Why Use Hose?

There are two commons types of fluid connection — rigid tubing and hose assemblies. Rigid tubing offers the following advantages:

• Better heat dissipation.
• Tighter bend radius.
• Lighter weight.
• Ability to handle pressures exceeding 6,000 psi.

Hose assemblies, however, have the following advantages:

• Less susceptible to damage from vibration or movement.
• No brazing or specialized bending required.
• Easier to obtain in the aftermarket.
• Easier to route around obstacles.
• Sound absorption.
• Dampens pressure surges.

Today’s hydraulic hose is much lighter and provides improved bend radius compared to earlier products. With the introduction of these hoses (such as Gates MegaSys® products), the weight advantage of bent tubing has been minimized, while the bend advantage has been reduced by half. Given the availability and routing advantages of hose, maintenance personnel often prefer it over metal tubing. It is not uncommon to replace a hard-to-reach failed bent tube with a hose assembly