Hydraulic hoses are an integral part of the machinery of the modern age. From car breaks to subsea pumping stations, the hydraulic hose provides an essential link in the construction of our most valued Hydraulic Hose Repair machines. Trouble is that time, stress and adverse environmental conditions can wear out hoses and cause failures which may bring entire machines to a grinding halt. Noticing these failures can be tricky and fixing them equally so, which is why we’ve put together this short guide to help you successfully identify a leak and replace the hose.
First things first, you’re going to need a couple of things. You’ll need an open ended wrench in the size of the nuts in your machine (a monkey wrench will do in a pinch), a pair of heat resistant gloves, a pair of goggles, some hydraulic caps and lubricant. With that, you’re ready to begin seeking out your leak.
You’ll need to identify the source of the leak, and this may well prove difficult. Many hydraulic hoses are buried within machines and others are found in tight spaces or around difficult corners. They also have a habit of crossing paths, making finding the exact cause of a puddle on the floor difficult. To make it easier, clean and dry the machine around the area where you believe the leak to be from. Once this is done, you need to put on your safety goggles and pressurize the system and watch very closely to see where the fluid is coming from. Got it? Excellent.
The next step is to depressurize the machine, ensuring that you discharge the pumps and turn off anything in the engine which may cause fluid to flood these pipes. It’s worth pointing out at this point that what looks like a leak can sometimes be water running down the pipe from a loose nut at the end of the hose, so check that out and tighten it if necessary.
Once you’ve depressurized and made certain that the hose itself has failed, it’s time to replace it. Remove any hose clamps or custom fittings that may be attached to the hose and remove the hose from that side, quickly fitting the hydraulic cap into the exposed fitting. Do the same on the other side and then prepare your new hose. Take a good look at the new hose and check it for dirt or debris inside. If there is anything inside the hose, clean it with compressed air. Attach the new hose and pressurize the system once again, making sure the leak has gone completely.
