Hydraulic hose routing is an important detail in the design and installation of a single-stage Scissor Lift with four hydraulic cylinders.
At first glance, connecting the four cylinders to the hydraulic power unit may seem straightforward. However, the routing of the hoses needs to be carefully considered because the scissor mechanism continuously changes its position during lifting and lowering.
How Are the Four Cylinders Connected?
On this type of Scissor Lift, the four hydraulic cylinders can be divided into two groups.
The first two cylinders are connected through a T-fitting, forming the first hydraulic circuit connection. The other two cylinders are connected through another T-fitting, forming the second connection.
The two branches are then brought together:
Two cylinders → T-fitting → Hose
Two cylinders → T-fitting → Hose
The two hoses are then connected through another T-fitting before continuing to the main hydraulic hose leading to the hydraulic power unit.
This arrangement provides a clean and organized hydraulic connection between the four cylinders and the pump station.
The Hose Routing Is the Important Part
The connection itself is only part of the design. The routing of the hydraulic hoses through the scissor mechanism is equally important.
As the platform moves up and down, the scissor arms change their angle. Therefore, the hoses must have enough freedom to move with the mechanism without being pulled, squeezed, or excessively bent.
A key principle is:
The hydraulic hoses should pass through the space between the two pivot areas rather than being routed around the outside of the pivot points.
This allows the hoses to move naturally as the scissor arms change angle.
If a hose is routed around the outside of a pivot point, the movement of the scissor mechanism can cause the hose to become stretched or compressed. Over time, this may result in unnecessary mechanical stress, excessive bending, rubbing, or premature hose wear.
Why Proper Hose Routing Matters
A hydraulic hose is designed to carry pressurized hydraulic oil, but it should not be used as a structural or load-bearing component of the moving mechanism.
During normal operation, the hose should be able to follow the movement of the Scissor Lift with a suitable bending radius and without being forced against other components.
Proper routing helps reduce:
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Tensile stress on the hose
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Excessive bending
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Pinching or squeezing
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Friction against moving components
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Long-term hose wear
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The risk of hose damage during repeated lifting cycles
This becomes particularly important on a four-cylinder Scissor Lift because there are more hydraulic connections and less space for routing the hoses.
A Real Installation Example
The photos for this article were recently sent by a customer after completing the installation of their Scissor Lift.
The machine is a single-stage Scissor Lift equipped with four hydraulic cylinders. The photos show how the hydraulic hoses were arranged around the scissor mechanism.
The hoses are routed through the appropriate space between the pivot areas instead of simply being routed around the outside of the pivot points.
This may look like a small installation detail, but it is an important part of hydraulic system design.
A reliable hydraulic system is not only about selecting the correct cylinders, pump, valves, and hoses. The movement of the machine must also be considered when designing the hose routing.
For another scissor-lift operating issue, see our guide to scissor lift platform tilting due to off-center loading.
For a Scissor Lift, good hydraulic hose routing means that the hoses remain protected and relatively free during the entire lifting and lowering cycle, rather than being forced to carry mechanical stress caused by the movement of the scissor arms.
Good hydraulic design is not simply about making the connections work. It is about making sure the entire hydraulic system works correctly throughout the machine's full range of movement.
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