A Few Reasons You Need To Be Sure To Have The Right Hydraulic Hose Fittings
Posted on: 24 May 2016
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If you have any machinery with hydraulics, you need to understand the importance of having the proper hose fittings. At some point, they will wear and begin to leak. You can often replace these fittings yourself, but you need to be sure to get the right ones. This means making sure you have the right manufacturer too. Do not assume that all manufacturers make them to the same design specifications. Sometimes different ones will fit on the hose end, but will not be the right one for the job. Here are a few things that can happen if your hose fittings are wrong.
Hose Strength
Hoses are made in different strengths. Depending on where the hose is being used, the hydraulic fluid going through it may be under different amounts of pressure. However, if the hose has the wrong fitting, the strength of the hose will not matter. The fitting will end up failing when the machine is run at capacity, causing the hose to fail to keep the fluid at the proper pressure.
Power Leaks
A hydraulic machine depends on the pressure of the fluid running through them. Everything must be perfectly matched and fit together properly to maintain this. Even a tiny difference in the way a coupler fits a hose will allow for a leak. This means the machine will not have the necessary power to complete the job it is trying to perform.
Damage to Other Parts
When you have leaks due to ill-fitting hoses or couplers, you are putting other parts of the machine at risk for damage. While a bit of hydraulic fluid sprayed onto other parts is not going to harm most pieces, it can cause damage to anything plastic. In addition, it can destroy a painted finish. The other problem with leaks is that they reduce the amount of fluid available for lubrication to other parts of the machine. Without proper lubrication these parts can become damaged and there will be excess heat due to friction, which can cause parts to quit moving the way they should.
If you are having trouble finding a hose fitting for your machine, you can contact the manufacturer to ask for replacement suggestions. You could also contact a hydraulic technician to come do the repair for you. Also, be sure to build up the pressure in the area where the new fitting is so you can shut things down quickly if you notice something is wrong.