Need Advise On Replacing Steel Hydraulic Lines

[Gordon Gould]

I need to replace 3 steel 3/8" ID hydraulic lines on my dozer. ( A slow leak turned into a big leak ). I have never worked with steel lines. I know they are not available as spare parts. Will I need to replace these with rubber lines or can steel lines be made up at a reasonable cost ? Who does this ? If I go rubber it will be a little tight at the female end. The 3 lines are about 3 feet long.

The steel lines were clamped with a bar just above where they connect to the rubber lines to the blade cylinders. There is no flex in the lines they are stationary. If I go rubber what would be a good way to clamp them. I could fab a bulked with three male to male bulked fittings through it but that seems like a lot of work and I am hoping there is a simpler clamp that would be satisfactory. Looking for suggestions.

Here is two pics of the leaky male ends that were clamped and one pic of the female ends. The thrid line is the one underneath.

Thanks for the help.

 

[Sysop]

Here our local Napa stores can make any sized steel or rubber hydraulic lines. Steel they bend to match your originals. They could also make longer rubber hoses to reach the entire distance.

 

[hosspuller]

I broke a steel line almost like your three. I decided to go rubber all the way instead of rubber to rubber. One long hose = short hose + steel line. I suppose a steel line is cost effective for the factory, but a replacement steel line was much more expensive than the long hose + two fittings.

 

[Furu]

I would go with the steel lines. Not knowing what type fitting connection is on the end, they are not hard to braze the fittings onto the steel lines. Also most hydraulic shops can bend a new line to match the old one (take it off and take with you) if you do not have the ability to do so yourself. Parker has some new fittings that make it pretty easy. I like steel where it is appropriate adn hose where it is. The manufacturer obviously designed it with steel lines in that location for a reason.

 

[CalG]

Here our local Napa stores can make any sized steel or rubber hydraulic lines. Steel they bend to match your originals. They could also make longer rubber hoses to reach the entire distance.

NAPA bends Steel?

NOT in my area.

Heck, They don't even know where to get steel hydraulic line.

I had to order off the inter web for a recent valve addition . There was scant room under the operator's station for hard lines, rubber would have never fit.

Steel line is not hard to DIY, but requires a quality bender (Parker) , a flaring tool. plus a hack saw and some handfiles,,, Oh! Steel line! Use the old piece as a template. MUCH easier than new work.

I just replaces a 3/8th line on the Bolens this evening. Cracked at the root of the flare, under the sleeve. Hmmm, second time. The OEM piece after 25 years, and my "brake line" replacement after 3 years.

Must need to support the line against vibration.

 

[City Farmer]

I Blew 2 lines on my Case 350B, they broke on the 90* bends. I REALLY didn't want to go to the local hydraulic shop, been there done that to many times with the TLB and I'm always -$200 in the pocket. I took them to work and 20min later I had two lines. I made them with the pipe fitter, it was easy. I bet he could've had them done in 5 min. flat if I wasn't asking so many questions. I'll be investing the $120 for the flare tool and I'll be makeing my own lines from here on out. We have an automatic flare tool at work but he said the manual flare tools do just as good. He recommended a Rigid.

 

[Sysop]

NAPA bends Steel?

NOT in my area.

Heck, They don't even know where to get steel hydraulic line.

I guess it's due to the high levels of hydraulic machines in use in this area between the mines and drilling operations. Locally they deal with many hydraulic items in the stores that have a shop.

 

[BukitCase]

Gordon, your lines are most likely JIC connectors, been used for a long time - if you go looking for someone to replace them, you'll need the OD of the tubing, not the ID - that's the way steel tubing is measured, and it comes in several wall thicknesses depending on pressure requirements.

If you get lucky and have a decent hydraulic repair shop anywhere near, it shouldn't take them long to clone your old ones.

There is also the option of rolling your own, using flareless bite type fittings - these can be had in JIC and a few other types.

I have some of that type fitting, but haven't started the project I bought 'em for yet so I can't give much of a review -

If you decide to go that way, post back and I'll point you to the stuff I'm talking about... Steve

 

[Gordon Gould]

Thanks for all the reponnses. I guess I will need to find out what I can do or get done around here as well as fittings available. It will all be like an experiment for me. Unsure all the way.

I like the idea of DIY steel. It is 1/2" OD tubing with JIC ends. My system pressure is 2000 psi. The one long rubber line also makes sense as I am going to replace two out of the three rubber lines anyway. I have a flaring tool I use for copper plumbing compression fittings. I don't know if it is good for steel - I remember doing some car brake lines long ago and I had to borrow a flaring tool that bent the steel over on itself in the flare making a double wall. Mine won't do that.

I will start by getting the tubes out so I can see what they look like and see if rubber will fit up there.
Thanks again.

 

[Egon]

The sise tubing you are talking about can be bent with a hand held bender. The benders will range in price but usually the cheaper ones will work.

Use flareless fittings. There are different types on the market. The one I recall is "Swagelock".

http://www.google.ca/url?sa=t&rct=j...=yTQWhyPcok1-e6yqhO7HbQ&bvm=bv.52164340,d.cGE