47 | 141 | 235 | 376 | 565 | 706 | 941 | – – – | – – – | – – – | – – – | – – – | – – – | – – – |
| 1˝ | 56 | 168 | 280 | 448 | 672 | 840 | – – – | – – – | – – – | – – – | – – – | – – – | – – – | – – – | |
| 1-3/8 | 67 | 202 | 337 | 540 | 810 | – – – | – – – | – – – | – – – | – – – | – – – | – – – | – – – | – – – | |
| 1-3/4 | 92 | 277 | 461 | 738 | – – – | – – – | – – – | – – – | – – – | – – – | – – – | – – – | – – – | – – – | |
| 3-1/4 | None* | 28 | 84 | 139 | 223 | 334 | 418 | 557 | 696 | 835 | – – – | – – – | – – – | – – – | – – – |
| 1-3/8˝ | 34 | 102 | 170 | 271 | 407 | 509 | 678 | 848 | – – – | – – – | – – – | – – – | – – – | – – – | |
| 1-3/4 | 39 | 118 | 196 | 314 | 471 | 588 | 784 | 980 | – – – | – – – | – – – | – – – | – – – | – – – | |
| 2 | 45 | 134 | 224 | 359 | 538 | 672 | 896 | – – – | – – – | – – – | – – – | – – – | – – – | – – – | |
| 2-1/4 | 53 | 160 | 267 | 428 | 642 | 802 | – – – | – – – | – – – | – – – | – – – | – – – | – – – | – – – | |
| 4 | None* | 18 | 55 | 92 | 147 | 221 | 276 | 368 | 460 | 551 | 735 | 919 | – – – | – – – | – – – |
| 1-1/4˝ | 20 | 61 | 102 | 163 | 244 | 306 | 407 | 509 | 611 | 815 | – – – | – – – | – – – | – – – | |
| 1-3/4 | 23 | 68 | 114 | 182 | 273 | 341 | 455 | 568 | 682 | 909 | – – – | – – – | – – – | – – – | |
| 2 | 25 | 74 | 123 | 196 | 294 | 368 | 490 | 613 | 735 | 980 | – – – | – – – | – – – | – – – | |
| 2-1/2 | 30 | 91 | 151 | 241 | 362 | 453 | 603 | 754 | 905 | – – – | – – – | – – – | – – – | – – – | |
| 2-3/4 | 35 | 105 | 174 | 279 | 418 | 523 | 697 | 872 | – – – | – – – | – – – | – – – | – – – | – – – | |
| 5 | None* | 12 | 35 | 59 | 94 | 141 | 176 | 235 | 294 | 353 | 471 | 598 | 706 | 882 | – – – |
| 1-1/2˝ | 13 | 39 | 65 | 103 | 155 | 194 | 259 | 323 | 388 | 517 | 646 | 776 | 970 | – – – | |
| 2 | 14 | 42 | 70 | 112 | 168 | 210 | 280 | 350 | 420 | 60 | 700 | 840 | – – – | – – – | |
| 2-1/2 | 16 | 47 | 78 | 125 | 188 | 235 | 314 | 392 | 471 | 627 | 784 | 941 | – – – | – – – | |
| 3 | 18 | 55 | 92 | 147 | 221 | 276 | 368 | 460 | 551 | 735 | 919 | – – – | – – – | – – – | |
| 3-1/2 | 23 | 69 | 115 | 185 | 277 | 346 | 461 | 577 | 692 | 923 | – – – | – – – | – – – | – – – | |
| 6 | None* | 8 | 25 | 41 | 65 | 98 | 123 | 163 | 204 | 245 | 327 | 409 | 490 | 613 | 817 |
| 1-3/4˝ | 9 | 27 | 45 | 71 | 107 | 134 | 179 | 223 | 268 | 357 | 446 | 538 | 670 | 893 | |
| 2-1/2 | 10 | 30 | 49 | 79 | 119 | 148 | 198 | 247 | 297 | 395 | 494 | 593 | 741 | 989 | |
| 3 | 11 | 33 | 54 | 87 | 131 | 163 | 218 | 272 | 327 | 436 | 545 | 654 | 817 | – – – | |
| 3-1/2 | 12 | 37 | 62 | 99 | 149 | 186 | 248 | 310 | 372 | 495 | 619 | 743 | 929 | – – – | |
| 4 | 15 | 44 | 74 | 118 | 176 | 221 | 294 | 368 | 441 | 588 | 735 | 882 | – – – | – – – | |
| 7 | None* | 6 | 18 | 30 | 48 | 72 | 90 | 120 | 150 | 180 | 240 | 300 | 360 | 450 | 600 |
| 3˝ | 7 | 22 | 37 | 59 | 88 | 110 | 147 | 184 | 221 | 294 | 368 | 441 | 551 | 735 | |
| 3-1/2 | 8 | 24 | 40 | 64 | 96 | 120 | 160 | 200 | 240 | 320 | 400 | 480 | 600 | 800 | |
| 4 | 9 | 27 | 45 | 71 | 107 | 134 | 178 | 223 | 267 | 356 | 446 | 535 | 668 | 891 | |
| 4-1/2 | 10 | 31 | 51 | 82 | 123 | 153 | 205 | 256 | 307 | 409 | 512 | 614 | 767 | – – – | |
| 5 | 12 | 37 | 61 | 98 | 147 | 184 | 245 | 306 | 368 | 490 | 613 | 735 | 919 | – – – | |
| 8 | None* | 46 | 92 | 138 | 184 | 230 | 276 | 322 | 368 | 414 | 460 | 575 | 690 | 804 | 919 |
| 3-1/2˝ | 57 | 114 | 170 | 227 | 284 | 341 | 398 | 455 | 511 | 568 | 710 | 852 | 994 | 1,137 | |
| 4 | 61 | 122 | 184 | 245 | 306 | 367 | 429 | 490 | 551 | 612 | 765 | 918 | 1,071 | 1,224 | |
| 4-1/2 | 67 | 134 | 202 | 269 | 336 | 403 | 471 | 538 | 605 | 672 | 840 | 1,008 | 1,176 | 1,344 | |
| 5 | 76 | 151 | 227 | 302 | 378 | 453 | 529 | 604 | 680 | 755 | 944 | 1,133 | 1,322 | 1,511 | |
| 5-1/2 | 87 | 174 | 261 | 348 | 435 | 523 | 610 | 697 | 784 | 871 | 1,089 | 1,306 | 1,524 | 1,742 | |
| 10 | None* | 29 | 59 | 88 | 117 | 147 | 176 | 205 | 235 | 264 | 293 | 367 | 440 | 513 | 587 |
| 4-1/2˝ | 37 | 74 | 111 | 148 | 185 | 222 | 259 | 296 | 333 | 370 | 462 | 554 | 647 | 739 | |
| 5 | 39 | 79 | 118 | 157 | 196 | 236 | 275 | 314 | 353 | 393 | 491 | 589 | 687 | 785 | |
| 5-1/2 | 42 | 85 | 127 | 169 | 211 | 254 | 296 | 338 | 380 | 423 | 528 | 634 | 740 | 845 | |
| 7 | 58 | 116 | 173 | 231 | 289 | 347 | 404 | 462 | 520 | 578 | 722 | 866 | 1,011 | 1,155 | |
| 12 | None* | 20 | 41 | 61 | 82 | 102 | 123 | 143 | 163 | 184 | 204 | 255 | 306 | 357 | 408 |
| 5-1/2˝ | 26 | 52 | 78 | 103 | 129 | 155 | 181 | 207 | 233 | 258 | 323 | 388 | 452 | 517 | |
| 7 | 31 | 62 | 93 | 124 | 155 | 186 | 217 | 248 | 279 | 310 | 387 | 464 | 542 | 619 | |
| 8-1/2 | 41 | 82 | 123 | 164 | 204 | 245 | 286 | 327 | 368 | 409 | 511 | 613 | 715 | 818 | |
| 14 | None* | 15 | 30 | 45 | 60 | 75 | 90 | 105 | 120 | 135 | 150 | 188 | 225 | 263 | 300 |
| 7˝ | 20 | 40 | 60 | 80 | 100 | 120 | 140 | 160 | 180 | 200 | 250 | 300 | 350 | 400 | |
| 8-1/2 | 24 | 48 | 71 | 95 | 119 | 143 | 167 | 190 | 214 | 238 | 297 | 357 | 416 | 476 | |
| 10 | 31 | 61 | 92 | 123 | 154 | 184 | 215 | 246 | 277 | 307 | 384 | 461 | 538 | 614 | |
| *These lines are for extension speeds. No piston rod area is involved. | |||||||||||||||
| EQUIVALENT MEASUREMENTS | |
| U.S. Gallon = 231 Cubic Inches = 4 Quarts; or 8 Pints = 8.3356 Pounds = 3.785 Liters | 1 Horsepower = 33,000 Ft. Lbs. per Minute = 550 Ft. Lbs. per Second = 42.4 BTU per Minute = 2545 BTU per Hour = 746 Watts, or 0.746 Kilowatts |
| 1 Imperial Gallon = 1.2 U.S. Gallons | 1 PSIG = 2.0416˝ Hg = 27.71˝ Water |
| 1 Litre = 0.2642 U. S. Gallons | 1 Foot Column of Water = 0.433 PSI |
| 1 Cubic Foot = 7.48 Gallons = 1,728 Cubic Inches | 1 Foot Column of Oil = 0.390 PSI |
| 1 Cubic Foot of Water Weighs 62.4 Pounds | 1˝ Hg = 0.491 PSI = 1.132 Ft. Water |
| 1 Bar (at Sea Level) = 14.5 PSI (Approx. 1 Atmos.) = 33.8 Foot Water Column = 42 Foot Oil Column = 29.92˝ Hg. | 1 Barrel of Oil = 42 Gallons |
| Approximately 1/2 PSI Decrease Each 1,000 Ft. Altitude | 1 Micro-meter = 1 Millionth of a Meter (Micron) = 1 Thousandth of a Centimeter = 0.00004 Inch |
| 25 Micro-meters = 0.001 Inch | |
| APPROXIMATE MEASUREMENTS | |
| 1 Pint = 2 cups = 16 fluid ounces = 1 pound | 1 Gallon = 231 cubic inches = 76,800 drops |
| 1 Pint = 96 teaspoons = 32 tablespoons = 16 fluid ounces | 1 Cup = 16 tablespoons = 48 teaspoons |
| 1 Quart = 4 cups = 2 pints = 32 fluid ounces = 2 pounds | 1 Tablespoon = 3 teaspoons |
| 1 Quart = 192 teaspoons = 64 tablespoons = 32 fluid ounces | 2 Tablespoons = 1 fluid ounce |
| 1 Gallon = 16 cups = 4 quarts = 8 pints | 1 Fluid ounce (volume) = 660 drops (hydraulic oil) |
| 1 Gallon = 768 teaspoons = 256 tablespoons = 128 fl. oz. | 1 Cubic inch = 330 drops |
© 1990 by Womack Machine Supply Co. This company assumes no liability for errors in data nor in safe and/or satisfactory operation of equipment designed from this information.