Pinhole leak in hydraulic line on backhoe. There a clamp or sleeve fix?

[mike peyerl]

I have used reusable hydraulic fittings before for this on almost the same backhoe it works but they aren't cheap and changing the line isn't as bad as it seems just take the boom off

 

[NYlumberman]

A couple of observations. In my 50 years plus as millwright working on both mobile a stationary equipment I have never seen a way to repair a hole in a hydraulic pressure hose. remember the outside is just a cover. Second hose ends are not meant to be interchangeable, Weatherhead, Parker, whoever, have a specific series of fitting for each spec series hose. And that includes “no skive” reusable hose ends. I have cheated and in a pinch used a Weatherhead hose end on a Parker hose, got us going but eventually I had a major “cleanup on aisle 6”.

All education is expensive

 

[coast40]

I have hoses made locally if I need one in a hurry, but otherwise I order them from surpluscenterDOTcom. As someone suggested earlier, I got the hoses with the NPTM fittings and then use jic straight or angle adapters to complete the hose. It appears they now offer jic swivel fittings on the hoses. It's about half the price of having one made locally. If someone knows a better option please post it.
Hydraulic Hose Assemblies | Hydraulic Hose and Hose Assemblies | Hydraulics | www.surpluscenter.com

 

[gregcasedc]

Don't use the Amazon cheap hose patch. Those are for single wire hydraulic lines. Kubota uses 2 wire hoses. Here's the real hosepatch. HosePatch | The Schaibley CO.

 

[newbury]

I know one of the most difficult things for the newbie to hydraulics is matching hose ends. Is there any "app" that lets you take a picture with a cell phone which then will tell you exactly what matches that end?
And what has the TBN brain trust found as the most comprehensive "picture" mapping pdf?

 

[ptsg]

I know one of the most difficult things for the newbie to hydraulics is matching hose ends. Is there any "app" that lets you take a picture with a cell phone which then will tell you exactly what matches that end?
And what has the TBN brain trust found as the most comprehensive "picture" mapping pdf?

The best things to have to identify hydraulic fittings is a set of calipers and thread gauges.

Then, a good and complete chart so you can compare dimensions, angles, shapes, etc.

I have one I could share but it's in Portuguese. I'm sure someone in the forum can share one in English.

 

[Egon]

A couple of observations. In my 50 years plus as millwright working on both mobile a stationary equipment I have never seen a way to repair a hole in a hydraulic pressure hose. remember the outside is just a cover. Second hose ends are not meant to be interchangeable, Weatherhead, Parker, whoever, have a specific series of fitting for each spec series hose. And that includes “no skive” reusable hose ends. I have cheated and in a pinch used a Weatherhead hose end on a Parker hose, got us going but eventually I had a major “cleanup on aisle 6”.

All education is expensive

Trying to fix a hose leak is an exercise in futility!

 

[texaswren]

I would be extremely leery of patching or splicing a leaking hose. No, that's not quite accurate—I wouldn't do it at all, period, EVER, for any reason.

Flex hoses can degrade in ways that are not obvious. As the outside covering ages, it develops small cracks, which allow water in, which causes the wire to corrode, causing dangerous reduction in pressure rating. I've seen hoses where the outside covering has all but fallen off that were holding pressure without leaking, and I've seen hoses with only tiny surface cracking of the sheath that were seeping hydraulic fluid through the cracks. Either way, once it starts leaking, the degradation of the hose has reached a point where catastrophic failure under pressure is a real risk. I had a hose blow out on my round baler at well below relief pressure which, under different circumstances could have caused the rear door to drop (fortunately I was using the hose to purge the air from the bale tensioner cylinders). I had a steering hose that hardly seemed to have any degradation blow out a mile from home, leaving me without any steering.

I'm sure I'll have lots of people chime in with "I've spliced hundreds of hoses and never had one fail." Good for you. Buy a lottery ticket.

If a hose is damp with oil seepage, replace it. If it has a pinhole leak, don't even put pressure on it until it's replaced.
O'Reilly Auto around here makes hoses with Gates lines, as does A-Line Auto. The cheap import hoses I've gotten at Tractor Supply and Surplus Center don't last very long before the covering starts cracking.

 

[laurencen]

fixing hoses is never a good idea, one mentioned taking the hose to a repair shop and get it spliced, the crimp fittings are just the same as the hose ends, the shop we use will not splice because if the hose is degraded it likely is ready to leak somewhere else, just bite the gun and replace it.

steel lines I have brazed up but only temporary, also brazed fuel injector lines that have cracked but its only temporary to get out of a bind then replace.

 

[Gord Baker]

Here ya go: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0D1RD7XYB/?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B0D1RD7XYB&ref_=sbx_be_s_sparkle_ssd_img&qid=1732306127&pd_rd_w=kIUae&content-id=amzn1.sym.c22103a5-23b0-460b-bbaf-8872aab7e9b8:amzn1.sym.c22103a5-23b0-460b-bbaf-8872aab7e9b8&pf_rd_p=c22103a5-23b0-460b-bbaf-8872aab7e9b8&pf_rd_r=RFWBNSKZPCZ8SARG6C40&pd_rd_wg=4NGT9&pd_rd_r=58c5c30c-8feb-4178-b4d2-3798a81b308e&pd_rd_plhdr=t&th=1
60 bucks on Amazon. Re-usable hose connectors for repairing hydraulic hose. I repaired a damaged hose on my backhoe with these type of fittings.
Eric

Order 2 ! Nice to have a spare. A hose shop would be able to splice it. Replacement is best. I had a hot hydraulic line burst on a FEL. Unpleasant on the face.

 

[sd455dan]

I wish we could get lines for those prices, a couple of 3/4" 4 footers are over $70 each from the local shops.

yeah to have two hoses made locally for a backhoe thumb paid $440.

I will Mail order next time and wait. or couple up generics from the farm store.

 

[Fuddyduddy1952]

Very happy with this place:
DiscountHydraulicHose.com

DiscountHydraulicHose.com

Discount Hydraulic Hose covers all your hydraulics needs. Custom Hose Assemblies, Fittings, Adapters, & much more with quality services and support.

www.discounthydraulichose.com

 

[nknelsen]

Woods9000 on my L3710. There's a pinhole leak on one of the lines. Its one of the longest lines on the setup too. No idea how the pinhole got there, but its away from all mounting surfaces, bends, couplings, or anything. Right on the "straightaway" on the line. Easy access, right there.

Is there a clamp, sleeve, or something else that would hold up? Sure, I can replace the entire line, but the fact its dead nuts on a straight portion of the line and wide open access, makes me wonder if there is something else that can be done before I rip the whole thing out.

Thanks.

It sucks, but I wouldn't risk it. Value wise, dependability wise and safety wise it's better to suck it up and replace the line. Anything else on a hydraulic line is just to limp home or finish something critical.
My opinion of course.

 

[Aussie Cargo]

Woods9000 on my L3710. There's a pinhole leak on one of the lines. Its one of the longest lines on the setup too. No idea how the pinhole got there, but its away from all mounting surfaces, bends, couplings, or anything. Right on the "straightaway" on the line. Easy access, right there.

Is there a clamp, sleeve, or something else that would hold up? Sure, I can replace the entire line, but the fact its dead nuts on a straight portion of the line and wide open access, makes me wonder if there is something else that can be done before I rip the whole thing out.

Thanks.

Just replace the complete hose, if a pinhole has developed the hose is probably getting to the end of its life, hydralic hoses wear out, a patch may fix it until it fails again. Hoses are made for easy replacement, do it once, do it right.

 

[Too many Kubotas]

The cheap import hoses I've gotten at Tractor Supply and Surplus Center don't last very long before the covering starts cracking.

My oldest hoses from Surplus Center are about 14 years old now, and are doing just fine.

 

[Tinhack]

...hose ends are not meant to be interchangeable, Weatherhead, Parker, whoever, have a specific series of fitting for each spec series hose. And that includes “no skive” reusable hose ends.

It's a shame you couldn't learn something in 50 years of making hoses. The reason Weatherhead, Parker and whoever have specific fittings for specific hose is so anyone that can read a chart and keep their fingers out of the crimper can make hoses. Also, they sell the hose and the fittings. Oh yeah, they also sell the machines. What a racket they have going. I learned to do it in less than a day. All you need is some calipers and a calculator. And if you're making hoses, you should already have the calipers. Choose a hose and a fitting for the type of hose. It's not that complicated. But you do have to know simple math.

If you gotta have something to read, refer to a chart of the types of hoses. If you stock R2 hose and fittings, you can pretty much deal with any equipment you'll find on or near a farm. All the other Rxx hoses are generally specialty hoses. R1 is just cheap. Most of the time, you can't read any writing on old hoses or fittings anyway. R2 hose can cover most needs with a working pressure of nearly 6k psi and a burst strength of 23k+ psi for 1/4" hose. 19k, 16k and 12k psi respectively for 3/8, 1/2 and 3/4" hose.

 

[Dangre]

Woods9000 on my L3710. There's a pinhole leak on one of the lines. Its one of the longest lines on the setup too. No idea how the pinhole got there, but its away from all mounting surfaces, bends, couplings, or anything. Right on the "straightaway" on the line. Easy access, right there.

Is there a clamp, sleeve, or something else that would hold up? Sure, I can replace the entire line, but the fact its dead nuts on a straight portion of the line and wide open access, makes me wonder if there is something else that can be done before I rip the whole thing out.

Thanks.

Hose ? I would use rubber and a clamp simple

 

[CliffordK]

How old is the tractor or implement?

Most of what I own is over 25 years old, some quite a bit older. I don't mess around with used hydraulic lines. If it goes bad, it gets replaced.