User guide
5
1080 N. Crooks Road • Clawson, MI 48017 • 800.635.0289 • 248.435.0700 • Fax 248.435.8120 • www.AMETEKAPT.com
Mounting the Magnet Assembly
Before mounting the magnet assembly, the following 
should be considered:
• Ferromagnetic material should not be placed 
closer than 0.25” from the LDT’s magnet 
assembly or rod end. Failure to do so could 
cause erratic operations. Non-ferrous materials, 
such as brass, copper, aluminum, non-magnetic 
stainless steel, or plastics, can be in direct 
contact with the magnet assembly and rod end 
without producing any adverse results.
• Minimal clearance between the LDT’s rod and 
the magnet assembly through the full stroke is 
required. Stress between the magnet and the 
rod can cause exing of the mounting brackets. 
This may appear as nonlinearity.
• LDTs using a split magnet assembly must keep 
the diameter of the magnet assembly around 
the rod throughout the complete stroke. The 
diameter of this magnet assembly should not be 
farther than 0.2” away from the rod. Split magnet 
assemblies outside this range will cause signal 
loss.
To install the magnet assembly, perform the 
following steps:
1. Slide the magnet assembly over the LDT rod.
2. Mount the magnet to the non-ferrous, movable 
portion of the device being controlled using non-
ferrous screws.
2.2: Installing the LDT in a 
Hydraulic Cylinder
Before installing an LDT in a hydraulic cylinder, note 
the following considerations. Items discussed in this 
section are found in Figures 1-1 and 2-1.
• A non-ferrous spacer must be used to separate 
the magnet assembly from the head of the 
piston rod. See Figure 2-1.
• The magnet should not be closer than 2.0” 
from the base of the LDT’s hex head when the 
piston rod is fully retracted. In instances where 
space restraints exist, it may be required to 
countersink the magnet into the piston rod. 
Two magnets are available for mounting to 
the piston: the standard 1.29" in diameter 
(part number SD0400800) four-hole magnet 
and a 1.0" magnet (part number SD0410300) 
designed exclusively for countersunk mounting 
applications. The 1.0" magnet must be held 
captive with a snap ring.
• An O-ring groove is provided at the base of the 
LDT’s mounting hex for pressure sealing. The 
O-Ring seal was designed to meet Mil-Std-
MS33656. Refer to SAE J514 or SAE J1926/1 
for machining of mating surfaces.
• It is recommended that a chamfered rod 
bushing be used with LDTs having a rod 60.0” 
or longer in length. On applications with rods 
of this length, a chamfered rod bushing in front 
of the magnet may be required. This bushing 
will prevent wear on the magnet assembly 
(wear occurs as the piston retracts from 
extended lengths). This rod bushing should be 
manufactured from a high wear polymer, such 
as Teon®.
• It is recommended the bore for the cylinder 
piston rod have an inside diameter of at least 
0.50”. The LDT rod has an outside diameter of 
0.405”. Use standard practices for machining 
and mounting these components. Consult the 
cylinder manufacturer for details on applicable 
SAE or military specications.
Before performing the following steps for installing 
the LDT into a hydraulic cylinder, it may be 
necessary to perform machining and mounting 
operations on the hydraulic cylinder. Consult the 
information and specications provided by the 
cylinder manufacturer before beginning the following 
steps:
1. Unscrew the LDT’s jam nut from the threads 
protruding from the hex mounting base.










