The daily maintenance of hydraulic hose has thousands of faults. How to avoid those common faults?

There are thousands of reasons for the failure of hydraulic hose, but the most common failure can be avoided by proper preventive measures.

1. Fluid compatibility

Incompatible fluids will cause deterioration, expansion and delamination of the rubber layer in the hose assembly. In some cases, the inner rubber layer may also be partially damaged. The hose must be compatible with the fluid being transported. Make sure that the fluid is compatible not only with the inner rubber layer, but also with the outer rubber layer, joints and even O-rings.

2. Dry air / old air

The inner rubber layer of the hose may produce many tiny cracks due to old or dry air. Sometimes, this type of failure is difficult to detect because the hose can still remain flexible, but there are signs of external leakage.

To avoid dry or stale air problems, verify that your hose rating is suitable for extremely dry air. For these applications, hose with PKR or EPDM inner rubber material is preferred.

3. Minimum bending radius

If the minimum bending radius is not met, the hose assembly may fail relatively quickly.

In vacuum or suction applications, if the bending radius is exceeded, the hose may flatten in the bending area. This will hinder or restrict the flow of the medium. If the bending is too severe, the hose may kink. In order to prevent hose failure with minimum bend radius, the recommended bend radius should be carefully checked.

4. Wear and tear

The hydraulic hose needs to experience harsh environment every day, and its influence will eventually appear on the hose. If not checked regularly, wear can cause the hose assembly to rupture and leak. If there is excessive friction between the hose and an external object or even another hose, the coating on the hose will be worn off and the strengthening layer will eventually be worn.

Properly assembled and installed hoses will have a longer life, reducing downtime and maintenance costs.