A Guide to Buying a Water Heater

Making Repairs To A Hydraulic Hose

29 January 2015 by Jeanne Cunningham

Hydraulic systems can perform amazing feats by applying hydraulic pressure to lift attachments. Hydraulic hoses are used to move hydraulic fluid from reservoirs where the oil is stored to the hydraulic pistons that are used to lift the attachments. These hoses have to be able to withstand 2000 psi. Hydraulic hoses are made from steel-reinforced rubber, and are highly durable, but even these heavy-duty hoses can wear out. Thus, if you depend on hydraulic equipment for your job, you should have some idea of how to locate leaks in your equipment and make repairs. 

Locating Leaks

You will know that you have a leak because you will see greasy, dirty spots on your equipment. If you have a large leak, the pressure behind the hydraulic fluid will force a large amount of oil out of the hoses in a short amount of time. Thus, a large leak is readily discernible. Small leaks might take a while to show up, but you can find them by looking for oily patches on your equipment. 

Once you know you have a leak, locating the hose that contains the leak can be tricky. When you are trying to follow the leak to its source, you need to make sure that you don't touch the fluid with your hands. Hydraulic fluid is toxic, so you should especially avoid any sort of contact to open wounds. 

Repairing a Damaged Hose

When you start to make repairs, you need to make sure that the hose is not under a load. If the hydraulic arm of the hose services is raised, then the hose will be under pressure. Trying to remove the hose can cause hydraulic fluid to come shooting out with enough pressure to puncture skin and inject hydraulic fluid into your flesh. Thus, before you start work on a hose, you should lower the arm in question to the ground or at least try to block it up in some sort of the way. You can then remove the fittings that hold the hose in place and replace it. 

Working on a hydraulic system can be hugely dangerous, but it can help you to save money on repairs. If you feel confident in your ability to work on your hydraulic equipment on your own without risking harm to yourself or your equipment, then you should feel free to make repairs on your own. However, if you don't feel confident working on your equipment, you should hire a professional, such as TST Hydraulics, to make the repairs for you. 

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