The _______ has a rod the same diameter as the cylinder bore.

• A. Telescoping cylinder
• B. Single-acting cylinder, spring return
• C. Ram cylinder
• D. Double-acting cylinder single rod end

Answer: (C)

Rod size relative to the bore determines how much hydraulic area is available on the rod side and, therefore, how the force differs when the piston moves in different directions. In a ram cylinder, the piston rod is the same diameter as the cylinder bore, so there isn’t an annular rod-side area created by a smaller rod. This design gives a simple, strong push straight out, and the return is usually achieved by a spring or external mechanism rather than hydraulic pressure. That single-acting, high-throat thrust characteristic is what this statement describes. Other cylinder types typically have a rod smaller than the bore (creating a smaller rod-side area and different forces on extension vs retraction) or involve multiple stages or hydraulic retraction, so they don’t fit this description.