The Challenger 16422 hydraulic cylinder is the direct replacement for the Challenger lift it came off of. This is the genuine Challenger part — same fit and same working specification as the one already on your lift. Ordering the Challenger hydraulic cylinder from us gets you the OEM piece that matches the lift, not an aftermarket knock-off that is close but not the same.

Specifications

• Part number: 16422
• Brand: Challenger
• Type: Genuine OEM hydraulic cylinder

Seals and hoses age on two clocks at once: cycles and years. A cylinder seal wears from the miles the rod travels; a hose gets brittle just sitting in shop heat and cold. Run dirty fluid and you speed both up, because grit scores the barrel and the rod and shreds seals from the inside. Most lifts that pump every day start weeping a seal somewhere in the eight-to-fifteen year range.

The hydraulic side of a lift is a closed loop: the power unit's motor drives a pump that pushes fluid from the reservoir, through a hose and fittings, into a cylinder that does the lifting, while a lowering valve meters it back to tank on the way down. Every part in that loop either moves fluid, holds pressure, or seals it in. When one link weeps or won't hold, the whole lift feels it.

Replacing your hydraulic cylinder

Rebuilding a cylinder with a seal kit is bench work: tear it down, lay the parts out in order, confirm the bore and rod aren't scored, then reassemble with the new seals lubricated and bench-test for leaks before it goes back in. The order of the seals and the condition of the barrel make or break the job. Walk through the complete guide before you crack the end cap. Full step-by-step: how to replace a 2-post lift cylinder.

Find the right part for your lift

Want to be sure before you buy? Pull the model and serial off your lift's plate and open our Challenger parts lookup to open the exploded parts breakdown for your model — find your part on the drawing and you know it fits. New to finding your model number? our guide to finding your model number covers it, or send a photo of the plate and we will read it for you.

Signs of a hydraulic problem

Check for drift-down as the clearest internal-leak test: raise the lift, shut it off, and time how long it holds. A properly sealed system holds height for days. Noticeable sag in a few hours points to the lowering valve not seating, a failed check valve, or a piston seal passing fluid — cracking the cylinder and watching whether it sags with the valve closed isolates which.

Parts commonly replaced at the same time

While the system is open, take care of the companions — the seal kit, the o-rings, the feed hose, and the oil you will need to refill and bleed. It is cheaper and cleaner than reopening the system for the piece you skipped. We keep the right specs for your lift and can kit it for you.

Hydraulic fluid

When you refill, use the right oil: ISO-32 hydraulic fluid on most lifts, or Dexron ATF on some older designs — never a blend of the two. Your installation manual lists the correct capacity for your specific lift, so fill to that spec and re-check the level after you have cycled and bled the system.

Safety notes

Treat the hydraulic system as pressurized until you have relieved it. Bleed in the correct order, keep the reservoir topped so the pump never sucks air, and confirm there is zero drift at full height before returning the lift to service. A cylinder or hose that weeps today is a failure waiting for the worst moment.

Before you order

Hydraulic components are specific to the lift's pressure and plumbing, so order by model and serial, not by eye. For a leaking cylinder, decide between a seal kit and a full replacement first — we can help — and plan on topping off and bleeding the system when the new part goes in.

Not sure this fits? Here's how to check

Pull the number off your lift's model plate first — model and serial both. Manufacturers run mid-cycle revisions that keep the model name but change hardware, so two lifts with the same name on the column can take different parts. The serial is what removes the guesswork.

Second check: compare the old part against this listing before you order. Length, mounting pattern, and thread sizes tell most of the story. If anything doesn't line up, or if the old part is too worn or broken to measure, call us with photos — we work on these lifts every week and can usually confirm fit from a picture and the lift's serial faster than you can dig through a parts diagram.

Why buy your Challenger hydraulic cylinder from Auto Lift Services

We install, inspect, and repair Challenger lifts every week — the 16422 is a part we handle in the shop, not a random SKU we drop-ship. The phone answers if you have a question mid-install — call 800-674-9302 — and every part ships genuine, no aftermarket substitution unless you ask for it.