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Anyone have a recommendation on equipment to make hydraulic hoses?

Bote

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My company leases two John Deere 724K loaders. One of the machines is operational 24-7, the other is a backup. Often both machines are down due to waiting on the delivery of hydraulic hydraulic hoses. Hose life is another issue being investigated, but I want to evaluate the cost of purchasing equipment to make our own hoses anyway. I would want equipment that is easy to use by our operators. I’m sure there is much better equipment available than the crimping tools I used in the 80s.
 

1466IH

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The sky is the limit on crimpers today. Was just going through our new catalog and some of the machines are controlled with a tablet via Bluetooth. With it being a deere it will have weatherhead from factory but we are very happy with this new continental set up.
 

Swetz

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Be sure to make sure the one you decide to purchase will crimp the series of hose that you need for the machines. For example a hose that has the pressure rating for the machines. Some of the smaller/portable units do have some limitations in this area. I have a Parker Parkrimp and it works great. I have only used the genuine Parker hose, although there are other manufacturers that are saying their hose is compatible. Also, as far as the fittings, I have used some of the Parker compatible fittings, but again I like to stay with Parker. I have not had a single issue with these Chinese fittings that are compatible. The reason I purchased the unit I have is because of its portability. If a hose blows on the road somewhere, the new hose can be made onsite.

I purchased all of these compatible fittings here:

https://www.discounthydraulichose.com/parker-43-series-fittings.html

They are also selling machines that are said to crimp different brands of fitting/hose. Personally, this is foreign to me. I have always told that you need the same brand machine, hose, fittings for a problem free crimp. With new technology, perhaps it is possible tho.

https://www.discounthydraulichose.com/D165-Bundle.html
 

Bote

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Thanks for the info. The lease for these machines will be up soon and we will be getting bids for both Deere and Caterpillar machines. I think I'll specify a "hose list" be provided as part of the lease.
One of my operators said that Caterpillar hoses must be purchased from a CAT dealer. Is this an urban legend?
 

Coaldust

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I’ve had good luck with the Parker KarryKrimp 2, for an inexpensive, portable crimper. Good for up to -20. Like 1466IH said, the sky is the limit.

Being able to make a hose immediately and get a machine back in production immediately can pay for one very quickly.

My thought process is to stick with one brand. Crimper, hose and fittings. The manufacturer is more willing to back you if a problem occurs. The risk management folks prefer that.

Something else to consider. With the Covid lockdowns, it’s been hard to get a hose built. Someone is either sick with the Shanghai Shivers, not sick but tested positive, quarantined, at home collecting unemployment with the extra $300 weekly Covid bonus, or the hose store is closed. Or, they don’t have product on the shelf. And they are short-staffed and it takes three days to get a hose built. When they do get it built, the stems are not clocked correctly.
 

Coaldust

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Hydraulic hose isn’t proprietary. With a few exceptions, it’s pretty much standard.
But, yeah. You can only purchase Caterpillar branded hose from a Caterpillar dealer. That doesn’t mean you can’t replace it with Parker or Weatherhead.
 

Bluox

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You need to make a visit to your dealers and ask them to explain how their hose machines work and show you how they make hoses.
Bet it will be a real eye opener.
Bob
 

Coaldust

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Bote,

Go chat up your local house of hose. Meet their outside sales guy. If your company is doing enough hose purchasing, it’s common for a vendor to put inventory in your shop and even a hose press. It’s a very competitive biz.
 

Swetz

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Coaldust,
The karrykrimp is the exact machine that I have. Have used one for many years and it does work like a charm. As I stated before, to me, the selling point is that I can take it to the vehicle...no waiting for the local store to fine some kid that wants to make less $$ than when he was home collecting his unemployment...LOL:D

Good point about the brand...you can make hoses of any brand, but must be the correct rating (i.e. SAE 100R2)..ends must be correct for the application too (JIC, ORFS, NPSM, Etc.)
 

Ct Farmer

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I ended up buying a Goodyear/continental unit that is really made by Custom Crimp. They make crimpers for a lot of brands. The nice thing is that it is a universal machine. You set the stroke length which controls the crimp diameter. You do need to know the crimp specs for whatever hose and fittings you have. Real easy to use once you get a feel for it. I’ve done up to -20 4-wire on it with no issues. Been using mostly Manuli hose and fittings as I got a deal on spools of hose and pails of fittings when a shop changed over to Gates.
 

Bote

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Before the Deere loaders we had CAT. The terms of the lease required us to use CAT branded hoses. I think that's where the statement about hoses coming from CAT originated.
 

lantraxco

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Deere and CAT both will set you up to make hoses, if that makes it handier for you.

As to the matter of matching hose and hose ends and also the matching press, I don't recall exact details but I needed to replace a real one of a kind hose and my local hose house managed to find it in some esoteric brand with unknown specs. The wizard set it up in one of their big presses, rummaged around until he found a round pencil that would just slide stiffly into the stem, then gingerly pressed on until he could feel the stem tightening on the pencil. Pronounce perfect with the usual door warranty and we were off to the races. Hose, stem, and press all different brands.
 

Tinkerer

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I worked for a contractor that had lot of Cat 631C scrapers.
They had a spare for every hose the machine used, on site. They were new Cat brand hoses.
As a result they had very little down time because of a hose failure.
Maybe for a two machine operation it would be cheaper option than buying a hose crimper and all the needed accessorys.
 

Bote

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That's a good thought, Tinkerer. I'm speaking with ignorance, but a loader probably doesn't have nearly as many different hoses as my backhoe. That may be my best route.
 

Tyler d4c

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IMHO I think id just stock all the necessary hoses considering its only two of the same machine unless of course theres use for hose on other equipment. Recently I've found cat hoses are cheaper from the dealer then it is to go to the local supply shop for the same hose.
 

kshansen

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I worked for a contractor that had lot of Cat 631C scrapers.
They had a spare for every hose the machine used, on site. They were new Cat brand hoses.
As a result they had very little down time because of a hose failure.
Maybe for a two machine operation it would be cheaper option than buying a hose crimper and all the needed accessorys.
Where I worked I tried to have one each of the commonly damaged hoses on the main loaders, kind of nice to have say 3 980G's of about the same vintage! So in some cases say one tilt cylinder hose might be able to replace 3 or more hoses.

I think they got a hose machine after I left but think it is only for the smaller hoses say -4 to -10. I guess other types of operations are tougher on hoses than our quarry. Or maybe we just had good operators that didn't abuse the machines too much?
 

fred rosenberg

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IMHO I think id just stock all the necessary hoses considering its only two of the same machine unless of course theres use for hose on other equipment. Recently I've found cat hoses are cheaper from the dealer then it is to go to the local supply shop for the same hose.
Anything that says CAT on it is rarely cheaper. The beauty (and genius) of CAT is they stock just about everything, or will have it the next day. You call in the part # of a hose and it will be waiting for you when you get there. But you will pay
 

Tyler d4c

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Anything that says CAT on it is rarely cheaper. The beauty (and genius) of CAT is they stock just about everything, or will have it the next day. You call in the part # of a hose and it will be waiting for you when you get there. But you will pay
I'm not sure its cheaper or the local is just reduculas. But I will say that there arnt any brand thats cheap so pick your potion
 

Jonas302

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Cat is typically cheaper on hoses here too You get the right hose at the right rating the right length crimped right and cleaned Good value compared to hoping the dude at the auto parts store remembers how to use the machine nothing I hate worse then trying to bend in a frozen -20 hose someone measured to long or clocked the ends wrong


I'm really surprised your blowing that many hoses on lease should be a pretty new machine? we have several 980s in the high 20s to 30000 hours with mostly original hoses

Could be part of the contract let Deere know that you need a spare set of hoses with the machines or cat might get the deal...
 
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