Hydraulic Hoses

[december45]

generally is it better to buy your Hydraulic Hose replacement hoses from BobCat or have them made up at a hose shop? Generally is there a better/best way, one less expensive or better quality?

 

[OldMachinist]

I've never bought replacment hoses from Bobcat So I can't tell you if there's much price difference. The only recommendation I can make is where ever you get your hoses from is if you can watch them make them up do so. If they use a abrasive cutoff saw to cut the hoses to length make sure you flush them out with clean solvent like mineal spirits before you put them on. The debris left in a hose from abrasive cutting is metal particles, burnt rubber and abrasives and can really do some damage. A good hydraulic shop will have a proper hose shear that make a clean debris free cut.

 

[Skiddy]

I've never bought replacment hoses from Bobcat So I can't tell you if there's much price difference. The only recommendation I can make is where ever you get your hoses from is if you can watch them make them up do so. If they use a abrasive cutoff saw to cut the hoses to length make sure you flush them out with clean solvent like mineal spirits before you put them on. The debris left in a hose from abrasive cutting is metal particles, burnt rubber and abrasives and can really do some damage. A good hydraulic shop will have a proper hose shear that make a clean debris free cut.

I would also add that you need to make sure they use a hose that is rated for the pressure that will be applied. The wheel motor curcuit is one such hose that needs to be a beefy hose.

 

[december45]

I would also add that you need to make sure they use a hose that is rated for the pressure that will be applied. The wheel motor curcuit is one such hose that needs to be a beefy hose.

thanks for the great advise, always needed, the hose i need right now is the hose from the pump to the hyd filter.... Ill make sure they dont use a cut off wheel to cut the hose.

 

[Tazza]

thanks for the great advise, always needed, the hose i need right now is the hose from the pump to the hyd filter.... Ill make sure they dont use a cut off wheel to cut the hose.

Don't be too worried about people using cut off saws, you can blow the dust out with compressed air if its a new hose, if its used and has oil you will need solvent.
When you take the old hose in they will match it, they will know the drive motor hoses as it will be 4 wire and rated at 5,000 PSI, most of the other hoses will be 1 or 2 wire depending on pressure ratings.

 

[Skiddy]

Don't be too worried about people using cut off saws, you can blow the dust out with compressed air if its a new hose, if its used and has oil you will need solvent.
When you take the old hose in they will match it, they will know the drive motor hoses as it will be 4 wire and rated at 5,000 PSI, most of the other hoses will be 1 or 2 wire depending on pressure ratings.

TAZ I guess old machinist and I are more "clean freaks" than you. I now think about little clumps of rubber going through a geroler. no matter what they use to cut the hoses they MUST be clean before assembly.

 

[Tazza]

TAZ I guess old machinist and I are more "clean freaks" than you. I now think about little clumps of rubber going through a geroler. no matter what they use to cut the hoses they MUST be clean before assembly.

Don't get me wrong, you need to get the crud out! Compressed air is all thats normally required is all. When i strip a machine down, i blow pieces of sponge through the tube lines to get any bits that may have gotten in when i took them off. I too want my hydraulic system clean, others say "thats what the filter is for" but it needs to get to the filter first....

 

[OldMachinist]

Don't get me wrong, you need to get the crud out! Compressed air is all thats normally required is all. When i strip a machine down, i blow pieces of sponge through the tube lines to get any bits that may have gotten in when i took them off. I too want my hydraulic system clean, others say "thats what the filter is for" but it needs to get to the filter first....

Several years back on of our hydraulic suppliers did a demostration show how much debris is in the hose after cutting with cutoff saw. They cut a hose and blew air though it and then flushed it with solvent into a paper filter there was a lot of stuff left in there after just blowing it out with air. Of course they were trying to convince us that we should only buy hoses from them because they used a special shear to cut hoses but they convinced me that you should always flush a new hose with solvent.

 

[december45]

Several years back on of our hydraulic suppliers did a demostration show how much debris is in the hose after cutting with cutoff saw. They cut a hose and blew air though it and then flushed it with solvent into a paper filter there was a lot of stuff left in there after just blowing it out with air. Of course they were trying to convince us that we should only buy hoses from them because they used a special shear to cut hoses but they convinced me that you should always flush a new hose with solvent.

is there a site, or link that would enable me to find the part number/ price of the hydraulic hose from Bob Cat, its the hose from the pump to the filter housing? I have checked a few Bob cat dealer sites none have any means of looking up parts or part numbers... Is there an on line source that the guys from this site use? like a sponsor or some thing?

 

[OldMachinist]

is there a site, or link that would enable me to find the part number/ price of the hydraulic hose from Bob Cat, its the hose from the pump to the filter housing? I have checked a few Bob cat dealer sites none have any means of looking up parts or part numbers... Is there an on line source that the guys from this site use? like a sponsor or some thing?

You have to call the parts department at the dealer to get the number and pricing. Since pricing varies with the dealers overhead markup you could call three different dealers and get three different prices. If you take the hose off and take it to a hydraulic shop or farm implement dealer they should be able to make one up to match. That's all I do the local Purina feed store makes them up for me while I wait.

 

[december45]

You have to call the parts department at the dealer to get the number and pricing. Since pricing varies with the dealers overhead markup you could call three different dealers and get three different prices. If you take the hose off and take it to a hydraulic shop or farm implement dealer they should be able to make one up to match. That's all I do the local Purina feed store makes them up for me while I wait.

ok i did exactly that went to a hydraulic hose shop and had one made up, $73.00 did they see me coming......

 

[Tazza]

ok i did exactly that went to a hydraulic hose shop and had one made up, $73.00 did they see me coming......

Sad to say, but thats about the go. The fittings are the most expensive bit. Over here they are about $40 odd each plus hose and assembly.

 

[december45]

Sad to say, but thats about the go. The fittings are the most expensive bit. Over here they are about $40 odd each plus hose and assembly.

thanks for all your help, the hose got changed, no more leaks, and every one is happy, i can tell that there is some air in the system, im guessing that will disapate and every thing will go back to normal....

 

[Tazza]

thanks for all your help, the hose got changed, no more leaks, and every one is happy, i can tell that there is some air in the system, im guessing that will disapate and every thing will go back to normal....

Just keep working it, the air will self purge.

 

[Skiddy]

Just keep working it, the air will self purge.

December welcome to the world of pain! think of it this way.... though that same hose at your bobcat dealer would have been 120 bucks and you wouldn't have got it till friday. I don't know where you live but it took some serious looking for me to find a decent place to buy fittings and hose's locally. G&h distributing is a chain and that is where I buy if I have to buy locally. I am replacing every hose on my machine and they are using gates hose and fittings. which imho is top of the heap and they are cheap. just look around---- you will find the good guys.. good luck!

 

[OldMachinist]

ok i did exactly that went to a hydraulic hose shop and had one made up, $73.00 did they see me coming......

December45 the list price for fittings for a 3/4" hose are about $16 for rigid and $25 for swivel and hose is around $10 a foot. So let say your hose is 2' long and the shop rate is $70 per hour you have.
$20 hose
$31 fittings
$18.75 labor
I think the price you got is about right when you add them up with tax and as long as it isn't rubbing on something it should last 10 years or more.

 

[december45]

December45 the list price for fittings for a 3/4" hose are about $16 for rigid and $25 for swivel and hose is around $10 a foot. So let say your hose is 2' long and the shop rate is $70 per hour you have.
$20 hose
$31 fittings
$18.75 labor
I think the price you got is about right when you add them up with tax and as long as it isn't rubbing on something it should last 10 years or more.

thanks guys, when i submitted the bill to the family accountant.. i got the "what the he** $73.00 look" but she is feeling better now.... worked the bobcat today and seems the air has worked it way out of the system.