Chaffing hose guard at center pivot, big problems if unattended?

m5040 · Aug 25, 2023

As there are many post here about oil leaks and hose problems, I would like to be proactive on keeping the machine in good condition. I noticed the blue hose wrapper at the center joint starting to cut through (more obvious when articulated) at the edge of the front frame and peeling back (if you enlarge the pic, you can see the outer layer starting to peel back). The pictures don't actually portray the damage as I think it looks worse in person and this is at only 130 hours. What will it look like at young 1300 hrs or an old 13000 hrs?
Any ideas on how to keep this from progressing? The edge on the metal is not sharp.
Maybe wash the dust off regularly?
Spray it with the lube called for on the tractor? Or a similar silicone spray?
Try to micky mouse in some kind of additional wrapping that could make it tighter or just push out on a sharp turn?
Buy a blue wrap from PT cut/split it and try to get it to stay at the wear point?
Be nice to find some high density thin plastic channel to glue/epoxy over the edge. This shouldn't be happening at this low of hours and if left unattended will then start cutting the hoses. Would be nice if it was as simple as spraying with lube.
Love to hear your thoughts on this .

ponytug · Aug 25, 2023

When I bought my PT, I went around and added nylon spiral hose wrap and some 3/16 cloth reinforced rubber sheets to a few places that looked, to my eye, like potential rub points. I did not do that location on my machine, and it has been fine. However, as your is chafing, it is clearly not doing well on your PT. The question is why.

My first thought on the cause is that perhaps there is more of an edge on the metal than you think. Do you think that you can wedge the hoses out of the way enough to round over the edge with some sanding? My second, off the top of my head thought is to try putting a 1" nylon strap around the entire hose bundle and vinyl over wrap just aft of the chafing to try to compress the hoses a bit. (Or perhaps just inside on the front half, roughly below where the seats bolts are, i.e. two or three inches ahead of the chafe point.)

My second thought on the cause is what looks like the sand/grit that is in the photos accumulated on your tractor. (Or is that just chipping dust from your "new to you" chipper?) If it is sand, rather than dirt, or sawdust, you might need to be washing that area after dirt work. I tend to have clay dust, so sand/grit is much less of an issue here.

Alternatively, I would consider either trying to put on some edge guard strip, like the strip on the edge of the ROPS but I'm not sure it will stay on. Or I would try a 4" wide 1/8-3/16 rubber strip in a U-shape from the top of the opening, under the hose abd back up the other side. I would work the strip in about three or three and half inches to try to minimize it shifting as the tractor articulates. I suspect that a strap might help both of these as well.

Good luck!

All the best,

Peter

groundcover · Aug 25, 2023

Looks pretty tight there but after I rubbed a hole in a hydraulic line on my stumper 220 stump grinder I took the old hose, cut a length out of it, split it and zip tied it around the chafe point. Let it rub on that ! Looks like they should have a rubber grommet where the hoses pass through.

agjones · Aug 29, 2023

I've actually gotten a magical stick poke to a hose through there.

Sleeve it this winter or when ever your bigger maintenance window is and forget about it.

PowerTracManiac · Sep 3, 2023

My machine is 15 years old with about 1000 hours and doesn't seem to have any issues at this joint. Some grease has run down on that blue sleeve material and I just leave it to lube that area. I also try not to fully articulate and pinch the joint if I can avoid it.

kjm3232 · Sep 3, 2023

i have cut pieces off of the foam pipe insulation and put it around any places so the hoses rest on those pieces instead of rubbing on bare metal. this i think have saved me on worn hoses.

ponytug · Sep 3, 2023

I used old conveyor belting under the hoses in a few places.

woodlandfarms · Sep 8, 2023

In my area there is a ton of logging. I bought a hose guard at the logging supply store. It’s jut a u shaped hardened plastic. I cut it down and shoved it sideways over the metal of the tub. So far ( 8 years) and it looks fine.