Go to your local hydraulic shop with your old hoses, and they will reproduce them, properly clocked too! I have a farm with hundreds of hoses and still cannot make it viable to have a hose crimper and stock all the fittings needed. The actual hose is the cheap part. A proper crimper is a couple of grand used with all the collets, and the number of different ends gets really expensive fast.

 

I just go to a local hydraulic store and tell them what I need and they make it up. As you know that hydraulic hose is a bear to route and it needs to be right on as far as measurements go. I see on Amazon they have the hydraulic crimping tool which to me is quite expensive for a tool I'm going to use only a few times. I'm an old fart though and if your a young guy you would probably get more use out of one than I. Good luck with your project JRP1!

Keep the Peace
Harry

 

I have a weatherhead coll o crimp t462. It is an air over hydraulic portable crimper. I love the thing. It's small and heavy though.. picked it up used a few years ago on ebay. They are not cheap. New I believe around 3500? I paid 1700 without any dies. Dies alone are a couple hundred. So if you are dealing with multiple sizes just the initial investment for the tooling is expensive. Like others have said the cheapest part is the hose. Fittings can get expensive. Have you looked into online sites like discounthydraulichose.com? Since I only have a few size dies I use them for my larger hoses. They can make anything you want sized perfectly to your need. Even as far as clocking your fittings on each end exactly how you need them. (90° facing 3 o'clock and the other end say a 45° at 12 o'clock).

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I had a plow hydraulic hose made a few years ago. They were 48” typical fisher plow fittings and paid $80 for each. I understand the fittings are what cost the most. But if I am looking at $80 a hose I will be over $1,000 into hoses. Or I can deal with the hacked look and be $250 into hoses if I purchase them online.

 

I had a plow hydraulic hose made a few years ago. They were 48” typical fisher plow fittings and paid $80 for each. I understand the fittings are what cost the most. But if I am looking at $80 a hose I will be over $1,000 into hoses. Or I can deal with the hacked look and be $250 into hoses if I purchase them online.

It's all about where you purchased the hydraulic hose assy. Most of my local auto parts stores make hoses in house and charge an enormous amount. The same exact brand hose assy online is considerably cheaper. When I first picked up my 6018bh I replaced all the backhoe hoses from discounthydraulichose.com. all were 1/4" with 3/8" npt pipe ends. There was something like 12-14 hoses. Ranging from 12 foot to 20". I paid a little over $400. It's all where you buy your hose from. Your $80 local made hose online is probably $35.

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I don't need enough hoses to justify the equipment costs to make my own. I have a Case-IH dealer 12 miles from home and found them to be reasonably priced. This winter I found out about a local farmer and a underground utility contractor who make hose's,about 3 miles away, but have not tried them let.

Cheers,
Gordy

 

You can get ready made hoses at a farm store Tractor supply, Fleet Farm, for a lot less then having them made, check them out.......Curt

 

That does not always workout. Generally I find them a bit too short or way too long. And often need to buy swivels, 90's, ect. to make them work. Plus the extra time and milage to get to one of those places.

Cheers,
Gordy

 

Just across town for me, LOL. But I agree having them made if straight won't work, when you need the special ends............Curt

 

JRP1
The short answer is yes you can make your own hoses. I built a front loader last year and made my own hoses, to date none have blown or leaked. I did it for the same reasons you mentioned in your post.
There is a lot more to it if your going to do it. The next sentence is not an exaggeration, If you are in the wrong place at the wrong time, a hydraulic malfunction can kill you! LEGAL DISCLAIMER DON'T DO IT, IT'S DANGEROUS.
I made 18 hoses to the exact length I needed. You will have to buy hose and fittings. I went to discounthydraulichose.com., they have about anything you will need and at pretty good prices, hydraulics are not cheap.
The first thing you want is manual. Go to the EATON site and download a manual, even if you have hydraulic knowledge. will need the tables in the manual to measure your crimps. Eaton or Weatherhead dies and collars are mostly compatible. You will have to do some research on the numbering system they use and made sure everything will work together.
You will need a die for each size of hose you want to do, once again, if the dies are all the same series, you can use the same collar for all the dies 1/4 thru 3/4.
The way the crimper works is you place the hose and fitting in the the die and press the die down into the collar which is cone shaped which forces the die teeth in giving you an even crimp.
The machine that presses the die go for around $3500 new. I use a 20 ton press.
I made a 1/2 " plate that sits on top of the dies to give even pressure all a round. On top of the plate, I used a piece of 6" pipe with a piece of 1/2 plate on top of the pipe.
The press pushes on the top plate, which pushed on the pipe, which pushed on the plate on top of the die, which pushes the die into the collar, the die teeth are forced in and it crimps the fitting.
You then use calipers to measure the diameter of the crimped fitting and compare to the table in the manual for the size hose you are doing, and see if you did it right. If you didn't, there is no do over, throw it away and start again.
I screwed up the first couple I did and when I got a good hose, I installed it on a newer tractor that I know puts great pressure run by a 20 hp Onan and did everything I could think of to blow that hose. It held and didn't leak.
If you have questions, ask.
Bill

 

JRP1
The short answer is yes you can make your own hoses. I built a front loader last year and made my own hoses, to date none have blown or leaked. I did it for the same reasons you mentioned in your post.
There is a lot more to it if your going to do it. The next sentence is not an exaggeration, If you are in the wrong place at the wrong time, a hydraulic malfunction can kill you! LEGAL DISCLAIMER DON'T DO IT, IT'S DANGEROUS.
I made 18 hoses to the exact length I needed. You will have to buy hose and fittings. I went to discounthydraulichose.com., they have about anything you will need and at pretty good prices, hydraulics are not cheap.
The first thing you want is manual. Go to the EATON site and download a manual, even if you have hydraulic knowledge. will need the tables in the manual to measure your crimps. Eaton or Weatherhead dies and collars are mostly compatible. You will have to do some research on the numbering system they use and made sure everything will work together.
You will need a die for each size of hose you want to do, once again, if the dies are all the same series, you can use the same collar for all the dies 1/4 thru 3/4.
The way the crimper works is you place the hose and fitting in the the die and press the die down into the collar which is cone shaped which forces the die teeth in giving you an even crimp.
The machine that presses the die go for around $3500 new. I use a 20 ton press.
I made a 1/2 " plate that sits on top of the dies to give even pressure all a round. On top of the plate, I used a piece of 6" pipe with a piece of 1/2 plate on top of the pipe.
The press pushes on the top plate, which pushed on the pipe, which pushed on the plate on top of the die, which pushes the die into the collar, the die teeth are forced in and it crimps the fitting.
You then use calipers to measure the diameter of the crimped fitting and compare to the table in the manual for the size hose you are doing, and see if you did it right. If you didn't, there is no do over, throw it away and start again.
I screwed up the first couple I did and when I got a good hose, I installed it on a newer tractor that I know puts great pressure run by a 20 hp Onan and did everything I could think of to blow that hose. It held and didn't leak.
If you have questions, ask.
Bill

 

....so I am really interested in making my own hydraulic hoses for multiple reasons.

I wouldn't bother with attempting to crimp with anything but a dedicated hydraulic crimper. Add to that, the hydraulic shops must have really high monthly mortgage costs base on what they charge me to make a hose (and even then it neve fits the way I want)

But here is a tip. What I do is figure out what I need for TWO hoses. Lets say I need one hose to be about 23-1/4" and it has one end that has a built in 90 degree fitting, the other end a straight swivel. The Second Hose is about 35-1/2" and it needs a pre-made 45 degree fitting on one end, the other a 90 degree, clocked specifically to fit.

The easiest way is to order a hose 5 feet long with a 90 crimped on each end in any clock configuration. Then you can CUT the hose and fit it on your specific tractor EXACTLY the way you need it because you can slip the end on at the right length and clock required. Mark the clock position on both hose and fitting and take it to just get it crimped. I found a local place that happily crimps it for $3 each, though we have a crimper at work now I can use.

In the end, I get a hose that fits EXACT, something I have never been able to get done by measured dimension, expecting too the guy making its ability to read a ruler. If you ask someone else to make your hoses fit properly.... they never are right.

I usually order my hose and fittings from discounthydraulichose.com. They have a pretty darn nice website that makes it clear what you are looking for and will get, and their charge to make the hose was something like $10.

 

The local place where I go has a ton of fittings in stock and often I bring a hose precut like mentioned above. 2 big pluses [in my books] is they do this everyday [there is some skill involoved] and they are guaranteed. If one does leak, [it can happen] I can go get a replacement, no charge in a little over half an hour round trip. Also, I can get emergency hoses done in the evenings or on weekends without a quarrel. See if your mail order can match that.

 

Bbpitts is spot on. Here's my portable I was talking about. I do alot of hydraulic systems for RV's. Definitely want to measure your crimp to make sure it is to spec.

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In my original post, I said I made 18 hoses, I was wrong it was 22, I forgot about the power steering.
Around here a 24" or shorter hose will cost about $40 and like Gummy said, when you get it home ,it will not be a perfect fit. And then you you have to stop what you doing, spend a hour or so running around to get a hose that is close.
I buy a length of hose and the fittings I will need and they are sitting on the bench when I need them, When I see the some of the people that are making hoses, I would trust my workmanship before theirs.
I would be the first agree that if you don't need a lot of hoses, you are better off buying them an not messing around with hydraulics. I don't want to hurt any feelings but not everyone should be making their own hoses, I'm sorry if this offends someone.
I also made a 37 degree tool and swage my own 5/8 hard lines.
I know this is a touchy subject, that is why I never posted it before but I have been doing this for two years and have three modified tractors up and running.
The first time I had a project, it cost me almost $700 in hoses, I already had the 20 ton press and I have less than $300 in dies and I am planning another project for this summer.
Bill

 

In my original post, I said I made 18 hoses, I was wrong it was 22, I forgot about the power steering.
Around here a 24" or shorter hose will cost about $40 and like Gummy said, when you get it home ,it will not be a perfect fit. And then you you have to stop what you doing, spend a hour or so running around to get a hose that is close.
I buy a length of hose and the fittings I will need and they are sitting on the bench when I need them, When I see the some of the people that are making hoses, I would trust my workmanship before theirs.
I would be the first agree that if you don't need a lot of hoses, you are better off buying them an not messing around with hydraulics. I don't want to hurt any feelings but not everyone should be making their own hoses, I'm sorry if this offends someone.
I also made a 37 degree tool and swage my own 5/8 hard lines.
I know this is a touchy subject, that is why I never posted it before but I have been doing this for two years and have three modified tractors up and running.
The first time I had a project, it cost me almost $700 in hoses, I already had the 20 ton press and I have less than $300 in dies and I am planning another project for this summer.
Bill

I appreciate the information. And no insult taken I am a electrician and have had my own business for years. I know exactly what you are saying. Not everyone should do something.

I would be interested in pictures of your home made press set up.

I will call around and see if someone can press my ends. I am ok with this option

thank you for your help.

 

JPR1
I will get some pictures for you.
Hydraulics are a lot like electricity, you don't have to be afraid of it but you darn well better respect it, I was an ET in the Navy a long time ago.
From reading your post,you ought go for it.
It has always annoyed me(insert stronger language here) to pay someone to do something that I could do myself.
Occasionally it bite me in the backside but without fail, if you want something done right, do it yourself.
Bill

 

JRP1
Here are some pictures, nothing pretty but it does work.Die and collar,

1st pic-die and cone
2nd pic-fitting on hose. fitting position on hose and position of fitting in die very important.
3rd pic-plate pushes die into cone. must be level and push straight.
4th pic-6" pipe that pushes on plate, must be level and push straight.
5th pic-setup ready to crimp, a 20 ton press can over crimp, measurement in manual will tell you how much.
6th pic-crimped fitting,if done correctly it is as good as anything you can buy.
Buy a few fitting,cut short section of hose and practice.
Bill

 

Bill

I agree with some practice, knowledge and attention to detail some could make their own hoses.
That said lacking any of the above elements including the dies, press and adapters things could get dicey.
The average gt owner would probably be better served and safer having a hydraulic shop make the few hoses most owners may require. I own the same press and understand how the process works and I'm sure with the dies and adapters could accomplish the task, and I agree with you some should never attempt to make their own.
Great write up and pictures!

Thanks
Jim

 

You are absolutely right.
That's why I hesitated to post this. There are some out there with a 40 piece walmart tool box and never check their oil.
Bill