[army]

Has anyone purchased the tool(s) to make up your own hydraulic hoses? This is what amazon has on their CDN site. I don't have much experience with hydraulic hose making. Don't know what's best or what will work. Does anyone else? I have some 1/4" to 1/2" hoses but only a few with the type of fittings I need. I'd still have to buy fittings so it might not be worth buying the crimping tools instead of just buying new hoses as needed.

Amazon.com : Hydraulic Hose Crimper

 

[rwmeyer]

I've used crimp equipment like Weatherhead when I worked for a living, but never a "portable" unit like that. Here in the States, if you buy a fitting from NAPA, they'll cut your hose to length and crimp fitting in place for the charge of the fitting, with no cut or crimp charge. Bob

 

[steve_siere]

The description on Amazon says that kit is for air conditioning hoses. I would only use professional equipment to make hydraulic hoses.

 

[grandpajay]

Then there is the DIY option. I looked at some Weatherhead (maybe another supplier or two as well) die sets and decided in a fit of "becauseIcanism" to machine up a set of dies for both 1/4" and 3/8" hose sizes. Bought a bucket of fittings from DiscountHydraulic and munched away. Out of about 60 crimps, I admit to one failure-but I saw that leaking badly before failing in an oily mess.

 

[TomManson]

Wow, I am seriously impressed with your work! Tom

 

[jetjoe]

You can use "reusable" fittings which allow you to make up hose with standard hand tools. Sometimes called "no skive" but that's not real accurate as the description have changed over the years. They are available from most hydraulic sources but do (sometimes) require matching hose brands. I have several of these on my current 317. The downside is their a bit more expensive and do take up a little more room. But when your doing extensive mods they're the only way to go in my mind. If you can squeeze them in. No guesswork and fewer trips to the hydraulic shop. The fittings on the steering I installed in this photo are reusable's. Although the photo is not the finish configuration or routing it shows the greatest advantage is you can modify the hose after the assembly. I made all of these hoses in my shop. Hopefully you can zoom in for a good look.




Back in my papermill days that's pretty much all we used. As long as they are installed properly they work fine.

 

[TomManson]

Very interesting, so these fittings do not require a crimp, they are sealed by the fittings themselves clamping down on the hose? I used something similar in pneumatic plumbing, but those were at no near the pressure our hydraulic fittings are. Tom

 

[jetjoe]

Very interesting, so these fittings do not require a crimp, they are sealed by the fittings themselves clamping down on the hose? I used something similar in pneumatic plumbing, but those were at no near the pressure our hydraulic fittings are. Tom

They are designed to meet or exceed the hose pressure rating. It is a two piece fitting The large outer shell and the smaller inner which goes into the inside of the hose. The hose is actually squeezed between them.

 

[TomManson]

Yep, sounds just like the pneumatic fittings I used, their name escapes me at the moment. I used them in a vacuum for leak testing so any leak was not tolerable. So, is there a brand name for these?

 

[dhager4692]

Known as reusable hydraulic fittings or Field Attachable fittings. I used them in the 1960's with my father.

 

[army]

They are designed to meet or exceed the hose pressure rating. It is a two piece fitting The large outer shell and the smaller inner which goes into the inside of the hose. The hose is actually squeezed between them.

Are they squeezed somewhat similar to compression fittings for water lines Joe?

 

[jetjoe]

Yep, sounds just like the pneumatic fittings I used, their name escapes me at the moment. I used them in a vacuum for leak testing so any leak was not tolerable. So, is there a brand name for these?

Just the standard names of hoses. Parker, Horizon, Safeway. I think they all make them. I am surprised the "Surplus Center" don't carry more of them. I'm lucky as we have a very well equipped supplier here in Chattanooga.

 

[jetjoe]

Are they squeezed somewhat similar to compression fittings for water lines Joe?

No squeezing required other than what the fitting puts on the hose when installed. Both the outer shell and the inner barrel are threaded. The outer is threaded female with course threads that bite into the outer casing of the hose. It is also threaded with a female fine thread that the inner barrel crews into. You just put the hose in a vise. (gently) Screw the outer shell over the end of the hose, then screw the inner barrel into the outer shell. The inner barrel will penetrate the inside of the hose and squeeze the casing against the out shell. Very simple. Easier than my explanation I think.

 

[army]

Thanks Joe! That sounds like something that would work for me. I'd like to be able to modify hoses for length and fitting type.

No squeezing required other than what the fitting puts on the hose when installed. Both the outer shell and the inner barrel are threaded. The outer is threaded female with course threads that bite into the outer casing of the hose. It is also threaded with a female fine thread that the inner barrel crews into. You just put the hose in a vise. (gently) Screw the outer shell over the end of the hose, then screw the inner barrel into the outer shell. The inner barrel will penetrate the inside of the hose and squeeze the casing against the out shell. Very simple. Easier than my explanation I think.

I think I have one of those somewhere Jay (not!) . Seeing what you do makes me miss the old boy (dad) and his home brew machine shop. Unfortunately I had no room for the Bridgeport or one of his big old lathes. He had lots of hard to find tooling too.

Then there is the DIY option. I looked at some Weatherhead (maybe another supplier or two as well) die sets and decided in a fit of "becauseIcanism" to machine up a set of dies for both 1/4" and 3/8" hose sizes. Bought a bucket of fittings from DiscountHydraulic and munched away. Out of about 60 crimps, I admit to one failure-but I saw that leaking badly before failing in an oily mess.

View attachment 263820

 

[wyogreen]

Known as reusable hydraulic fittings or Field Attachable fittings. I used them in the 1960's with my father.

Wow, I had one of those in my fittings junk box. Never knew what it was for, and now I do. (Of course it's probably no longer in my junk box now that I know what it is.)

 

[army]

Wow, I had one of those in my fittings junk box. Never knew what it was for, and now I do. (Of course it's probably no longer in my junk box now that I know what it is.)

I think I have a couple fittings like that too. Probably too big for my purposes though. Got them from dad and he never did anything small.