Who Makes Their Own Hoses?

[Avenger]

Growing up on the farm we always took our blown hydraulic hoses into town for replacement. The local hardware store would measure the hose, cut new hose to length, crimp on the ends, and I wouldn't even have to pay at the counter. Just charge it to us. Time was always running out when these things happen.

I got hired as a mechanic for a large tractor dealership several... several years ago. We did the same service as that small town hardware store. But we used an electric crimper just like the one at the hardware store, and very similar to this one:

UA-4 | Compact Electric Hose Crimper Bundle W/ Dies

Check out the deal on UA-4 | Compact Electric Hose Crimper Bundle W/ Dies at DiscountHydraulicHose.com

www.discounthydraulichose.com

But that one cost $5,686!!

It would be great if I owned a hardware store or dealership, but I don't. I don't even farm anymore!

But I have blown hydraulic lines, and when I do, I have to take in to someplace local and get it fixed. Most dealerships have the ability, but for them, its more of a drop-it-off-and-leave type of scenario. That's never ideal.

There is one local place I use for all my hose related needs, a shop called "House of Hose" and they supply just about every kind of fitting, hose, clamp, valve, you name it. They are awesome!... and they know it. They charge a premium, but worse, they keep bankers hours. Open 7am-4pm M-F. If you blow a hose 4pm on a Friday, you're up a creek.

The last time I blew a hose was on my backhoe. The hose was the return line for the bucket curl, the longest one on the entire backhoe. ~$250 to replace it from HoH.

Now, I don't blow hoses often. Defiantly not enough to justify that electric bench mounted crimper for almost $6k! But I did see these:
Amazon Crimper Tool

If I got one of those, a small spool of hose, and a few fittings, I could replace my own lines? I don't like being at the beg and mercy of others for anything. Especially if I have to take time off work to go get a hose repaired thats also going to cost me big $.
A $130 for the tool is attractive, but I have my doubts that it will crimp and hold enough for the pressures of my tractor.

Does anyone make their own hydraulic hoses using one of these manual crimpers? How do you like it?

 

[i7win7]

Depending on how it's routed, BH needs the correct length of hose. Now on my grapple, extra length is not an issue. I use 4' NPT hoses from TSC. The adaptors and fittings don't wear out and can be reused. Extra hose, only $20, faster and cheaper than an emergency trip to town.

 

[sd455dan]

Growing up on the farm we always took our blown hydraulic hoses into town for replacement. The local hardware store would measure the hose, cut new hose to length, crimp on the ends, and I wouldn't even have to pay at the counter. Just charge it to us. Time was always running out when these things happen.

I got hired as a mechanic for a large tractor dealership several... several years ago. We did the same service as that small town hardware store. But we used an electric crimper just like the one at the hardware store, and very similar to this one:

UA-4 | Compact Electric Hose Crimper Bundle W/ Dies

Check out the deal on UA-4 | Compact Electric Hose Crimper Bundle W/ Dies at DiscountHydraulicHose.com

www.discounthydraulichose.com

But that one cost $5,686!!

It would be great if I owned a hardware store or dealership, but I don't. I don't even farm anymore!

But I have blown hydraulic lines, and when I do, I have to take in to someplace local and get it fixed. Most dealerships have the ability, but for them, its more of a drop-it-off-and-leave type of scenario. That's never ideal.

There is one local place I use for all my hose related needs, a shop called "House of Hose" and they supply just about every kind of fitting, hose, clamp, valve, you name it. They are awesome!... and they know it. They charge a premium, but worse, they keep bankers hours. Open 7am-4pm M-F. If you blow a hose 4pm on a Friday, you're up a creek.

The last time I blew a hose was on my backhoe. The hose was the return line for the bucket curl, the longest one on the entire backhoe. ~$250 to replace it from HoH.

Now, I don't blow hoses often. Defiantly not enough to justify that electric bench mounted crimper for almost $6k! But I did see these:
Amazon Crimper Tool

If I got one of those, a small spool of hose, and a few fittings, I could replace my own lines? I don't like being at the beg and mercy of others for anything. Especially if I have to take time off work to go get a hose repaired thats also going to cost me big $.
A $130 for the tool is attractive, but I have my doubts that it will crimp and hold enough for the pressures of my tractor.

Does anyone make their own hydraulic hoses using one of these manual crimpers? How do you like it?

Wow that looks like a deal, but after reading the description no mention of the actual pressure, and it mainly states AC lines. No expert here but AC systems are under 800lb on the high side operating normally IIANM

It would be neat if they sold a hydraulic crimp unit that could be connected to the tractor remotes and included the most used dies. had to replace 2 lines on my backhoe and they were just under $200 for 4000lb working pressure.
If a kit was reasonably priced might buy it but looking at economy crimpers from say discount hydraulic hose it looks like starting prices are over 3 grand.

S2 | Eco Crimp Head Bundle W/ Dies

Check out the deal on S2 | Eco Crimp Head Bundle W/ Dies at DiscountHydraulicHose.com

www.discounthydraulichose.com

Alibaba has a few but still pretty pricey and then who's fittings can be used?

Hose Crimpers for Efficient Productivity - Alibaba.com

Hydraulic hose crimpers for sale are more effective at creating hose assemblies than other joining tools.

www.alibaba.com

Maybe there are some TBN members that have cracked this egg and have cost effective DIY hydraulic hose fitting crimping solutions.?.?

 

[mikester]

I can't think of a dollar store quality tool I have purchased without regret afterwords.

 

[Tinhack]

Ditto what Dan says. AC hoses and fittings are nothing like hydraulic parts. For one, the AC fittings are aluminum and take less force to crimp. Also, AC pressures aren't likely to go over 400psi. After that, the compressor starts eating itself. I have a manual crimper I use for air hoses. I sure wouldn't expect that to do even AC work. Don't risk death to save money.

If you happen to be close to a hydraulic line/fitting when it blows, you'll be starring death in the face. If the fluid gets injected under your skin, there is no first aid option and will most likely require amputation to save your life.

 

[oosik]

Avenger - I've also found House of Hose to be absolutely great. For me it's a 60 mile round trip to their business. I really appreciate their "fix while I wait" procedure.

I've never really needed that many new hoses but it's nice to get that type of service.

 

[jwmorris]

You don’t need a machine if you buy reusable hose ends and you also don’t have to buy more fittings when the hose is done, just replace the hose, using the same fittings.

It’s not completely unheard of for a hose to fail right before the fitting too. If that’s the case and you left yourself a little extra, you can just cut the bad part out and reinstall the end without removing the hose from the equipment, much less have to drive it into town.

FBM1305 Eaton Aeroquip® -08 AQP® High Pressure / Power Steering Hose Fitting - Reusable S.A.E. 37° (JIC/AN) Swivel - 3/4-16" Thread - Straight - Steel

FBM1305 Eaton Aeroquip® -08 AQP® High Pressure / Power Steering Hose Fitting - Reusable S.A.E. 37° (JIC/AN) Swivel - 3/4-16" Thread - Straight - Steel, is ideal for Power steering lines, hydraulics, air, gasoline, fuel and lubricating oils, over-thewall air tools and DOT-approved air brake.

hosewarehouse.com

You’ll save the $5k but will need two adjustable wrenches…

If I sold hoses, they would be crimped though. Get to buy cheaper fittings to mark up and get the “come back” because the customer cannot reuse them indefinitely.

One of these will also be handy to have.

 

[crashz]

I've used the mobile hose repair trucks in the past and it works well. Not cheap, but not an everyday situation either. Unless you invest in a huge stock of fittings and hoses, what is the likelihood of having the correct parts on-hand?

 

[Vigo327]

So i agree with everyone else that the basic answer is 'there is no such thing as a cheap crimper that does 'real' hydraulic ferrule crimping to withstand thousands of psi'.

However, in the vein of the diy hose end shown above, i would say it depends on what pressures you need to run. Power steering hoses on cars can go up to about 1500 psi and they have a crimp fitting almost exactly like what is on an AC line. On another forum some garden tractor people have experimented with running 'pinch clamps' up to ~800psi so far.

So is it possible to diy SOME form of hydraulic hose end, pretty cheaply? Yes. But, is it possible to diy a 3000psi working pressure connection that can absorb the roughly up to 6000psi spikes from banging that hydraulic implement into stuff? Not really. Not that i've found!

You could also just make the hoses you have cheaper and more universal by replacing all the non-moving sections of them with hardline and leaving the remaining hose sections at 'standard' lengths you can get cheaply from surpluscenter. Flaring hydraulic line is not really any different from flaring brake line other than everything requiring more force because it's bigger, and requiring some different angle dies.

 

[nyone]

I use to work for a major municipality that ran hundreds of large plow trucks to honda civics and every piece of equipment in between. Every location had a hose crimper, a selection of hoses and fittings. Our main shop had a stationary crimper along with a portable one. I have made thousands of feet of hydraulic hose along with plumbed up systems.
At 1am on a saturday while the snow is still piling up and you need a hose..its nice to have the equipment to make one.

With that being said when I owned my own plow truck I always had a spare hose..even of it was 8ft longer than it needed to be, it would work.