Hydraulic Hose At Home

adamk

adamk

Well-Known Member
Joined
Nov 20, 2010
Location
Burlington
I’m at the point in my buggy build where it’s time to plumb the steering. While I can pay to have someone come out and measure/make the lines or figure out the length needed and go to a shop to have them made, I’m debating just buying the equipment to make them myself. That said, anyone here make their own hydraulic lines? If so, what crimper do you use and what do you like/dislike about it?
 
I make lines. Eaton Weatherhead style. 220 volt hydraulic crimper, cut off saw for hose cutting. Unit was from Kimble Midwest. Since have started buying stock from other suppliers. Cheaper cost better quality, just have to use the Weatherhead style since crimp styles don't interchange happily.

I've also ran other styles and brands. All industrial table top units. Yet portable with a strong back, 😂.
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These are 1.5 can do up to 2 inch. Down to .5 I think. One machine does it all will the proper inserts. Will do 45 and 90 degree fittings as well.
Hefty investment if bought entirely. Some vendors will lease a machine if you source all your parts for a specified time frame or such. One company I was with in maintenance just threw in the equipment for free with the account.
I have zero experience with cheap units or imports.

Edit: Parker was the other brand style. Basically the same method different crimp. Dang close enough I'm not certain one might do the other.

Aeroquip that I've used have been field serviceable and not a crimp style. They are pretty neat but are not rated at the same pressures. I have seen them in full hydro steering configurations in the past. But haven't actually looked at specs or ran them myself. My old full hydro ran crimped hoses I bought before having the ability to build my own.
 
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I made all my hydraulic hoses with re useable hose ends and the correct hose for said ends.

I purchased 25' of -8 gates hose on ebay for 75$ then went here for the hose ends. just make sure you get the right ends for your hose

www.hydraulicsdirect.com

Re-Usable Hose Ends | Hose Ends | Hydraulics Direct

Find reusable hose ends used in different kinds of hydraulic hose assemblies for sale online at Hydraulics Direct A hydraulic hose allows secured movement of the hydraulic fluid moving in the pipe system and the high-pressure hoses and hose connectors handle the pressure generated during this
www.hydraulicsdirect.com
 
Northern Tool has NPT style hoses in stock for pretty cheap. I replaced all of the hoses on my old chipper for about the same price as 1 hose from Oreilly/Napa.
 
adamk said:
I’m debating just buying the equipment to make them myself. That said, anyone here make their own hydraulic lines? If so, what crimper do you use and what do you like/dislike about it?
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About 5+ k$ in equipment.
Gotta make a lot of hoses to justify that.

I'm on the fence as well.
 
Bebop said:
About 5+ k$ in equipment.
Gotta make a lot of hoses to justify that.
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maybe you dont know who you are talking to.
never stopped him before
:D
 
Agrisupply has a good selection of hoses on the shelf. Seem decent quality -- I've got a few that have been in use at least probably 15 years.

I've used the reusable fittings in a pinch. In the field, a hard blow from a sharp ax does a good job cutting hydraulic hose. At least 2-wire.
 
I have been looking at making some hard lines to replace long lengths of flexible hoses, like from power steering pump to box, obviously with a small ish length of hose to account for torque, or from the box, hugging the frame rail tight and down to the flex line for the ram. Is it worth buying the tools for that, or just have a shop build them?
 
gslander said:
I have been looking at making some hard lines to replace long lengths of flexible hoses, like from power steering pump to box, obviously with a small ish length of hose to account for torque, or from the box, hugging the frame rail tight and down to the flex line for the ram. Is it worth buying the tools for that, or just have a shop build them?
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Tools are cheap-ish for hardline.
Rigid flare tool is about $150 and a tube bender about the same.

But really, what do you gain from not having a long hose?
I do it for packaging constraints in a tight buggy and looks/cleanliness.
 
Bebop said:
Tools are cheap-ish for hardline.
Rigid flare tool is about $150 and a tube bender about the same.

But really, what do you gain from not having a long hose?
I do it for packaging constraints in a tight buggy and looks/cleanliness.
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Packaging and safety. On the 3.4 Tacoma the ps pump is on the pax side of the motor and the box is on the driver's side. So I have a rubber hose running up and over the timing belt and gears and down to the box. Not a fan of having that pressurized hose running over the motor in the, allbeit rare, event it lets loose. If I had a hard line I could run it in a different location, potentially even along the front frame crossmember like they are stock. Same with around the steering box and along the frame rails for the hydro assist ram. Also it's a skill building thing I guess, would be nice to learn how to do that and make it look nicer.
 
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Shreddinlettuce said:
I have used the screw in type, they work good but you need to line the inserted end and tighten them in a vice, they are a pita
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Agreed, a vise is really necessary to get them right. I have field-serviceable screw in Aeroquip fittings and normal hose for the lines to the ram, used Aeroquip stainless jacketed lines and field fittings for the pump/reservoir/cooler. No leaks, no issues. I pinched a hose to the ram a couple years ago and was able to do a quick hose change (had spare hose) in probably 30 minutes. This is one place where a Mac's Trail D-Vise is very helpful.
 
gslander said:
Packaging and safety. On the 3.4 Tacoma the ps pump is on the pax side of the motor and the box is on the driver's side. So I have a rubber hose running up and over the timing belt and gears and down to the box. Not a fan of having that pressurized hose running over the motor in the, allbeit rare, event it lets loose. If I had a hard line I could run it in a different location, potentially even along the front frame crossmember like they are stock. Same with around the steering box and along the frame rails for the hydro assist ram. Also it's a skill building thing I guess, would be nice to learn how to do that and make it look nicer.
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I love the look and idea of hardline as much as possible, but extra fittings do provide more possible leak points.
 
Well, I guess I got a bit ahead of myself when asking this question. I had imaged that there were somewhat lesser priced tools but what was in my head isn’t reality. That said, seems I’ll be measuring and having the local shop make lines like in the past.

I’ve ordered from surplus center before but some areas of the rig don’t allow for excess line and with surplus center offering in 12” increments, it’ll be hard to package. However, I’ll order adapters and misc from there because it certainly is affordable.
 
adamk said:
Well, I guess I got a bit ahead of myself when asking this question. I had imaged that there were somewhat lesser priced tools but what was in my head isn’t reality. That said, seems I’ll be measuring and having the local shop make lines like in the past.

I’ve ordered from surplus center before but some areas of the rig don’t allow for excess line and with surplus center offering in 12” increments, it’ll be hard to package. However, I’ll order adapters and misc from there because it certainly is affordable.
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I guess I am not sure why you would not use field fittings? These are not expensive and require no special tools. In the picture below you take the larger outer collar, screw it over the outside of the hose, then using some assembly lube screw in the inner fitting through the collar and it wedges/seals the hose to the fitting. You can get them in a variety of couplings and bends so you just purchase the fittings and some bulk hose to get started. You can order fittings online and get hose locally or order that online as well. Then your hoses can be precision fit "on vehicle" as you build it without having to measure and have a place build them.
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Bebop said:
I have blown 2 of them on hard steering hits.
To me, the don't hold pressure spikes like the crimped ones do.
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This is why I’m not going with field fittings. They’re great for a trail fix but I’d prefer a properly crimped fitting since I’m currently in the shop.

My original interest in buying the tools to make hoses simply came from the desire to custom fit on the buggy and because I like having tools so I’m not reliant on someone else. However, the cost for a good crimper is more than I was expecting.
 
adamk said:
This is why I’m not going with field fittings. They’re great for a trail fix but I’d prefer a properly crimped fitting since I’m currently in the shop.

My original interest in buying the tools to make hoses simply came from the desire to custom fit on the buggy and because I like having tools so I’m not reliant on someone else. However, the cost for a good crimper is more than I was expecting.
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If you are measuring on the rig, and then going to a shop to get hoses made, I suggest making atleast 1 end of the hose a straight fitting, if you can. The hoses are preferential bend, so clocking of the fittings are critical. Another option is to buy the hose, and fittings, then route and cut the line at home, clocking the fittings how it lays out best, and then marking them so that when you take it to the shop, they can realign the fittings correctly, before crimping them.
 
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