The Challenger TCS4A-03-00 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: TCS4A-03-00
• Brand: Challenger
• Type: Genuine OEM hydraulic cylinder
• Fits: Q4P09

Hydraulic parts fit by the numbers, and the numbers are unforgiving. A cylinder has to match working length and port type; a hose is spec'd by inner diameter, pressure rating, and end fittings; a power unit lives or dies on voltage. Even seal kits differ by who built the cylinder — the same lift model can carry two cylinder brands with different seal profiles. Order to the actual part, not the lift name.

No hydraulic part works alone. A cylinder is only as good as the fluid feeding it, the fluid is only as clean as the reservoir and filter keep it, and a fresh seal kit won't hold in a barrel that's already scored. That's why a leak is worth diagnosing as a system: replace the weeping part, but check the fluid, the fittings, and the bore before you call it fixed.

What lifts this hydraulic cylinder fits

This hydraulic cylinder fits the lift models below. Click a model to open its visual parts breakdown — the exploded drawing with every part numbered, so you can confirm this is the right part for your exact lift before you order.

• Q4P09 — see the exploded parts breakdown for this lift

Related parts for this lift

The parts below are commonly ordered alongside this one — cables, sheaves, seals, and hardware wear on similar schedules, and most repairs go faster when the whole set is done in one visit.

• Challenger TCS4-03-00 Hyd. Cylinder Assembly 69" Stroke
• Challenger TCS4-13 90 Deg. Hyd. Cylinder Fitting

Replacing your hydraulic cylinder

Replacing a hydraulic cylinder comes down to relieving all pressure, capping the lines so nothing gets contaminated, getting the old cylinder out and the new one in, then bleeding the air and leak-checking under load. The exact removal path differs by lift style, and skipping the bleed leaves the lift spongy. Because a cylinder holds a vehicle in the air, the full procedure is worth following start to finish. Full step-by-step: how to replace a 2-post lift cylinder.

Find the right part for your lift

Not certain this is the exact part your lift needs? Start with your lift's model and serial off the data plate, then open our Challenger parts lookup to see the visual parts breakdown for your model — the exploded drawing with every part numbered and priced. If your plate is missing or unreadable, our guide to finding your model number walks through where to find it, or send us a photo and we will identify the lift for you.

Signs of a hydraulic problem

For a seal kit specifically, the decision is made inside the barrel. Before you order seals, confirm the bore isn't scored and the rod isn't pitted where the seal rides — new seals won't hold in a damaged cylinder. Shine a light down the barrel; smooth and shiny is good, scratched or rust-pitted means the cylinder itself needs replacing, not just seals.

Parts commonly replaced at the same time

Hydraulic parts travel in company: a leaking cylinder often needs a seal kit, a tired hose, and a fluid change all at once. Since you are relieving pressure and bleeding anyway, do the related wear items in the same visit. Tell us your model and we will pull the matching seals, hose, and oil.

Hydraulic fluid

The usual fill is ISO-32 hydraulic oil, with some legacy lifts running Dexron ATF; confirm which your lift uses before topping off and keep the two separate. Bleed after filling and check the level again once the air is out — and see your manual for the exact capacity, which is model-specific.

Safety notes

The failure mode that hurts people is slow drift-down from a bad seal or trapped air, so never leave a hydraulic repair half-bled. Support the lift on its mechanical locks while you work, relieve pressure before opening the system, and cycle it several times empty — watching for drift — before a vehicle goes on it.

Before you order

A little prep prevents a wrong order: confirm model and serial, measure hoses and note fitting sizes, and check whether a reseal solves it before buying a complete cylinder. Budget for oil and bleeding as part of the repair. We will confirm the right part for your production run before it ships.

Check your lift's serial before ordering

The most common reason a lift part comes back is not a defect — it is a revision mismatch. Manufacturers change sub-parts between production runs while keeping the same lift model name, so "it fits my lift model" is not always enough. The model plate carries the serial number that pins your lift to a specific run, and that is the number that settles which version of this part belongs on your lift.

Can't find the plate? Measure the old part — overall length, bolt-hole spacing, thread size on anything threaded — and photograph it from a couple of angles. Send that with your lift's brand and rough age and we will match it against the parts breakdowns we service from every week.

Why buy your Challenger hydraulic cylinder from Auto Lift Services

We install, inspect, and repair Challenger lifts every week — the TCS4A-03-00 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.