How The Pros Remove Hydraulic Hose Fittings

Removing hydraulic hose fittings can be somewhat dangerous and somewhat messy if you’re not familiar with best practices. Professional service members understand how to remove hose fittings safely and cleanly, and this is the method that everyone should use, to avoid the possibility of harm, and to minimize any cleanup which might become necessary. In this discussion, the information will be provided on how to best go about removing hydraulic hose fittings, when something needs to be replaced in your hydraulic system. 

Why Hydraulic Fittings Need To Be Replaced

Hydraulic hoses are always under high pressure, and in some systems, they are under extremely high pressure, especially when more power is needed to lift or move heavy objects. Because even the best hoses won’t last forever, they will occasionally rupture under this kind of pressure, and that means they need to be changed.

When the hose requires changing, it’s usually necessary to change the fittings right along with it to ensure that you have a good fit. At the very least, when a hose has to be swapped out, it’s a good idea to check the condition of your fittings, so that you don’t have another failure on your hands after you install the new hose.

Whenever a hose ruptures, there are only two choices. The first of these is to have a team member make the new installation, but this had better be someone who is extremely familiar with the nuances of hydraulic systems and has had prior experience in changing hoses. Generally speaking, the second option is the much safer one, and that calls for getting a professional to do the installation of the new hose and whatever fittings are necessary.

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In the long run, this will probably save you a lot of future troubles, because you’ll know that you have a strong hose and safe fittings in your hydraulic system. 

Safety Precautions To Take When Working On Hydraulic Systems

Most hydraulic systems are capable of accomplishing a task that requires enormous power, and the reason they have this capability is that they are frequently under high pressure, typically 2,000 pounds per square inch or even higher. One of the very first safety hazards associated with removing a hydraulic system’s components is forgetting to release that pressure before working on it.

This would be a significant blunder because, in addition to being under high pressure, hydraulic fluid is also very hot so that any operator could become bruised, cut, or burned by the hydraulic fluid. It’s also necessary to relieve the pressure in an accumulator, which might be storing up hydraulic energy, and this needs to be done even if the machine has been turned off.

One of the most common types of hydraulic systems injuries is when a hose has a pinhole leak, and an operator runs a finger along with the hose, trying to find it. It’s very easy for hydraulic fluid to be injected into the skin from one of these pinholes because it can work just like a syringe. Safety precautions are also necessary when dealing with the couplings between low-pressure and high-pressure components. These two should not be mixed, because hose or fitting ruptures will be the likely result of any kind of mismatch.

Another major area where safety precautions should always be taken is during normal maintenance. Hydraulics systems require periodic maintenance to be maintained in good operating condition, and this can help keep the machinery safe until the next maintenance checks.

This means replacing filters, checking for any kind of leakage or worn hoses, coating cylinder rods with lubricants, and preventing contaminants from getting into the hydraulic oil. Another excellent safety precaution to keep in mind is just always to be aware of the potential for some kind of breakdown with hydraulic equipment and to treat it with proper respect whenever you’re working around it. 

How To Remove Standard Hydraulic Fittings

The first step in removing and replacing hydraulic fittings is to protect yourself properly by wearing gloves and goggles since the hydraulic fluid is generally hot and under pressure. Next, you need to make sure that all hydraulic pressure in the system has been released, so that you can’t be sprayed by it. The precise procedure for releasing pressure will always be described in the owner’s manual.

Then you should lay a sheet or possibly a pail below the hose that you intend to replace so that all fluid can drain into the pail. If there are any hoods or coverings which protect the hoses, these will have to be removed, but remember exactly what you removed so that you can replace it during reassembly. Now it’s time to wash off the connectors which are on both sides of the hose, and you’ll probably see lots of dust, dirt, and other kinds of grime which have built up around the hose.

All this material needs to be wiped away so that it doesn’t get into the hose after you reattach everything. If the hose has been damaged in some way, you’ll need to have the correct replacement for that hose, and you’ll have to take the damaged one-off and discard it. If the fittings are damaged in any way, or if the threading has become corrupted, make sure you have the appropriate fittings on hand before reassembling the hydraulic system. 

How To Remove A Broken Hydraulic Fitting

Removing a broken hydraulic fitting calls for lots of patience and a little bit of expertise. One way that generally produces successful results begins with drilling carefully into the broken fitting so that you can remove the bulk of the broken bolt by doing so. As the wall gets scoured out, outward pressure gets relieved, and the tapered thread loses its tight relationship with the assembly.

In some cases, you will then be able to wind them out with your fingers simply. If anything gets stuck during this process, you might try using a thin piece of wire which is shaped appropriately, to pull out the stubborn part of the fitting. Once you do manage to get the old broken fitting out, you would be wise to use a tap to rethread the female part of the fitting so that you can rely on a good secure fit when you replace the fitting.

Get Help With Your Hydraulic Systems 

If you have trouble with your hydraulic systems or need help in replacing any of the parts that your equipment relies upon, you need to hire a company that will be able to provide quick service and also with quality service that will meet your specific needs. Contact Sapphire Hydraulics today to have our technicians onsite.