As they say “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” You no doubt have encountered the dilemma of trying to determine the exact time for the replacement of your hydraulic hose assemblies. Experts in fluid power are available to assist you with making a decision on when to replace your hose assemblies. But to make sure that you do not wait too long, here’s what you should keep in mind when checking for potential replacement:
Avoid Putting Old Rubber Hose Assemblies on Your Equipment
The cost of a cleanup is significantly higher than the cost of a new hose assembly. In addition, just cleaning up after the old hose breaks, may lead to potential injury risks and downtime. Notably, the shelf life of bulk rubber hose is 10 years from its date of manufacture. Therefore, whenever you find a hose assembly, which was manufactured in the 10-year range, you should consider replacing it.
Perform a Regularly Scheduled Visual Inspection
A regular visual inspection once a month should be more than sufficient. The regular inspection should pay particular attention to hose assemblies close to the operators of the equipment being used. Failure of these assemblies can result in injury.
Know the Signs Pointing to Hose Assembly Replacement
Due to the potentially harmful consequences that hose assembly failure may lead to, replacement should be undertaken if any of the following signs appear:
- When the fittings are corroded or cracked.
- When abrasion is present.
- When the hoses are crushed.
- When oil is leaking around the hose or the fittings.
- When you see any kinks from incorrect routing
Seaway Fluid Power Group (SFPG), with its extensive parts inventory of fluid power products such as hydraulics, pneumatics, hose and fittings, stainless steel fittings, instrumentation and compressed air, is committed to saving you downtime. Make sure you get the best solution to your hydraulic and pneumatic related problem – get SFPG.