When Should You Replace A Hydraulic Hose?

When you notice that your hydraulic hose is in need of a replacement or if it is faulty in any way, this can halt the operations of your business for an extended period of time – making it imperative that you seek assistance as soon as is needed.

Hydraulic hoses can be a vital component for your business so in order to keep you operational, it is important that you identify the faults in your hydraulics and seek professional help.

Throughout this blog post, we are going to be providing you with advice on when to replace a hydraulic hose and will discuss the general life cycle of these units.

The Basics of Hydraulic Hoses

Put simply, hydraulic hoses will push water through your hydraulic system typically at very high pressures and speeds. These components are pivotal in the overall functioning of your hydraulic system.

These hydraulic systems can be used in a multitude of different ways from the hydraulic power unit on a runway to the hydraulics that power an excavation site. Without these components, these facilities would no longer be able to run.

A hydraulic hose is made of three distinct parts: the tube, the reinforcement and the cover, all of which play their respective part in the function of the hose itself.

The tube is what is making contact with the liquid on the inner part of the hose, the reinforcement gives the tube the added strength required to maintain the high pressures inside the hose and the cover is used to provide protection to the user from the high-pressure liquids.

The assembly of a hydraulic hose refers to a configuration of components consisting of a hose with fittings at both ends.

These fittings, typically made from stainless steel, carbon steel, or brass, encompass the outer part known as the socket, as well as an inner component referred to as the stem that directly connects to the hydraulic hose’s inner tube.

The hose assembly, rather than solely the hose itself, serves as the means to connect various elements of the hydraulic system by means of ports.

What Do Hydraulic Hoses Do?

The main job of a hydraulic hose is to push water through your hydraulics systems while protecting them from outside debris and contaminants. When your hose fails, it means that it is not effectively completing one or more of these jobs.

This causes the entire hydraulic system to malfunction and will cause further damage if left unattended for long periods of time. This is why the Pirtek team are here to help you.

Common Issues With Hydraulic Hoses

So what are some of the most common issues that can occur in your hydraulic hose? Well, there are plenty of different things that can malfunction from the components rusting to the pipes bursting.

On a typical life cycle, hydraulic hoses will last around 1-2 years depending on how well-maintained they are and how frequently they are used. This means that if you are noticing your equipment beginning to fail before this time period, you may need a replacement.

A hydraulic hose not reaching the end of its typical life cycle may mean that there are some external factors at play which are leading to these issues.

One of these issues is that the temperature inside the hose is higher than the recommended maximum by the manufacturer, this can damage the internal components of the hydraulic hose causing it to rip and tear.

If your hose comes into contact with components that vibrate then this can easily lead to abrasions or cuts on the surface of the hose which could result in shortening the useful life of a hydraulic hose.

There may also be a difficulty with the chemicals in which you are using with your hydraulic hose as some chemicals may not be suitable for use in certain hydraulic hoses. Before using any chemicals, you should make sure that they are compatible with the hose you’re using.

The chemicals in question do not only include things on the inside of the mechanism but also outside as well. These chemicals can include certain cleaning products, grease or any corrosive substances.

When Should I Replace My Hydraulic Hose?

As stated briefly above, the general life cycle of a hydraulic hose is around 1-2 years meaning that if you have owned your hydraulic hose for a similar length of time then you may need to have it replaced in the near future, even if it still functions perfectly.

The best time to replace your hydraulic hose is when you are noticing any of the issues we have listed or if you have surpassed the 2-year life expectancy. If you are noticing significant issues with your hydraulics, please contact a professional to fix this as soon as possible.

Hydraulic Hose Maintenance

If you are hoping to keep your hydraulics in perfect working condition, then the best way to do so is through hydraulic maintenance services. This will make sure that any potential repairs are caught before they become a major problem, saving you money and time.

If your business is relying on hydraulic systems for everyday tasks, making sure that your hydraulics are properly maintained is one of the key steps to having a completely functioning business.

An important thing to remember here is that no amount of hydraulic hose service will completely negate a replacement later down the line, but will be imperative in making them as infrequent as possible.

Conclusion

To conclude, the general rule for when you should replace your hydraulic hose is around 1-2 years of owning it to make sure that your business does not suffer from the sudden breaking of malfunction of a hose pipe bursting.

If you are in need of any hydraulic repair or replacement services, the team at Pirtek will be happy to help you with whatever you need. Get in touch with us at 0151 725 6777 or help@dynamichydro.co.uk and we will help however we can.