Hydraulic Rams

Hydraulic rams are essential to earthmover tire changing. Sometimes referred to as cylinders or ‘porta powers’ these tools are
hydraulically operated and act as a bead breaker on the backside of 5 piece wheel assemblies. As 5 piece wheels have limited
places where a bead breaker can be ‘hooked’ to the wheel, a hydraulic ram offers flexibility as to where the rear flange can be
pushed back, by placing it against the frame of the vehicle. Various lengths provide flexibility making these rams a necessity on
service trucks. 10 ton models have been the standard capacity, but some companies find that 20 ton aluminum rams provide
enough power to get the job done all the time. When ordering rams, be sure to know the difference between stroke length and
retracted height. A ‘6 inch ram’ can talk about the total length of the cylinder or the amount of piston stroke which extends from
the cylinder. The stroke length (also known as the amount of travel), will always be less than the retracted length of the ram.