Does anyone have their own hose crimper to make up hydraulic hoses ?

[westcliffe01]

I have just done a careful review of the actual connectors and they are not SAE fittings. Instead they are DIN DKOL fittings (24 degree male cone with an Oring). I will still check at the local hydraulic shop, but the closest place I have found them online was CA or Canada. Price seems about the same, just more for shipping and a delay in getting them. Then one has to wonder where one gets the proper crimping dimension ? I guess I can measure the originals, but that really is only valid for that particular hose (Italian). The working pressure of the hose is just below 5000psi, so it has to be done right..

 

[Professor Marvel]

Do you know you can buy self attaching hose ends that can be reused. they have a nipple that goes in the hose and an outer sleeve that tightens down on the outside. I use them and have never had one blow out. They can be bought at discount hydraulics .com

This seems like a great idea to me. Is there any downside? How difficult is it to put these on confidently?

 

[VA MTN MAN]

This seems like a great idea to me. Is there any downside? How difficult is it to put these on confidently?

They are very easy to use and I have not had one come off yet. The only thing in the instructions is try and cut the hose as straight as possible. you hold the fitting with one wrench and turn the lock nut cone with one. The ends are reusable so if one should blow off you could cut 2 inches off the hose and go again. like I said I have never had one come off. If you think about it tightening down with that much threaded pressure they probably have as much holding power as a crimp. I have had a crimped hose come off several times but I have had alot more crimped hoses.

 

[westcliffe01]

So far I have tracked down the fittings needed in California (about $5-7 each vs Parker >$20 each !!!). I have a sample each of the straight and 90 on the way so I can be 100% sure before buying a bunch of them. The company there also quoted me on 10 of each connector and 80ft of hose + shipping for about $300.

The local hydraulics shop said it would be about $5/crimp and "thehoseguys.com" also sent me a sheet outlining the crimp dimensions with tolerances when using their connectors. Really great service, so that the guys who do the crimping know they will be getting it right (and I can check it myself).

 

[Wade088]

I have a Parker crimper that I'm looking to sell I used it when I was hauling cars it is a karry around which is kind of heavy but not bad and it has a manual pump for crimping and I have used different brand fittings with it with no problems. I bought it for $800 would like to clear $500 after shipping

Just curious how fellow equipment owners handle the problem of needing to replace hydraulic hoses every few years due to wear and tear ?

I have 6 individual hoses on my Bobcat B200 loader backhoe that run from the hoe controls to the cylinder ports which need to be replaced. I am guessing the total length to be about 40ft and 12 of the SAE 37 deg female swivels. When the machine was built the manufacturer added a 6 position hose clamp to the main pivot forging of the hoe and it appears that the hoses were over-constrained by said clamp block with the result that all 6 hoses now leak at this point. Using 4 gal of hydraulic oil every time one wants to do a couple of days work and not to mention getting oil all over the driveway is just not a good way to operate.

I have no idea how much the local hydraulic shops will charge for making up replacements, but I am expecting some severe sticker shock... I notice that a hydraulic crimper with a few dies is about $1200 with a hand pump, while the female swivels run about <$5 each and hose is about $1.50/ft. So it seems that from a material point of view I am only looking at about $120 worth of material for all 6 hoses.

I'm curious whether anyone else has considered getting their own crimper and dies to not have to run to the store every time something fails and whether it is considered financially viable ? Perhaps by the second time you need it it could be paid for ?

 

[Larry Caldwell]

If I need hoses made up I just go to NAPA. They are very reasonable. For farm parts, they are the only choice outside of a dealer.

 

[joshuabardwell]

If the problem is a leak in a specific place, can you not take the existing hoses in to the hydraulic supply store and have them cut out the damaged section and put, like, a splice in? At least then you're just out the cost of two fittings per line. Maybe this is a dumb idea... I don't know.

 

[mudcat47537]

We have one at work. I can use it when I need something no problem.

 

[SPIKER]

Our local TSC stocks a ton of standard lengths of hoses and does custom hoses. I have/know of probably 5 places that also make hoses locally.

M

 

[joshuabardwell]

If the problem is a leak in a specific place, can you not take the existing hoses in to the hydraulic supply store and have them cut out the damaged section and put, like, a splice in? At least then you're just out the cost of two fittings per line. Maybe this is a dumb idea... I don't know.

Well, I just thought about it a little more, and realized that two fittings per line is exactly what you'd have to buy to get new lines. And I'd wager that the fittings are more expensive than the hoses, so as long as you're buying fittings, probably may as well just buy new hoses too.