Does anyone have their own hose crimper to make up hydraulic hoses ?

[westcliffe01]

Just curious how fellow equipment owners handle the problem of needing to replace hydraulic hoses every few years due to wear and tear ?

I have 6 individual hoses on my Bobcat B200 loader backhoe that run from the hoe controls to the cylinder ports which need to be replaced. I am guessing the total length to be about 40ft and 12 of the SAE 37 deg female swivels. When the machine was built the manufacturer added a 6 position hose clamp to the main pivot forging of the hoe and it appears that the hoses were over-constrained by said clamp block with the result that all 6 hoses now leak at this point. Using 4 gal of hydraulic oil every time one wants to do a couple of days work and not to mention getting oil all over the driveway is just not a good way to operate.

I have no idea how much the local hydraulic shops will charge for making up replacements, but I am expecting some severe sticker shock... I notice that a hydraulic crimper with a few dies is about $1200 with a hand pump, while the female swivels run about <$5 each and hose is about $1.50/ft. So it seems that from a material point of view I am only looking at about $120 worth of material for all 6 hoses.

I'm curious whether anyone else has considered getting their own crimper and dies to not have to run to the store every time something fails and whether it is considered financially viable ? Perhaps by the second time you need it it could be paid for ?

 

[VA MTN MAN]

Do you know you can buy self attaching hose ends that can be reused. they have a nipple that goes in the hose and an outer sleeve that tightens down on the outside. I use them and have never had one blow out. They can be bought at discount hydraulics .com

 

[westcliffe01]

mmmm At $10 per fitting, I would have to make an awful lot of hoses to justify the cost of a crimper.... How does one hold the fitting when tightening on the section that goes over the hose ?

 

[dmccarty]

Just curious how fellow equipment owners handle the problem of needing to replace hydraulic hoses every few years due to wear and tear ?

I have 6 individual hoses on my Bobcat B200 loader backhoe that run from the hoe controls to the cylinder ports which need to be replaced. I am guessing the total length to be about 40ft and 12 of the SAE 37 deg female swivels. When the machine was built the manufacturer added a 6 position hose clamp to the main pivot forging of the hoe and it appears that the hoses were over-constrained by said clamp block with the result that all 6 hoses now leak at this point. Using 4 gal of hydraulic oil every time one wants to do a couple of days work and not to mention getting oil all over the driveway is just not a good way to operate.

I have no idea how much the local hydraulic shops will charge for making up replacements, but I am expecting some severe sticker shock... I notice that a hydraulic crimper with a few dies is about $1200 with a hand pump, while the female swivels run about <$5 each and hose is about $1.50/ft. So it seems that from a material point of view I am only looking at about $120 worth of material for all 6 hoses.
...

When I bought a hydraulic wood splitter to connect to the tractor I had to buy hoes and fittings. I can't remember the prices but the NAPA dealer charged more than my JD dealer. I bought the hoses and connections from them and they built the hoses at no additional charge.

Not sure if NAPA was going to charge to put it all together but they were too expensive just for the parts so I did not ask what they would charge for assembly.

Later,
Dan

 

[foggy1111]

I owned two hydraulic swagging machines at one point. Used both of them for industrial aluminum tube swagging rather than making hydraulic hose. I think I paid about $7500 each for them....plus dies. They had some nifty triggering switches for an industrial setting.

When you inventory fittings and hose and a machine.....youd have to mend allot of your own hoses to make this idea pay.

 

[westcliffe01]

On my machine, all of the control lines are 3/8". The only lines that are bigger are for the hydrostatic transmission and the primary supply lines from the dual pumps to the joysticks. Those are up above the frame rails and never really move much so should last a long time.

The ones on the hoe, particularly in the area between the base of the hoe and the machine get worked like crazy and that area is perpetually contaminated with dirt and gravel/rock. I got all the hoses removed this afternoon and the main culprit was starting the hose install on the hoe itself and leaving too little slack at the machine end. In addition, they used a very nasty clamp on all 6 hoses right near the pivot point and all the hoses were cut at that location because they were just pulled too taut under certain conditions.

I may need to do some re-routing of some of the other control lines to open up more space for the hoe hose bundle and get rid of the clamp altogether.

I will be very surprised if the hose quote comes in less than the price of the small crimper, but I will wait and see first. 200' of 3/8 hose will cost less than $300 and 20 each of the straight and 90 degree female swivels will be another $200. That would be more than enough to replace every control line on this machine multiple times...

I note that the use of the re-useable fittings seems to be a bit controversial, previous threads have turned into shouting matches. If I buy the fittings and hose from the same outlet, how am I to know they will be compatible ? Guess I now will await the quote from a few of the local hydraulic shops next week...

 

[podagrower]

I'm very fortunate to have a friend with a farm. He has a lot of equipment, and makes his own hoses. The hose company gave him the crimper to use as long as he buys their parts. I have keys to the gates, and the alarm code, so getting new hoses is quite easy.

 

[ch47dpilot]

I just don't see how it can be worth it. Based on the numbers you gave a 10' hose would be about $25. ($300/200ft=$1.5/ftx10ft=$15, each end is $5 x2 =$10 so $25 total). Just looked at surplus center a 10' with JCI ends is $25. It looks like the premaid are about the same.

 

[Davestc29]

Yes and to be honest if it wasn't given to me I would never have owned one I've made 6 hoses in two years....

 

[aczlan]

I would ask DiscountHydraulicHose.com for a quote. They are an advertiser here (see Hydraulic Hose Guy) and they seem to have good prices.

Aaron Z