Hydraulic Tubing Crimp?

   / Hydraulic Tubing Crimp? #1  

jsduke

Bronze Member
Joined
Apr 20, 2003
Messages
89
Location
West Central Pa.
Tractor
PT-425 (Former Kubota L3130 HST)
Hello all.

The rigid tubing(metal) that runs from near my loader valve along the boom has flat areas where a bolt on support bar holds it against the boom. Tractor is new. The dealer says that it's necessary for the bar to hold the tubes. The crimped or flat areas don't look entirely uniform as I would expect a designed part to be.
It seems that the restricted flow area in the tubes would not be a good thing. Is this the way they're made? /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif


I've already had a leak on the loader and a few more possible leaks elsewhere. I'm starting to be concerned about the condition of this machine.

Thanks.

duke.
 
   / Hydraulic Tubing Crimp? #2  
Duke, I've seen lines flattened for tubing clamps, but just enough to spread the clamp contact over a larger area to reduce the chance of chafing at a single point on the peak of the rounded tubing edge. I think it depends on the design of your clamp. If it has a soft rubber insert, there is probably no need to flatten the tubes. If the clamp has a hard surface or is metal-to-metal contact with the tubing, I think flattening the tubing is a good idea. Slight flattening of the tubing probably has very little effect on flow. A swage-type crimp which actually squeezes the tubing and reduces its diameter would cause restriction. You have those type connections everywhere you have a threaded fitting installed. The fittings are much more restrictive than the tubing itself. ...my two cents worth.
 
 
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