FEL Hydraulic hoses leak

   / FEL Hydraulic hoses leak #1  

hondo964

Member
Joined
Oct 8, 2008
Messages
49
Tractor
JD 950 JD 5055e
I've been using the FEL (of a used JD tractor I bought last summer) for pushing snow this winter and I notice that I'm leaking hydraulic oil in a number of places.

There are a number of shorter hoses that are designed as follows: they fit into what appears to be a crimped metal fitting and then that piece fits into another metal piece that screws into the rest of the hydraulic line. I haven't yet tried to tighten the fitting that screws into the line (and I'll try that once temperatures recover from their Arctic levels!). However, from all appearances, the leaks appear to come from where the rubber hose fit into the crimped piece of metal.

I'm wondering if this is common (tractor 20+ years old) and if it be the case, if I should just take the pieces into a hydraulic shop and let them cut an inch off the hose and recrimp it. (I'm thinking they would have the right parts and be much less expensive than a dealership). There appears to be enough extra in the rubber line for that. I don't recall seeing any substantial cracks in the hoses and I'm thinking that they don't make hoses like they used to.

Any advice?
 
   / FEL Hydraulic hoses leak #2  
Any reputable hydraulic shop will not crimp a new fitting onto an old hose, due to incompatibility between hose and crimp specs. Most likely a whole new hose will have to be made.
 
   / FEL Hydraulic hoses leak #3  
Any reputable hydraulic shop will not crimp a new fitting onto an old hose, due to incompatibility between hose and crimp specs. Most likely a whole new hose will have to be made.

Kenny, remind me to buy you a coffee. :D

If you had a newer hose, you could crimp the same brand fitting onto the end, no big deal. You shouldn't crimp a new fitting onto an old hose regardless of brand. Most older 2 and 1 wire hose crimps bite the cover, not the wire, so you would be crimping a new fitting onto an older, weathered cover.

It is common for an older hose to leak from near the crimp. That is where the most flex occurs.

Try going to a local shop and see if you can get a deal for changing all of the hoses. I do this. It is common for a customer to bring me the entire machine. I take the hoses off, make new, and install for the price of the hoses, no labor. Then, I can also route them and place guards if necessary to prevent future problems.

By the sounds of it, you will be changing them all soon anyway.
 
   / FEL Hydraulic hoses leak #4  
No Snit???

If you were close I'd drag over some equipment fer sure!

Anybody that can bring you equipment --> should.

jb
 
   / FEL Hydraulic hoses leak #5  
No Snit???

If you were close I'd drag over some equipment fer sure!

Anybody that can bring you equipment --> should.

jb

You would be shocked at how much work I get by doing this. Many people don't want to be bothered especially if it's the same price as doing it themselves anyway. Truthfully, I really enjoy working on equipment. :)
 
   / FEL Hydraulic hoses leak #6  
No, the shock is that you do it for the same price! The other shock is that someone with a trailer would not take advantage of the service!!!

I would have gladly brought my TLB over and had you do every single hose on the sucker and given you a couple 3 weeks to do it in. Talk about a winter drop off service!

No kidding, anyone that needs hoses should be flocking to your door with a big fat grin, a pocket full of dollars and leave the equipment until it is done. And no doubt done better than the owner could do it!

jb
 
   / FEL Hydraulic hoses leak #7  
Well JB, you might have given me an idea. I think I'll advertise this as a winter maintenance special. Even though I do it normally, some people will do it if you call it a special and they think they're getting a deal. Marketing is everything. If I get more work out of this, I'll let you know and maybe there will have to be a shipment to Wisconson. ;)

Funny thing is, sometimes, the owner wants to help and I let them. They get to learn something and I get it done faster.
 
   / FEL Hydraulic hoses leak
  • Thread Starter
#8  
Thanks for the info.

Do you have any advice on:
what it should cost me for material (say per fitting and per inch of hose). I have a total of 12 hoses. The hose is 3/8" and I have 4 that would be in the 18-20" range and 4 in the 14-16" range and then 4 that are 112".
what's reasonable for labor?

Also I have some questions on material:
for a 30 hp tractor, what rated psi should I get for the hose itself?
would a hydraulic shop have as good a quality of fitting as the JD dealer?
what is the typical/preferred metal that I want the fittings to be? (as I hear some can corrode).
 
   / FEL Hydraulic hoses leak #9  
I've been using the FEL (of a used JD tractor I bought last summer) for pushing snow this winter and I notice that I'm leaking hydraulic oil in a number of places.

There are a number of shorter hoses that are designed as follows: they fit into what appears to be a crimped metal fitting and then that piece fits into another metal piece that screws into the rest of the hydraulic line. I haven't yet tried to tighten the fitting that screws into the line (and I'll try that once temperatures recover from their Arctic levels!). However, from all appearances, the leaks appear to come from where the rubber hose fit into the crimped piece of metal.

I'm wondering if this is common (tractor 20+ years old) and if it be the case, if I should just take the pieces into a hydraulic shop and let them cut an inch off the hose and recrimp it. (I'm thinking they would have the right parts and be much less expensive than a dealership). There appears to be enough extra in the rubber line for that. I don't recall seeing any substantial cracks in the hoses and I'm thinking that they don't make hoses like they used to.

Any advice?
If just a slight drip it may reseal in the crimps acceptably when the weather warms and the rubber expands and softens.
larry
 
 
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