How to make your own SS Braided Hydraulic Lines with reusable fittings
Tools: One 10 inch cresent wrench (
Box Wrench is best), One vice, Air compressor, Angle Grinder (
with Cut Off wheel).
The best tool for cutting the SS Braided Hose is a Small Angle Grinder (with Cut Off wheel) which does not fray the SS braids on the hose ends. It is also best to use an appropriate size
Box Wrench on the Hose Fittings (box end) to minimize leaving marks on the fittings.
I use Aeroquip Reusable Fittings and SS Braided hose from Summit Racing.
1. Place SS Braided hose in vice and cut SS Braided hose to length using Angle Grinder with
Cut Off wheel. Angle grinder is preferred since minimal SS wires are left free of the cut.
2. Make sure no SS Braided wires enter the hose end and make sure all loose SS Braided wires are ground flush with end. Keep the hose in the vice with about 2 inches on the free end out of the vice. (
Clean the inside of the hose end Cut Off before going further with Cotton Cue Tip .
3. Take the AN reusable hose fitting and unscrew the male part from the female part. The other end of the male part will have an NPT pipe thread or "O" ring seal thread size (AN) as desired.
4. Take the AN reusable hose fitting female part and screw onto the SS Braided hose (
counterclockwise) by hand pushing onto the hose as you rotate the female hose fitting
counterclockwise.
5. Screw the AN female reusable hose fitting onto the hose such that the hose is at a depth into the female fitting as defined by the
lines on the female fitting surface.
6. Lubricate the inside diameter of the SS Braided hose with oil through the end of the female fitting.
7. Insert the male reusable hose fitting into the lubricated hose through the end of the female fitting.
8. Push the male fitting into the hose as you rotate the male fitting
clockwise using a cresent wrench (
Box Wrench preferred). Once the threads are caught, continue rotating the male fitting into the hose untill approximately 1/16 inch space is left between the hexigon of the male fitting and female fitting.
9. Install the second hydraulic reusable hose fitting on the other end of the hose as per steps 2 through 8 above.
10. Last...but not least....take an air hose (
Air Compressor) and blow the hose clear to make sure you have a clean assembly (
if the SS Braided hose is not too long look through the hose end to end for any debree). You now have a SS Braided hydraulic hose with fittings good for maybe 2,000 psi hydraulic pressure more or less.
Parts Required for SS Braided Oil Cooler Lines.
The
SS Oil Cooler Lines are very easy to make up in SS Braided hose using Aeroquip reusable fittings and SS Braided hose available from
Summit Racing.
1. Use two 10 AN Stainless Steel Braided hose.
2. use two Aeroquip Reusable Hose Ends, 90 Degree, -10 AN Hose to Female -10 AN, Aluminum, Nickel Plated.
3. Use two Aeroquip Reusable Hose Ends, 45 Degree, -10 AN Hose to Female -10 AN, Aluminum, Nickel Plated.
4. Use two Stat-O-Seal, 5/8 in Inside Diameter, Aluminum with O-Ring.
5. Use two 10 AN M18x1.5 fittings threaded into the Aluminum adapter manifold.
6. One 6mm x 1.0 x 35 mm SS Allen head bolt.
7. One 6 mm SS washer.
8. Two "O" rings for the Aluminum adapter manifold to oil cooler interface.
The first five items can be found at
Summit Racing.
As an aside, I use the similar Aeroquip reusable fittings and Aeroquip 1509 hydraulic hose on all my farm implements and tractors. I make up all my implement hydraulic lines often replacing relatively new lines that come with the implements with my own lines that are much more dependable under extreme usage. We are talking hydraulic pressures over 2,000 psi on the hydraulics of some of these implements when the cylinders reach the stops.
Once you experiment with making your own hydraulic lines with some using SS Braided hose you will never look back at buying ready made hydraulic lines again. All you need is a vice, hand grinder (or even a hack saw will work), and a couple box wrenches of appropriate size. Oh...and an air compressor to blow clean the lines after assembly.