Blown hydraulic hose

[Jeffro68]

Ok guys, I have a leaking/blown hydraulic hose for the slides. I have not gotten under it yet to take open the bottom to see which one it is and all of that, but has anyone replaced theirs? I will be replacing mine myself. As I am a disabled vet and just have to. Have you had them made or did you buy them Pre-made?

[DadsHemi]

I haven’t done it yet, but I have looked the hoses and fittings on Amazon. I have a few that are seeping at the fittings.

[Carl n Susan]

There are a fair number of posts here about replacing hydraulic hoses. A "Seasrch" will find them.
Most farm repair type places make hydraulic hoses to order. Be sure to attach a rope to the old line when you pull it out. That makes it easier to install the replacement line.

[rohrmann]

We had a hose a number of years ago that was close to failing and took it to an auto parts store that also served the AG community, and had a new hose in about 20 minutes. New hose is a higher pressure rated Gates.

[RKassl]

Last year after I spotted a hydraulic fluid leak on our drive way, took the Montana to the dealer........9 Hydraulic hoses needed to be replaced, all failing at the area where the connector and the hose go together. For such an important why did Keystone go cheap on me!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[rohrmann]

Originally Posted by RKassl

Last year after I spotted a hydraulic fluid leak on our drive way, took the Montana to the dealer........9 Hydraulic hoses needed to be replaced, all failing at the area where the connector and the hose go together. For such an important why did Keystone go cheap on me!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

It’s not Keystone. Lippert designed their system and the hoses they use are adequate for the pressures the system can generate. Workmanship during the install could be a different story.

[Kyle and Lisa]

I have replaced 3 hoses ever the years, if you have to you can repair the hose with a field serviceable fitting for a quick fix and then replace the complete hose later. Call around for hydraulic repair outfits to have hose made up, and when replacing a hose that goes into the underbelly, I use a hose splice connection to connect the old and new hose together and pull the new hose through with the old hose, do not use string as it will hang up or break and then you will be worse off than when you started.

[Foldbak]

Look for a hydraulic hose shop near you. You can have one made and they're not expensive. Anyone can buy a length of hose and a couple JIC fittings and with a couple wrenches install the fittings. I've done it hundreds of times in the field.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2IBVuCEmv6c

[Jeffro68]

I plan on making my own just because I am going to replace them all. I just dropped the belly pan and they all need replaced. There is no way I am taking them all off at once and I don’t want to make twenty trips. Any one tell me where and what hose they used that worked and if something did not work.

[CalandLinda]

Any hydraulic hose retailer that stocks Aeroquip or Weatherhead hoses & fittings can build your hoses to whatever pressure your systems require.

[CalandLinda]

Note: When fluid leaks from RV trailer hydraulic systems and forms small puddles they need to be quickly cleaned-up. Birds will drink the fluid and it kills them. The same thing happens when they drink from antifreeze puddles.

[daveinaz]

It’s not a particularly hard job, just a PITA. I dropped the chloroplast and found the busted hose, measured up, and then order a replacement from Lippert. At least here in Phoenix that was cheaper than having a local shop make one.

[Jfm49]

Originally Posted by Jeffro68

Ok guys, I have a leaking/blown hydraulic hose for the slides. I have not gotten under it yet to take open the bottom to see which one it is and all of that, but has anyone replaced theirs? I will be replacing mine myself. As I am a disabled vet and just have to. Have you had them made or did you buy them Pre-made?

Same problem on 2021 Montana 3931FB
Lippert slide system. Called Lippert, they have three year warranty on hydraulic system. Ordered 10 ft hose with crimped fittings, about $70 total and 3 days shipping. Installed myself and stitched up bottom with tie warps.

[harris71]

We've had a few hoses blow over the years. Similar to shown in Foldbak's post, both Grainger and NAPA have 5-part fittings for various sizes of hose that are easy to install with a couple of small adjustable wrenches and can get you functioning again quickly. Just make a clean cut at the rupture and put one side on, then the other, then the connector. I carry one or two of these with me as we travel. On our 2013 3100RL, I had the middle leveler extension line let go when doing auto-level. It seems the "protective" plastic bushing they feed it through at the frame has a sharp edge and wore through the hose. After repairing with the fitting, I put pipe insulation around the hoses everywhere they penetrate the frame. At some point I'll replace the hoses with stronger ones.

[RetiredandRollin]

Not sure if anyone mentioned it, so here goes. If I may add some, what I think is valuable information, the first thing you need to do is identify if it's a black hose or orange hose leaking. If its orange it is an "extend" line and should only be worked on with every slide and jack (everything hydraulic) retracted. Then you can remove the affected hose with minimal fluid leaking. If it's black, it's a "retract" hose, only work on that hose with everything hydraulic extended. Why? Because you are dealing with 2300 psi. It's not rocket science, but you need to make sure you do it right. Also, as others have said, you can get the replacement hose made at any hydraulic place, but if you are within the 3 year Lippert Warranty, contact them directly. Tell them what happen, the length needed which is clearly marked on the end of every hose in the reservoir compartment and they will replace it; great company to work with. If you are out of warranty, and have a few days, they will make the hose and ship it to you.
Ask me how I know all this? LOL!!!

[RetiredandRollin]

Originally Posted by rohrmann

It’s not Keystone. Lippert designed their system and the hoses they use are adequate for the pressures the system can generate. Workmanship during the install could be a different story.

I agree with your last sentence 100%. In my particular case, there is a hose which is only 2' long just above the reservoir in the battery compartment. During the installation, which is a Keystone problem, they drove a screw to attach the hydraulic manifold which the tip hit this particular hose. Over time, said screw with continuous rubbing worked right through the hose and bang; a huge fluid mess. Lol!!!

[Cushing872]

Originally Posted by Jeffro68

Ok guys, I have a leaking/blown hydraulic hose for the slides. I have not gotten under it yet to take open the bottom to see which one it is and all of that, but has anyone replaced theirs? I will be replacing mine myself. As I am a disabled vet and just have to. Have you had them made or did you buy them Pre-made?

Thermoplastic hoses are used because they don’t deteriorate like a rubber hydraulic hose. It is a good hose for the application. If the hose is printed with 100R7 on it, there is a field attachable fitting that can be used to make a simple repair. They are okay as a permanent fix for landing gear on an RV but not a man lift. As an owner of a hose repair store, I can tell you that I have had seen or replaced several hoses on RV that have failed at the crimps. They all have appeared to be over crimped. If I have a failure on my rig, I will cut it back and put a field attachable fitting on to repair it and if need be, I’ll make a hose to make up the distance if it won’t reach. Changing the entire hose is just way too much unnecessary work and some manufacturers advise against it but recommend a repair. These hoses are routed and installed like the wiring and then everything else installed over them blocking them. Historically I have found them ziptied in many spots making it impossible to snake one out with a new one. I would stick with thermoplastic hose. In my rig, they have orange for pressure lines and black for returns. If you take an orange one to a shop and they tell you they don’t have the orange hose, tell them it don’t have to be orange and it can be black thermoplastic. In the hydraulic world, orange thermoplastic hose is nonconductive but that isn’t needed on an RV. They do it only for identification purposes. Man lifts working around electrical lines use orange nonconductive hoses. Some shops don’t stock the orange but have black. If you need field support or a hose, see if there is a PIRTEK in your area.

[dieselguy]

Actually we're not dealing with 2300 psi each and every time you run the hydraulics. It depends on the resistance of the slides and how much your fiver weighs. Using a gauge in line with the pump, I've commonly seen 1400 - 1800psi to move the slides in and out unless you dead head it causing the pressure to jump up. 1650 - 1900 to run the hydraulic jacks unless you have a really heavy pin weight. Also ... once the slides are extended or retracted all you have to do to relieve most of the pressure is to bump the slide switch the opposite way for a second or two.

[RetiredandRollin]

Originally Posted by Cushing872

Thermoplastic hoses are used because they don’t deteriorate like a rubber hydraulic hose. It is a good hose for the application. If the hose is printed with 100R7 on it, there is a field attachable fitting that can be used to make a simple repair. They are okay as a permanent fix for landing gear on an RV but not a man lift. As an owner of a hose repair store, I can tell you that I have had seen or replaced several hoses on RV that have failed at the crimps. They all have appeared to be over crimped. If I have a failure on my rig, I will cut it back and put a field attachable fitting on to repair it and if need be, I’ll make a hose to make up the distance if it won’t reach. Changing the entire hose is just way too much unnecessary work and some manufacturers advise against it but recommend a repair. These hoses are routed and installed like the wiring and then everything else installed over them blocking them. Historically I have found them ziptied in many spots making it impossible to snake one out with a new one. I would stick with thermoplastic hose. In my rig, they have orange for pressure lines and black for returns. If you take an orange one to a shop and they tell you they don’t have the orange hose, tell them it don’t have to be orange and it can be black thermoplastic. In the hydraulic world, orange thermoplastic hose is nonconductive but that isn’t needed on an RV. They do it only for identification purposes. Man lifts working around electrical lines use orange nonconductive hoses. Some shops don’t stock the orange but have black. If you need field support or a hose, see if there is a PIRTEK in your area.

This is great information, can you attach a link to the exact fittings you refer to for a quality field repair? My repair was a two foot hose, super easy and accessible, but in the future this could really help. Thanks in advance

[RetiredandRollin]

Originally Posted by dieselguy

Actually we're not dealing with 2300 psi each and every time you run the hydraulics. It depends on the resistance of the slides and how much your fiver weighs. Using a gauge in line with the pump, I've commonly seen 1400 - 1800psi to move the slides in and out unless you dead head it causing the pressure to jump up. 1650 - 1900 to run the hydraulic jacks unless you have a really heavy pin weight. Also ... once the slides are extended or retracted all you have to do to relieve most of the pressure is to bump the slide switch the opposite way for a second or two.

I offered the reference to 2300 psi because that is exactly what was provided to me by the Lippert Technician. I get your point as it is more specific, but it's important to note that whether its 2300, 1400-1800 or the occasional spike to 1650-1900, they all represent an issue that if not taken seriously can at a minimum cause a huge mess; or worst, injuries.

Now the bumping of the slides is very interesting and makes sense, thanks for sharing.