1045 Medium Tensile Chrome Bar

A reliable, cost-effective hydraulic steel chrome bar for standard cylinder rod applications.

1045 Medium Tensile Chrome Bar is a proven medium carbon hydraulic steel for hydraulic cylinder rod applications where the loading demands sit within the capacity of a standard grade. Hard chrome plated and ground to ISO f7 diameter tolerance, it delivers the surface finish and dimensional control hydraulic seals require, at a price point that makes sense for high-volume or less demanding applications.

Why 1045?

1045 is a medium carbon steel with well-understood, predictable properties. It has been a workhorse grade that has been used for hydraulic cylinder rods for decades. It achieves a tensile strength of approximately 585–700 N/mm² and yield strength of approximately 310–450 N/mm² (varies with diameter), with elongation typically around 12–16% and hardness in the range of 170–220 HB.

Where the micro-alloyed grades like 38MnVS6 are specified for higher-load or more demanding applications, 1045 is the practical choice for standard agricultural, industrial, and general hydraulic equipment — where the design loads are well within the grade’s capability and cost efficiency matters.

Chrome Plating and Surface Finish

Each bar carries a minimum 20 μm hard chrome layer, applied over a precisely ground surface. Surface roughness Ra is less than 0.2 μm — normally 0.05–0.15 μm — and Rt is always below 2.0 μm. This combination of chrome hardness and surface finish is what allows hydraulic seals to run consistently without premature wear or leakage.

Straightness is controlled to a maximum deviation of 0.2 mm per 1.0 m, keeping bars ready for direct use in cylinder manufacture or repair without further straightening.

Tolerances

All diameters are supplied to ISO f7 tolerance, the standard for hydraulic cylinder rod applications, ensuring compatibility with standard bore and seal components without additional finishing work.

Applications

• Hydraulic cylinder rods — agricultural, industrial, and general equipment
• Linear actuators and hydraulic rams
• Farm machinery and mobile plant
• General manufacturing and fabrication

Welding and Machining

1045 responds well to standard machining operations — turning, threading, and drilling — and can be induction hardened where additional surface hardness is required. It is weldable with appropriate preheat; consult your fabrication engineer for preheat temperatures and welding procedures based on section size and restraint.