5 Tips For Hydraulic Hose Routing

5 Tips For Hydraulic Hose Routing

March 24, 2023

5 Tips For Hydraulic Hose Routing

Routing hydraulic hose can be difficult and costly to do wrong. But there are a few tips you can follow that can help improve the longevity of your hoses and reduce your maintenance costs.

1. Follow The Contours

Hydraulic systems can be complex and involve combinations of pipes, tubes, valves, filters, heat exchangers and hoses. Routing hydraulic hoses properly will ensure that each component is easily accessible for service, maintenance and repair. This involves taking the time to plan out a system layout and making sure that each line is running parallel to the equipment contours. To improve performance and reduce costs, routing hydraulic lines parallel to equipment can help minimize the number of hard angle bends that restrict flow. It also protects the line from external damage and promotes easier servicing.

2. Avoid S-bends

Bends are an important element of a hydraulic hose assembly, but they should be done with care to minimize pressure losses and hose damage. Be sure to follow the minimum bend radius, which is the extent to which a hose can bend without damaging itself. Twisting a high-pressure hose in more than one plane can reduce its service life by up to 70%. The bending process also can cause the reinforcement in a hose to twist, which misaligns it and reduces its ability to withstand pressure. Be sure to use a minimum bend radius and break up the hose into separate sections when routing.

3. Use Elbows Or Other Adapters

Using elbows as well as other adapters to get around corners can relieve strain on hose assemblies and provide neater installations that are easier to inspect. This also helps reduce the amount of threaded pipe joints and multiple fittings required. Whenever possible, route high-pressure hydraulic lines parallel to machine contours instead of running them in hard angle bends. This saves money and maximizes hose capability.

4. Use Clamps

The proper selection of clamps can help you route hose in an accurate and repeatable manner. They also prevent hose from contacting other components and rubbing together, which can cause damage. Hydraulic clamps typically have two halves with a bore for the pipe or hose to be placed into. They can be ribbed or smooth, with some having a chamfered edge to protect the pipe or hose.

5. Don’t Allow Too Much Slack

When routing hydraulic hoses, it’s important to avoid allowing too much slack. This can cause abrasion and damage to other components on the equipment and reduce service life. Hydraulic hoses can elongate or contract up to 4% under pressure, so a hose length that is too short may pull loose from the fittings and stress connections. To prevent this, use hose clamps between bends to keep the hose in place without bending it. Install enough hose on both sides of the clamp to provide slack for expansion and contraction. Also, make sure to follow the minimum bend radius specified by the hose manufacturer. If the hose isn’t bent within this range, it can put extra strain on the crimp joint and reduce hose lifespan.

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