hydraulic hose crimper recommendations

Its getting time to have a hydraulic hose crimper machine myself, all I've done the last few months is hunt someone who has the ends I need to make hoses for me. I've asked a lot of people who make hoses and nobody has given me an answer on what is the best all around system to use with ends available for a wide arrange of machines. Parker claims to have have the best selection available in my area, but I have no real idea as to what to buy or even look for. I have a lot of machines that require different ends. I have hitachi which run either jic or flat face metric, komatsu, both flat face and flared ends, some british parrell pipe along with british standard pipe, metric, sae of all sorts and for the hose, one machine uses six wire hose, but I don't think I'd buy a crimper to do six wire for that reason, I was thinking for both two and four wire hose. Excavators, dozers, I have one motor scraper now that needs all new hoses on it, skid steers, trenchers and farm equipment are my main things. Anyone have an idea as to where to even start or who to even talk to, everyone wants to sell me something, but have no knowledge or many hose fittings available for a wide aray of things. We use ends from about 1/4 to 11/4 with the 1/2 - 3/4 being the most popular size hoses for me. Right now the person with the greatest selection is almost 100 miles from me and its getting old pretty quck driving to him with every blown hose for him to match up for me, lately its all I get done is to chase after hoses, I've spent more time in my truck seat than on any machine seat commuting to and from with blown hoses. Any suggestions would be appreciated, thanks in advance.

Take a look at Discount Hydraulics on line. They have every type of fitting available, and right now have a special going on a crimper set up, including a video "how to". the prices on their fittings beat anything else I've found anywhere.

When I worked for a company before going on my own we had a Gates portable crimper with an air of hydraulic power pack. Kept the most common ends and hoses in stock at our shop. I can drive a about 3 large hose shop whitin 15-30 mins of where I am so makes no sense to have a crimper.

Randy88 said:

Parker claims to have have the best selection available in my area, but I have no real idea as to what to buy or even look for.

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Something to keep in mind when you're shopping for a hose crimper. Parker crimpers and Weatherhead crimpers use spacer rings to pre-set the crimp diameters for their own fittings. These types of crimpers cannot be adjusted to crimp fittings from other manufacturers.

Once you buy a Parker crimper, you are pretty much locked into buying Parker hose fittings, and Parker hose fittings are more expensive than most of their competitors.

A fully-adjustable crimper will have a micrometer or sometimes a computer control that allows to select any precise diameter you want, within the range of the crimper and dies you have on hand. For a better explanation of how this works, see the video on this page. http://www.discounthydraulichose.com/Hydraulic_Hose_Crimpers_s/45.htm

If you want to crimp 2-wire, 4-wire and 6-wire hoses, up to 1-1/4", I recommend our D165 Compact Hose Crimper. It is fully adjustable, as described above, and sells for less than $2800 online at http://www.discounthydraulichose.com/D165_Compact_Hose_Crimper_p/d165.htm

Dies are sold separately, so you can buy as few or as many as you need.

As far as fittings, you will have to take stock of what you have on your equipment and buy whatever is necessary. Female JIC fittings are the most common, and you will definitely want to keep those in several sizes. We also stock just about every other type of hydraulic connection available, from O-Ring Face Seal to British Pipe to metric threads. Minimum order is only $20, so you can buy small quantities when you only need a few fittings.

Thanks for the reply, yes I looked at those online and also the hose fitting selection, I haven't had time to yet sit down and call to ask questions, while they are open so maybe you can tell me, do you make these machines yourself or buy them from someone overseas, and as for the fittings, are those made here or from somewhere else as well, how many stocking places are there in the usa, how many years have they been in business and if you decide to close up shop, where do I go from there for supplies?

From all the quesitons I've asked locally, parker seems to have the best selection, weatherhead has limited amount and type of fittings, several other makers have discontinued or no longer available hose ends or machnes that can't crimp someone else's ends on, everyone's hose has a different pressure rating, even if you compare two wire to two wire and four to four, why? Do you also sell fitting bins to hold all the fittings and if not, where do you recommend one gets those from.

I've bought several machines where the sellers had a supply of uncrimped fittings for the machine, how does one tell what brand of fitting they are, I can't seem to find anyones label on them and the sellers didn't know for sure, how does one go about crimping those on per say. Also is there different fittings for different hose, say a six wire hose take the same fitting as a two wire hose, or does one need to stock fittings for hose wire size as well as hose diameter size?

Also all the adapters that are listed, are all those in stock or is there a wait period for those to come in and then be shipped.

Basically if discount hydraulics goes out of business 15 years from now, who do I get dies, press parts, fittings and hose from then?

Randy, I have used Aeroquip, Gates, Parker, and Weatherhead, and they are all good. I have a Gates crimper now because I got it for $0.00, but I think Parker is the best bet. Good luck.

Randy, four wire hose ends are different than two wire. The hose end has to match the hose pressure rating. I personally like the die ring crimpers because they're basically fool proof with very little that can go wrong, I know you can't mix and match brands but that's probably better anyway. If you have a hose store that's close but doesn't stock much I would go with them, at least they can order merchandise for you to keep in stock. I currently use Weatherhead because they're the closest but I don't necessarily think they're the best. Parker is good but I've been looking at Gates lately, they seem to have several of different ends that others don't offer. They are also a two piece end with a seperate crimp ferrule. I've heard of some guys who keep a stock of ferrules so that in a pinch (emphasis on pinch) they can cut the old end out of the blown Gates hose and re-crimp it using just a new ferrule.

Randy88 said:

Thanks for the reply, yes I looked at those online and also the hose fitting selection, I haven't had time to yet sit down and call to ask questions, while they are open so maybe you can tell me, do you make these machines yourself or buy them from someone overseas, and as for the fittings, are those made here or from somewhere else as well, how many stocking places are there in the usa, how many years have they been in business and if you decide to close up shop, where do I go from there for supplies?

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DiscountHydraulicHose.com is part of Hydraulic Fittings Co. We have been in the hose and fitting business since 1958, and we have been selling online since 2003. Our business is not only healthy, it's been growing steadily. I don't foresee DHH closing its doors anytime soon. In any case, one of the key benefits of our crimpers is their versatility. The D100, D165 and D205 (all made in the USA) can assembly hose and fittings from almost any manufacturer. You can buy fittings from Parker, Aeroquip, Weatherhead, or anyone else and set the crimper to the precise crimp diameter needed for those fittings.

All of our products are shipped from one location in Philadelphia. We sell directly to the customer, so we don't have dealers and distributors all over the country. We don't operate any manufacturing facilities. Instead, we are partnered with dozens of OEM manufacturers in the US, Canada, Germany, Thailand, and China. In many cases, we have multiple suppliers in order to assure availability of key products.

Randy88 said:

From all the quesitons I've asked locally, parker seems to have the best selection, weatherhead has limited amount and type of fittings, several other makers have discontinued or no longer available hose ends or machnes that can't crimp someone else's ends on, everyone's hose has a different pressure rating, even if you compare two wire to two wire and four to four, why? Do you also sell fitting bins to hold all the fittings and if not, where do you recommend one gets those from.

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Asking why there are so many specifications on hydraulic hose is a bit like asking why there are so many flavors of breakfast cereal. Manufacturers are constantly trying to find some competitive advantage and they often do that by introducing products that go above and beyond the industry standards. Of course, those products usually cost more and the features they offer may be more beneficial to some than others.

For example, Aeroquip makes some hoses with a proprietary material (AQP) that is rated for temperatures up to 300° F and is suitable for a wider range of fluids than the synthetic rubber hoses in use on most hydraulic equipment. You can pay two to three times as much for these AQP hoses. They are essential for some users working in special applications, but they would represent massive overkill on your basic farm tractor using standard petroleum based hydraulic fluid.

If you're looking to compare on price alone, stick with the industry standard hoses, which will be identified by an SAE specification, such as SAE 100R2AT or SAE 100R16, etc. The European DIN and EN standards are also becoming more common here, so you may see those markings on your hoses as well.

Randy88 said:

I've bought several machines where the sellers had a supply of uncrimped fittings for the machine, how does one tell what brand of fitting they are, I can't seem to find anyones label on them and the sellers didn't know for sure, how does one go about crimping those on per say. Also is there different fittings for different hose, say a six wire hose take the same fitting as a two wire hose, or does one need to stock fittings for hose wire size as well as hose diameter size?

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Unless you can identify the manufacturer and series of those fittings, you should not use them. You need this information to look up the proper crimp specifications, which vary form manufacturer to manufacturer and also from hose to hose. For example, our Braided Hose Fittings can be assembled with half a dozen different types of hoses, and the crimp specification for each hose is different from the next. An undercrimped fitting can leak or blow off under pressure. An overcrimped fitting can cause damage to the wire-reinforced hose. I wouldn't recommend using any fitting unless you are certain you crimp it to the correct specification for that particular fitting and hose combination.

As a general rule, special hoses require special fittings. You cannot use a 2-wire hose fitting 4-wire hose. Compatibility varies from one manufacturer to another, so you need to pay attention to the fitting descriptions and the hoses with which they are compatible.

Our Braided Hose Fittings can be crimped on most standard 1-wire and 2-wire hoses, but cannot be used with 4-wire or 6-wire hoses. DiscountHydraulicHose.com offers eight different kinds of crimp fittings for hydraulic hoses and other specialty hoses.

Randy88 said:

Also all the adapters that are listed, are all those in stock or is there a wait period for those to come in and then be shipped. Basically if discount hydraulics goes out of business 15 years from now, who do I get dies, press parts, fittings and hose from then?

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DiscountHydraulicHose.com currently offers more than 15,000 products. Our inventory is much larger than your local hydraulic repair shop, and we stock a lot of unusual items that the smaller shops just can't afford to carry. Most orders are shipped within 1 business day. 90% of backorders are filled in less than a week, many in as little as 2 business days.

With the exception of hydraulic hose fittings (see above), most hydraulic adapters and connectors are generic in nature. You can virtually the same part from a dozen different manufacturers. You buy from the one who has what you need, gives you the best price, and treats you with the respect you deserve. We've been doing that for more than 50 years, or we would not be in business today.

I hope I've been able to answer all of your questions. Don't hesitate to call me at 800-535-1302 if there is anything else you need to know.

Ken Hutchinson
Internet Sales Manager
Hydraulic Fittings Co.
DiscountHydraulicHose.com

DHH said:

Something to keep in mind when you're shopping for a hose crimper. Parker crimpers and Weatherhead crimpers use spacer rings to pre-set the crimp diameters for their own fittings. These types of crimpers cannot be adjusted to crimp fittings from other manufacturers.

Once you buy a Parker crimper, you are pretty much locked into buying Parker hose fittings, and Parker hose fittings are more expensive than most of their competitors.

A fully-adjustable crimper will have a micrometer or sometimes a computer control that allows to select any precise diameter you want, within the range of the crimper and dies you have on hand. For a better explanation of how this works, see the video on this page. http://www.discounthydraulichose.com/Hydraulic_Hose_Crimpers_s/45.htm

If you want to crimp 2-wire, 4-wire and 6-wire hoses, up to 1-1/4", I recommend our D165 Compact Hose Crimper. It is fully adjustable, as described above, and sells for less than $2800 online at http://www.discounthydraulichose.com/D165_Compact_Hose_Crimper_p/d165.htm

Dies are sold separately, so you can buy as few or as many as you need.

As far as fittings, you will have to take stock of what you have on your equipment and buy whatever is necessary. Female JIC fittings are the most common, and you will definitely want to keep those in several sizes. We also stock just about every other type of hydraulic connection available, from O-Ring Face Seal to British Pipe to metric threads. Minimum order is only $20, so you can buy small quantities when you only need a few fittings.

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I was recently given a Parker karrykrimp portable crimper with a set of dies. I have been on the DHH website and was considering purchasing some hose and fittings, but now I am a little concerned by your statement that I am now "locked into buying Parker hose fittings". I had visions of making an adjustable spacer ring or a spacer ring with a shim pack so that I can crimp to different diameters. Is the length of the crimp die an issue, or is there some other reason that this will not work?

DHH, thanks the reply, when things slow down here for the winter I"ll call you to talk about discount hydraulic crimpers and dies.

Gates hydraulic hose crimper

I have a gates crimper that is a stationary shop one and we are setting up a service truck and I would like to put it on the truck. The only thing I am worried about is all the bouncing around going down the road and if that will be bad for it. Any advice? Thank you

Daeygarbo, for what its worth, I bought a reconditioned crimper shorty after this discussion ended last time, up to date I must have made at least 30k worth of hose's with it since I bought it, love my crimper, such a money and time saver its unreal compared to having them made for me. I've seen the gates crimpers and its only my personal thought, I don't think I'd worry about the crimper itself being jarred around, I'd be far more concerned with getting dirt, dust and contaminants in the hose and fittings being drug around in the service truck, to keep everything organized and together would be another concern I'd have in a service truck. I know everyone else is far more organized than I am, but we have issues enough to keep fittings sorted and in stock and I made a hose reel stand for bulk hose, we use bolt bins to hold fitting ends and adapters and still it seems we take up half my loft at times and its a task to keep it all organized and handy when I need it.

If you had shelves where you could keep things upright and together and seal up cabinet to keep dust out, I'm not sure I'd get too worried about banging and jarring it around in a truck, I know quite a few that do just that, but they usually know ahead of time what they are going to be working on and carry only that to that job site.

Best of luck.

Gates hose crimper is good, don't worry about the bouncing, choose a 12V or 24V mobile crimper, but I think the price is expensive, so I import a hose crimper from oversea, I had used it for 2 years, the quality is good and only cost half price, the brand is HYDROCRIMP, I think he is a reliable hydraulic hose crimper supplier.

This is how I organize my service truck. I carry 3 sizes of hose, and carry my most common fittings. If I end up needing a fitting I don’t carry, I then buy them for my inventory. But, my stuff is on the farm, so not huge hose like on excavators or large loaders.

sorry, didn’t realize this was such an old post. Didn’t mean to refresh it.

Jonno ... Old post, but I learned something new about hydraulic hoses.