Hydraulic hose quality

[st8yd]

I have seen newer hoses in far worse condition than older ones sitting right next to it.
I don't have to have the very best I just want to avoid the worst.
There are plenty of local places around me that make up custom hoses so access isn't a problem.
I have also seen there are online places to order custom hoses that are suppose to be much less expensive, but does it fall under the old sayin', you get what you pay for?
While this question is in general. I am getting ready to plumb in rear remote valves and 3rd function so I am going to be getting a good handful of hoses made up.
Thanks,
Jim

 

[wdchyd]

Jim, hose fabricators have lots of choices. Yes there is a difference in cheaper hose assemblies, they can be 1-wire vs 2-wire, Asian vs North American.
Some manufacturers are masking lesser quality with higher pressure ratings but still use 1-wire hose for more flexibility. At our repair shop cheaper alternatives are avail but name brand quality 2-wire is our priority cuz every machine has a weak link, we don’t want our work or a replacement hose to be the weak link again.

 

[Tinhack]

I just recently bought about 18-20 2-wire hoses from Surplus Center to re-plumb my Kenbota and add grapple lines. Most were 3/8" with JIC-6F ends and some 1/2" with JIC-8F ends and one SAE-10 pump line. That's about 40 total crimped ends. Out of those, about 25% leaked on first use.

I was able to twist the fittings in the hose and that stopped the leak but I wonder what will happen as time passes. It was all hose made in USA as were the fittings. They were nearly half the price of custom made at a local shop but certainly not cheap. I spent over $800 on hoses and fittings (I had to convert from NPT to JIC). And I covered all the hoses with expandable sun-block covering this time.

I hope this re-plumb out lasts me.

 

[wdchyd]

Tinhack, what was the USA brand of hose and fittings did they use?
A crimped end that is able to be twisted? That’s not right, I would’ve sent all those back if they didn’t know how to crimp using factory specs. They will blow off when you are in the middle of a big job.
In the end quality cost more, but not all USA supplied hose material is of the same construction.

 

[TractorGuy]

You can't determine quality by country of MFG.

I was having a local company make all my hoses and they used a different foreign made brand every time.

One of the hoses they made for my backhoe deteriorated and blew in 3 years. Looked like a 20 year old hose. I don't remember the brand name but it clearly said it was made in Italy.

The hoses they made for my John Deere loader are Balflex, Balpac Premium Shark Skin. Balflex shows their production facilities in China. These hoses are 2-1/2 years old and look like new.

I switched to a local Carquest that only uses Gates hose and fittings. So far those are doing well but are only a couple of years old.

My grapple came equipped with Parker brand made in the USA hose. It is 2-1/2 years old and the hoses show hairline cracks all over the covers.

 

[5030]

All I use is Parker and hairline cracks in the outer sheath means nothing. If the hose meets ASAE specs and is stamped as such, it's good to go far as working and burst pressure.

 

[TractorGuy]

All I use is Parker and hairline cracks in the outer sheath means nothing. If the hose meets ASAE specs and is stamped as such, it's good to go far as working and burst pressure.

Hairline cracks are the beginning of the outside cover failing.

I much prefer my hydraulic hoses to show no cracking.

That said I have some in use on my Backhoe that were missing pieces of the outer cover before I got the machine. So yes, a hose may continue to function long after the outer cover shows signs of deterioration. But, cracking doesn't mean "nothing".

Given a choice of a new hose assembly I will choose a brand that doesn't start to crack in two years over one that does.

 

[Tinhack]

Tinhack, what was the USA brand of hose and fittings did they use?
A crimped end that is able to be twisted? That’s not right, I would’ve sent all those back if they didn’t know how to crimp using factory specs. They will blow off when you are in the middle of a big job.
In the end quality cost more, but not all USA supplied hose material is of the same construction.

NRP Jones is the maker of the hose. I don't know who made the fittings. The item says they're USA.

Here's a sample of the hoses.

I didn't say it was easy to twist. But it did stop the weeping.

 

[Tinhack]

So yes, a hose may continue to function long after the outer cover shows signs of deterioration.

This is true. All the hoses I just replaced have been exposed to full Texas sunlight for about 10 years. The outer rubber coating was gone on the topside of most of the hoses. They still worked. I just didn't want to take a chance with the new "heavy" grapple bouncing. And I went with larger hose too.

The outer rubber is not what's holding pressure. But the exposed hose fiber under it continues to deteriorate.

 

[5030]

Hairline cracks are the beginning of the outside cover failing.

I much prefer my hydraulic hoses to show no cracking.

That said I have some in use on my Backhoe that were missing pieces of the outer cover before I got the machine. So yes, a hose may continue to function long after the outer cover shows signs of deterioration. But, cracking doesn't mean "nothing".

Given a choice of a new hose assembly I will choose a brand that doesn't start to crack in two years over one that does.

Don't park it in the sun then. Only use it at night. Sunlight causes the cracking.

 

[wdchyd]

You’re right about the outer cover not holding pressure and it’s only protecting the wire braid underneath. But the problem is the wire braid they all use is steel wire instead of stainless steel wire. The stainless steel wire has less tensile strength than steel.
So yes in the long run it is important to keep the outside cover intact and steel wire from rusting.

 

[PILOON]

If U know how to read them, all hosed have date codes on them. Like tires.
Most will also declare a 5 year life.
Always best to go to a high volume hose maker for the freshest batches.
That , often minor extra cost, might interpret into many more years of usage.
I don't discount on line outlets as they might actually have very high volume and fresher hose that some local shops or dealers.

Due to date codes many gov'ts sell equipment as many inspection agencies will flag hose dating as a snag.
Our city auctions vehicles for just that reason at 5 years.

 

[wdchyd]

I still have a hard time with you twisting fittings at all, those fittings should have almost shredded the hose before moving.
I’ve been making hyd hoses since 1985, never once had fittings leak through the fitting. I’ll bet someone used the wrong crimp dies or didn’t have their adjustable crimper set properly.
I have a local welding shop decide to make their own hoses to compliment their new product line. First time, Their guy (supposedly trained by others) made a full set of gates hoses .090” crimped too large. Big troubles happen when not following crimp specs.

 

[oosik]

I've had/have two tractors. The first - Ford 1700 - I kept 27 years. Now I have a 2009 Kubota M6040. Neither had any trouble with hydraulic hoses.

I think it's because they are kept in a large carport stall - out of the sun. Same as the tires.

 

[Sportsman762]

The leaking crimp fittings is concerning.

Out of those, about 25% leaked on first use. I was able to twist the fittings in the hose and that stopped the leak but I wonder what will happen as time passes.

NRP Jones is a quality manufacture of hose. I looked at them a few years ago at bringing them into were I work. They should not leak.

NRP Jones is the maker of the hose.

I still have a hard time with you twisting fittings at all, those fittings should have almost shredded the hose before moving.
I’ve been making hyd hoses since 1985, never once had fittings leak through the fitting. I’ll bet someone used the wrong crimp dies or didn’t have their adjustable crimper set properly.

NRP uses a Custom Crimp crimper, they are all variable stop crimpers. I am betting you are right and the operator did not have the machine set right for the hose. Since Custom Crimp makes crimpers for multiple brands they use a micrometer adjustment with arbitrary numbers on it. It definitely invites an opportunity for error. Also you have to check the machine and adjust crimp settings to account for wear. To my knowledge only Parker sells positive stop crimpers any more. Eaton (now danfoss) dumped the 401 series and is moving towards variable stop. I expect they will get rid of the 410 series soon leaving only variable stop.

 

[Tinhack]

Don't park it in the sun then. Only use it at night. Sunlight causes the cracking.

That's why I covered all the hoses this time around. No covered parking around here. And the lights aren't all that great. Besides; there's animals that will eat you out here after dark.

 

[Tinhack]

I think it's because they are kept in a large carport stall - out of the sun. Same as the tires.

You are very fortunate to have covered parking for equipment. Not like that here, yet.

 

[deserteagle71]

Before I retired I had a job as a buyer for a large mining company. Some years ago we started having the same problems people here on this post are talking about - poor quality "rubber" that deteriorated very fast when exposed to sunlight or certain chemicals. Fuel hoses (such as go between the gas tank to the carburetor on a big portable welder) that only lasted a short time before cracking and leaking. Hydraulic hoses (mining equipment goes through A LOT of hydraulic hoses) that didn't last very long before leaking. When we complained to our supplier we were told it had to do with some EPA mandate - the formulation of the material that made up the "rubber" part of the hoses had to change because the old stuff was not "environmentally friendly".

Don't have any way to confirm if any of that is true - or are the companies using cheaper materials to save costs? Seems to me that's about the same time that electrical wire insulation changed to a soy-based "rubber". After which we began having problems with rodents eating the insulation off vehicle wiring.

I do know that the OEM hoses on the front end loader on my old John Deere lasted about 40 years. In 5 years, the new hoses (Parker) I had made up to replace the OEM look worse than the OEM ever did. The outer covering is starting to come off.

 

[st8yd]

Well so far it sounds like Parker needs to be struck from the list.

 

[willimakit]

Balflex Sharkskin is good hose. NRP Jones is good hose. Don't use less than 100R16 double layer. Sun destroys hose. Use hose cover or paint your hose. Jones is domestic hose. Balflex is made all over the world.