Crowd Arm, Dipper Stick, Stick… Are We Talking About the Same Thing? (Excavator & Backhoe Term Guide)

If you’ve ever tried to order a hydraulic cylinder or seal kit and gotten stuck on the wording, you’re not alone.

• Different operators, brands, manuals, and regions use different names for the exact same parts — especially between excavators and backhoes.

• This quick guide clears up the most common mix-ups so you can describe what you need (and order the right part) without playing vocabulary roulette.

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The #1 translation you need to know

• Excavator “crowd arm” = Backhoe “dipper stick”

• Same piece of iron. Different name.

You may also hear:

• Stick (very common on excavators)

• Dipper (common on backhoes)

• Dipper stick (classic backhoe term)

• Crowd arm (common in some excavator circles)

If someone says “crowd arm,” they usually mean the second arm section — the one between the boom and the bucket.

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Cylinder name translation (also common)

• Backhoe “dipper cylinder” = Excavator “crowd cylinder” (stick cylinder)

• Same job: it moves the dipper/stick in and out.

Other names people use:

• Stick cylinder (excavator term)

• Crowd cylinder (excavator term)

• Dipper cylinder (backhoe term)

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How to tell BOOM vs DIPPER/STICK (the simple, no-confusion rule)

1) Boom cylinder (first)

• Boom cylinder = the first major cylinder from the cab.

• On both backhoes and excavators, the boom cylinder(s) raise and lower the main boom — the big arm section closest to the machine.

Quick mental image:

• If it’s the cylinder that makes the whole arm go up/down at the base… that’s boom.

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2) Dipper/Stick/Crowd cylinder (second)

• Dipper/Stick/Crowd cylinder = the second major cylinder out from the cab.

• This cylinder moves the second arm section (dipper stick / crowd arm / stick).

Quick mental image:

• If it’s the cylinder that makes the arm “reach in and out” after the boom… that’s dipper/stick/crowd.

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The “first vs second” rule (fastest way to explain it to anyone)

If you’re standing next to the machine:

• Boom cylinder = first big cylinder closest to the cab

• Dipper/Stick/Crowd cylinder = second big cylinder farther out

That one sentence alone solves a ton of ordering confusion.

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Bonus: where the bucket cylinder fits in

• Bucket cylinder = the one at the end

• It curls the bucket

• Usually the easiest one to identify because it’s right at the bucket linkage

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Why this matters when ordering parts

Most wrong orders happen when someone says:

• “I need the boom cylinder kit” (but they mean dipper/stick)

• “I need the stick cylinder” (but it’s actually boom)

• “I need the crowd cylinder” (but they’re talking backhoe terms)

So when you’re ordering:

• Seal kits

• Cylinder assemblies

• Rods/glands

• Pins and bushings

…using the correct cylinder name (or at least identifying it as first or second) prevents a lot of wasted time.

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The easiest way to get it right every time

When in doubt, do this:

• Take a photo from the side showing the whole arm

• Circle the cylinder you’re talking about

• Tell us if it’s the first from the cab (boom) or second (dipper/stick/crowd)

That’s all we need to point you to the right part path.