Hydraulic Hose - ballooned

[Hutch333id]

I inadvertently found this today while dealing with another problem. I have zero experience with anything hydraulic but would appreciate any suggestions as to what may have caused this. I will be getting the rig in to the dealer ASAP to have it fixed - hopefully under the extended warranty - before heading on a four week road trip in just under four weeks.

[crunchman12001]

Yikes!
Needless to say, when that pops, you are gonna have a mess. Cheap hose, blocked line?

[MeepMeep]

Originally Posted by Hutch333id

I inadvertently found this today while dealing with another problem. I have zero experience with anything hydraulic but would appreciate any suggestions as to what may have caused this. I will be getting the rig in to the dealer ASAP to have it fixed - hopefully under the extended warranty - before heading on a four week road trip in just under four weeks.

Holy cow!! Please be kind enough to share the cause with us fellow 38FL'rs so we can inspect our rigs

Thanks!

[5picker]

That's from a poor crimp on the hose end. It allowed pressurized fluid to get under the outer jacket (not made for pressure) and swell.
Get that replaced ASAP.

[WFD]

YIKES!!! She's gonna blow!

[crunchman12001]

Question for the board.....
If this happened to me,,,,,, I would want to try and contain the mess if it does blow before the OP gets the unit to the dealer.
Could he take a 1/2 gallon milk jug, slice it open enough to get around the hose and tape it closed? That way he won't have to clean up so much hydraulic fluid?

[dahagen]

I had a hydraulic hose balloon and leak. Took the RV to a heavy equipment shop that quickly replaced the hose (one hour) and told me the hose had been kinked during installation, which caused the failure after just a few short trips.

[bubbles]

A lot of Georgetown owners went through this issue with the hoses and FR sent replacements to the repair facility for swap out at no charge. I dealt directly with Lippert when mine had to be replaced. Thought this issue would have been resolved on later units. Bad termination of hoses.

[rvpezzano]

On my 2008 Georgetown I noticed a leak in the right slide hose. The Lippert rep said the black hose is pressurized then you extend the slide and the orange when you retract. Is FR still honoring the bad hoses with free replacements? My MH is an 2008.

[Scrapper]

Originally Posted by 5picker

That's from a poor crimp on the hose end. It allowed pressurized fluid to get under the outer jacket (not made for pressure) and swell.
Get that replaced ASAP.

X2. I've seen this kind of failure often. If it bursts while the pump is running you will empty the supply tank very quickly. It will destroy the pump very quickly.

I even seen when the inside lining fails and blows a pinhole in the hose. You don't want to be in the line of the stream. The pressure is high enough to penetrate your skin. I've seen oil shoot 40 ft into the air when a hose blows.

Nothing other than replacing the hose will fix the problem. Don't try using the hydraulic system until you get it replaced.

[DouglasReid]

Originally Posted by crunchman12001

Question for the board.....
If this happened to me,,,,,, I would want to try and contain the mess if it does blow before the OP gets the unit to the dealer.
Could he take a 1/2 gallon milk jug, slice it open enough to get around the hose and tape it closed? That way he won't have to clean up so much hydraulic fluid?

What he does not want to do it so use the hydraulic pump prior to having it repaired. Go straight to the dealer after removing any and everything in that bay area that you don't want to get hydraulic fluid on if the hose breaks before getting to the dealer.

[SidecarFlip]

Discount Hydraulic Hose

[Scrapper]

What he could do is slowly loosen the hose, catching the oil in a pan or container. Once the pressure is off the hose, completely remove it and go to a Tractor Supply or dealer and have them make one up. Sometimes they will have a suitable hose already on the shelf. No need to order one online and wait for delivery. Be sure to get a quart or two of compatible hydraulic oil to top off the reservoir. The manual should state what type to use.

[CaptnJohn]

Don't wait! That stuff will make a mess near impossible to clean. The odor may never go away. I'd look for a heavy equipment shop to make a new one and inspect the system. I'd at least replace the black hose as well as I'd have no faith in it now either.

[fluidone]

OH MY, as a retired hydraulic/equipment repair tech. Depressurize the system at the soonest. DO NOT apply any hydraulic pressure to the system until the hose is replaced. Folks have asked why hoses fail.... anything from kinking, bad stock bulk hose, improper hose manufacturing, improper hose for the application, or 'murphy's law ( if a can fail it will .... ) Whatever you do DO NOT check the bulge with your hand unless you want to have shorter fingers.

[SidecarFlip]

Kind of looks like a sweet potato to me....

[JJaxon]

Depressurize first, preferably at another hose near the bottom or a place you can access easily, by putting a wrench on the fitting and turning 3/4 turn until it bleeds down the pressure. Have rags close by. Then wrap a rag around it above the bulge, allow to drape around the bulge. Use multiple rags but do not squeeze the bubble. Wrapping rags will slow and direct leaks to where you can safely catch them without making a huge mess. Then go get a replacement hose at a hydraulic shop. Hoses are a component and can be replaced by the user. Some shops would do it for you and you keep your hands clean. File a claim with the manufacturer before, but get it done asap. Hydraulic fluid has a distinct odor that hangs around a long time. If you let it burst, the mess wont be fun to deal with. Wear gloves and a mask.

[rickkey2]

This happened years ago on a hose in my Charleston. What has happened is the inner high pressure hose is weeping fluid to the orange hose outer protective cover. The pressure in the bubble is not high at all but the outer cover will only stretch so far then pop. It will only be the fluid that is in the bubble that will make a mess as the outer cover can not hold 3000 psi or more. This has probably been building up for a long time. We were out west when I saw one of my hoses bubbled and went to the first hose shop I found and was told that they see many hoses like this and that the bubble is not high pressure. I had them make up a new hose as the old one had a tag on it saying that it was 360 inches long and it was for my drivers side leveling jack. I told him that I do most of my own work and he said he could make a small cut with a razor and relive the pressure in the bubble so it would not pop and make a mess. So he put a shop rag around it and cut it like popping a blister. He then wrapped a clean shop rag around it and zip tied it on just to catch any leftover fluid. We continued our trip for another six weeks and I kept an eye on the hose and no problems with fluid leaking. When we got back home I changed the hose and was shocked as to how little fluid was on the rag when I removed it. If he had not popped the bubble there is a good chance it would have popped on its own and made a mess but only with the fluid in the bubble. If the inner HP hose totally fails the outer protective cover will not hold the pressure.

[Scrapper]

Originally Posted by rickkey2

This happened years ago on a hose in my Charleston. What has happened is the inner high pressure hose is weeping fluid to the orange hose outer protective cover. The pressure in the bubble is not high at all but the outer cover will only stretch so far then pop. It will only be the fluid that is in the bubble that will make a mess as the outer cover can not hold 3000 psi or more. This has probably been building up for a long time. We were out west when I saw one of my hoses bubbled and went to the first hose shop I found and was told that they see many hoses like this and that the bubble is not high pressure. I had them make up a new hose as the old one had a tag on it saying that it was 360 inches long and it was for my drivers side leveling jack. I told him that I do most of my own work and he said he could make a small cut with a razor and relive the pressure in the bubble so it would not pop and make a mess. So he put a shop rag around it and cut it like popping a blister. He then wrapped a clean shop rag around it and zip tied it on just to catch any leftover fluid. We continued our trip for another six weeks and I kept an eye on the hose and no problems with fluid leaking. When we got back home I changed the hose and was shocked as to how little fluid was on the rag when I removed it. If he had not popped the bubble there is a good chance it would have popped on its own and made a mess but only with the fluid in the bubble. If the inner HP hose totally fails the outer protective cover will not hold the pressure.

Then I guess all the blown hoses I've seen pop over the years has been just a fluke. OP is lucky it was where it could easily be seen.

[rickkey2]

Scrapper you are 100% correct about a blown hose. If a bubble is seen the hose needs to be replaced.