Nothing lasts forever and hydraulic hoses are no exception. Unfortunately a hose failure can be expensive and can cause extensive damage to your system through loss of hydraulic fluid, contamination, and cavitation damage requiring significant hydraulic repairs and associated downtime. A damaged hose is also be a potential hazard to personnel.

Why do hydraulic hoses fail?

There are a number of different factors that can lead to a hydraulic hose failure. These include:

• Mechanical Damage. Rough treatment of hoses such as pulling, kinking and crushing can reduce hose life and cause failure. Abrasion from hoses rubbing against other surfaced or hoses is also a common cause of failure.

• Extreme temperatures. Hoses that are exposed to temperatures outside their operating range can age more rapidly, making them vulnerable to failure.

• Surge pressure. Pressure fluctuations above normal operating pressure can often occur undetected in a hydraulic system. These fluctuations can lead to premature hose failure.

• Bending and Twisting. Hydraulic hoses are designed to bend (to a certain extent), not twist.Even a small twist can have a serious impact on the service life of your hydraulic hose. Twisting can occur from bending a hose in more than one plane as well as through improper clamping or installation.

How can I prevent hydraulic hose failure in my system?

Hydraulic hose repair can be costly, so it’s important that you take good care of your hoses and take precautionary measures to minimise the risk of a failure occurring. A few steps you should take include:

• Protecting your hoses wherever possible from environmental damage and wear and tear. If necessary you can cover them in a sleeve or spiral wrap to prevent abrasion.

• Checking the routing of your hoses and ensure that there are no unnecessary forces being applied, which could cause twisting or other mechanical damage.

• Regularly checking your hose installation to make sure all connections are secure and that hoses aren’t being subjected to unnecessary motion from machines or actuators.

Berendsen provides a full range of industrial hydraulic services in addition to supplying a comprehensive range of hose and fitting products. No matter the application, we can assist with hose requirements Australia-wide.

Our Bundaberg, Wollongong and Adelaide branches also offer hose and fittings maintenance programs.. Contact us today for an in-depth discussion of your needs.