You’ve made an investment in heavy equipment for your operations, the last thing you need is an unexpected breakdown bringing your operations to a halt.
One of the leading causes of costly, unplanned downtime on the job site is hydraulic hose failure on heavy equipment, potentially costing thousands of dollars in project delays.
One simple way to guard against this is by adding hose protection products to hydraulic hoses. Hose protectors can ward off issues associated with abrasion, impacts and extreme conditions, ensuring fluids continue to move safely through hydraulic equipment without any unexpected issues.
Whether you need hose protection for hydraulic hoses on construction, mining, agriculture, oilfield or other off-highway vehicles, this article will help answer common questions and ultimately help you select the right protection for your equipment to reduce delays and keep maintenance costs low.
A: This is probably the question we get the most, and one that’s likely at the top of your mind. The short answer is, technically, yes. The longer answer is that hose protection can prevent premature wear or loss of hydraulic hoses.
While it’s not a magic solution that will keep your hose in top working condition forever, it can make sure hydraulic hoses don’t see an “early death.”
Hose protection helps prevent issues with everyday wear and tear and abrasion that can be caused by debris, vibrating or pressurized hoses, hoses getting dragged across the ground and more. All of these can lead to premature wear or complete hose failure if left unprotected.
A hose protector provides a solid barrier between a hose and its environment, helping fend off the aforementioned debris, as well as moisture, chemicals and other foreign objects that can be found on job sites.
A: While it is difficult to say yes with certainty, choosing to add hose protection to your heavy equipment is generally considered a smart long-term investment.
Hydraulic hose protectors decrease the chances of hoses being damaged, helping avoid dreaded downtime on the job site. Whether it’s construction or any other field that uses heavy equipment, it’s essential to keep projects running on time and on budget.
Hydraulic hose protection can decrease the amount of maintenance needed for heavy machinery, and can reduce the frequency of hydraulic hose replacements, providing a return on your investment over time.
Furthermore, hose protectors, and hose sleeves in particular, can help prevent hose ruptures and bursts from causing serious damage to equipment and workers. While small, hose protection products can play a big role in project efficiency and cost savings.
A: Yes, many hose protection products such as hydraulic hose sleeves are flexible and can be easily installed in seconds without any tools being required.
Some hose protection like heavy duty spiral wraps may require the help of tools such as a wrapping or bundling unit to install hoses more efficiently.
A: There isn’t much maintenance needed for hose protection products other than inspecting them regularly for damage. If you notice a hose protector or hose sleeve has been cut, has visible cracks or shows signs of softening or discoloration, it’s advised to change out the protector for a new one.
While hose guards do a great job of protecting hydraulic hoses from damage and everyday wear and tear, they can’t perform as they should if they are damaged themselves.
If you follow a regular inspection schedule, there is generally a low chance of any serious problems occurring in the field. If a protector does fail in the field and the hydraulic hose is damaged, there are several options available to provide an emergency fix to stop any leaking. If this is required, you will need to administer a complete hose and hose protection replacement before the next use.
A: Certain hose protection, such as hose sleeves, can safely dissipate hose leaks and bursts that can occur due to high water or fluid pressure.
While hydraulic hoses are built to withstand high pressure, they are still susceptible to being damaged. This is important to note if dangerous fluids or chemicals are running through the hose. These chemicals can cause swelling or cracking from the inside that can ultimately reach the outside of the hose.
Polyester hose sleeves are an ideal option to protect against pinhole leaks, bursts and ruptures as they feature a high yarn count that can stand up to bursts and pinhole leaks as high as 700 bar/10,150 PSI. This allows for the relieving of liquid out the ends of the sleeve, while showing no visible damage to the sleeve itself.
A: Hose protectors are a great option for hydraulic hoses used in warmer climates or those exposed to sunlight throughout the year.
Polyester hose sleeves are known for maintaining their strength over prolonged time in the sun and have a safe working temperature of 300 degrees. Many plastic spiral hose guards can withstand temperatures between 175-280 degrees, making each a great option for construction sites where prolonged exposure to sunlight is often seen.
Hydraulic hoses are known to experience issues like cracking and premature aging due to regular thermal exposure, making hose protection a simple and effective solution.
For colder climates many hose protection products can perform well in temperatures as cold as -40 to -60 degrees.
A: Yes, certain hose guard products, such as hose bend restrictors, help reduce stress and hose bend near the hose-coupling junction.
Excessive kinking or bending can lead to flow restriction and structural damage, also known as flex fatigue. This can not only reduce the lifespan of the hose but leaves it susceptible to failure or bursting. Hose bend restrictors can prevent damage and extend the overall life cycle of the hose.
A: Hose protectors can be made from several materials with the most common including thermoplastics, textiles, rubber and vinyl.
Thermoplastic hose covers, including those made from HDPE or PVC, are commonly used in the construction field. They are lightweight, cost-effective and provide both abrasion and UV resistance.
Textile hose sleeves, typically made from polyester or nylon, are ideal for operations where high pressure and high temperatures are present, protecting against bursts and ruptures. Fire retardant coating and anti-static/conductive threads can also be added to sleeves based on need.
A: Yes, there are several other benefits for both plastic spiral hose protectors and polyester hose sleeves that include:
• Chemical resistance to acids, oxidizers, alkalis & solvents
• Moisture control to prevent corrosion
• Stain resistance (doesn’t leave oily stains)
• Abrasion resistance when wet
• Manufactured in a wide variety of widths
• Customization possible (print, color, hole punch)
Choosing the right hose protection shouldn't be a guessing game when equipment failure or worker safety is on the line. Whether you're managing a busy construction site or operating heavy equipment in demanding conditions, our team is here to help you get it right the first time.
If you need something straight from our catalog, a variation of an existing product, or a fully custom solution built to your exact specs, we have the in-house capabilities to make it happen, at any volume. Not sure if a material will hold up to your conditions? We can walk you through abrasion, chemical resistance, UV, pressure, burst testing and more. We even offer samples so you can test before you commit.
From initial design to final production, Caplugs' engineering team handles it all, including custom lengths, cuts and branding options tailored to your specific needs.
Ready to find the right hose protection products? Reach out to our hose protection experts at sales@caplugs.com or give us a call directly at 1.888.CAPLUGS to learn more.
Whether you require off-the-shelf furniture glides and finishing parts or have custom needs, Caplugs has the available product lines and expert in-house team to meet your specific protection needs.
For custom solutions, let the largest, most experienced in-house team of design engineers develop it for you from initial design to final production. We offer extensive custom molding solutions to meet your cost, performance, and production requirements.
