When should I replace my Custom Hydraulic Hose Assembly?

While hydraulic hoses are highly durable, the pressure cycles they experience through normal operation and natural wear and tear will eventually lead to failure. If hose failure occurs unexpectedly, it can result in employee injury, property damage, expensive cleanup, wasted production, unscheduled downtime and increased material and labor costs. With these consequences in mind, we recommend a proactive rather than reactive approach to hose replacement. That means replacing the hose assembly once it nears the end of its safe and useful life span but before it fails for the sake of safety and cost savings.

Given the durability generally demonstrated by modern hydraulic hoses, it can be challenging to know when it’s time to replace them. Sometimes there are obvious signs that a hose has begun to fail, but that’s not always the case.

With the right care, a properly installed hydraulic hose that's fit for purpose should last for at least five years. We sell a variety of hose protection that can help you ensure that your hose lasts that long too.

There are 3 main factors that affect the service life of hydraulic hoses and hydraulic hose assemblies. Those main factors include hose: size, temperature, pressure.

Size: Hydraulic hoses differ in size depending on the anticipated flowrate needs of a system. It’s important to be aware of the limitations of the hoses employed to avoid exceeding their operating capacities. Excessive velocity will damage the inner surfaces of the hose’s tube and other system components may be damaged from the tube debris. Excessive flowrate will also raise the temperature of the hydraulic fluid due to friction.

Temperature: Most hydraulic hoses have a temperature range. Higher temperatures can lead to the hose becoming hard, brittle and cracked, while lower temperatures result in the hose becoming cracked without losing its softness or flexibility. The cooler the hose fluids can be usefully used at well below the rated maximum, the longer the hose will be able to not experience material degradation. Care must be taken to properly route and shield hoses away from external heat sources such as engine manifolds which can quickly reduce the life of the hose and often lead to fires.

Pressure: In addition to having set operating temperatures ranges, hydraulic hose assemblies have maximum rated working pressures. If the system pressure exceeds beyond this point, the hose may suffer permanent damage and/or fail. For this reason, it is recommended to use hoses rated for a few hundred psi over the system’s maximum working pressure to avoid surpassing the hose’s rating.

Review your hoses frequently before use to ensure there are no visible signs of damage, cracks or strain that could cause failure.  Failure of hydraulic hoses under pressure can cause major damages, including death. Hydraulic hoses are not something to be taken lightly!