CRIMPING HYDRAULIC HOSE

Crimping hydraulic hoses should be done with care and the proper equipment. Hydraulic hoses are crimped when fittings are attached. Most professional crimping tools measure the amount of pressure being exerted so that the fittings can be attached at the maximum recommended pressure.

INSUFFICIENT FORCE

If the fitting is attached with too little force, the risk of failure is exponential. Once the hose is pressurized, the fitting may fly off of the end of the hose. This can injure anyone nearby as well as damage equipment.

EXCESSIVE FORCE

If, when crimping hydraulic hoses, too much force is used, the hose may be damaged to the point of failure. The outer covering of the hose must remain intact for stability. If it is severed, the inner rubber tube will not be strong enough to withstand the pressures placed on it by the hydraulic fluids. This, too, can result in explosive failure, injuring people and damaging equipment.

QUALITY TOOLS

Professional crimping tools can be quite expensive. Costs are between $1000 and $7000 each. Most of the tools, themselves, are powered by hydraulics. It is always recommended that the operator receives training in the use of crimping tools used for crimping hydraulic hoses. Skillful use of the proper equipment can pay for the cost of the tool in a number of ways. First of all, skilled crimping of hydraulic hoses means less downtime on the job site. You no longer have to wait for a technician to come to your site, or for hoses to be prepared off site and brought in. Second, having someone on staff who can properly crimp hoses will decrease the margin of error on jobs. Often, on-site repairs are done in a hurry with employees waiting to get back to work. A knowledgeable person can make good repairs under pressure. Third, quality tools and trained personnel can reduce damage to equipment and machinery. Besides reducing the amount of downtime, equipment will run more effectively without damage.