Force Applied to the Lever (kgf)
This is the greatest force the actuator can apply to the hydraulic control lever in the push or pull direction, and it is given in kilogram-force (kgf). It determines the capacity to move stiff, spring-loaded or long-unused levers. It is declared as 15 kgf on the AXI HCT400 and approximately 20 kgf on the AXI HCT402.
The force a hydraulic lever demands to move is not constant; the valve's centring spring, the friction of the sealing elements, the oil viscosity and the age of the mechanism determine it together. On a cold morning the same lever feels noticeably heavier than in the afternoon.
- Preliminary assessment: move the lever with your hand. A lever that moves comfortably with one finger requires little force; if you are straining with two hands, you are close to the capacity limit.
- More than one lever: in installations that will drive several levers at once the required force adds up; the HCT402 is more suitable for this scenario.
- Leave a margin: a force chosen right at the limit becomes insufficient in cold weather and as the mechanism ages.
In the cable-pulling LFT series the equivalent of the same concept is cable pull force: at most 10 kg on the LFT20, 15 kg on the LFT54. The point at which the force is applied differs between the two product families, but the selection logic is the same: a unit that does not meet the force the mechanism demands cannot move the lever.
The context in which this term is used: Converting a tractor hydraulic lever to electronic control