Need

[BS triple N]

Hello. I looking for advise and some knowledge. My old dump body on axle broke down. Cylinder was broke and lift frame was rusted out. I found a lift frame and hoist from and old truck and bought it for replacement. I’m having trouble understanding what type of cylinder it is and how to plumb it up For my tractors to plug and play.
I think it is a double acting but can’t understand the feed locations and the hose which is already installed. This hose was plumbed with Teflon tape and appears to be their for a reason not just to keep dirt out in storage. To me that line is most of the confusion. Only thing I can think is it is a one way cylinder and the top half of the cylinder above the piston is actually used as a reservoir and to slow down of the box on the way down. Guy I bought it from got at auction and never used it but knew it came from a dump truck. I don’t understand the square blocks on the sides with the plugs. I pulled a couple of the plugs and they have springs behind them with a metal ball blocking direct in pressure . Looks to me like it can be used for supply because the small plugs and holes in the blocks have a port which goes to the larger hole and then unrestricted into the top half of the cylinder. The bottom block is all by self and the feed is on the bottom.
1) the hose which is attached to the top block then comes back down to what I would call the feed location at the bottom. This is how the hose was hooked up when I got the cylinder. I don’t know if it’s correct but it was plumbed purposely with fittings and Teflon tape.
2) should this hose stay there?
3)is the top half of the cylinder being used as a reservoir?
4) there is another plug on other side of bottom of cylinder which appears to be a feed like the one the other side where the hose connects
5) I do not see a location for feed to top half of cylinder if that hose is correct for dual action unless I plumb through block and one of the plugs which has a spring and ball.
Sorry for long post. But am I way off and hose needs to be removed and two lines installed or am I on the right track and it’s only a one way acting with cylinder reservoir on top half and I only need to hook up one line to bottom of cylinder on other side? Any help would be greatly appreciated. This cylinder is about 3 feet long and about 10 inches in diameter. Thanks in advance. Hopefully the pics show all I’m talking about.
-first pic shows whole side and hose from top to bottom hose has a coil in it but goes from top block to bottom of feed location
-Second pic shows top block.
-third shows bottom block and bottom feed location where hose hooks up to.
-fourth shows feed plug location on other side of bottom of cylinder.

 

[Zebrafive]

From your description, I could not exactly tell how the blocks work. They sound like like lock valves to hold the load up so it does not drift down. At least the bottom one.
Lower hose end looks like it's direct to the bottom of the cylinder.
Upper hose end? Does the block allow flow into or out of top side of cylinder where the hose connects? Or both in/out flow?

 

[WranglerX]

Sort of looks to me like hose just loops both sides of cylinder together to prevent oil for leaking out and keep crud out of cylinder.... By the pictures I can not see any other hoses that can make cylinder operate... Cylinder itself look like it may be typical double acting cylinder if plumbed correctly...

Though the concept of pressurized extend and gravity retract using only a pump and proper valve using the retract side of cylinder for reservoir does need to be considered....