Hydraulic repair help!

I need some quick help! One of the rigid steel hydraulic lines on my tractor has sprung a leak in the middle of it's run. Apparently, it has been rubbing on a frame member and finally wore a hole through the wall. What can I do for a quick fix??? I tried JB weld, but no matter how good I tried to clean it, the hydraulic fluid leaked out and the JB slid right off onto the ground. The line is for the oil cooler, so it is probably low pressure (i.e., it's not a front loader line). Can I put a square of sheet metal around it, and clamp the crap out of it with hose clamps? Obviously no dealer is open so I can't get a replacement line (besides, I bet they charge an arm and a leg!)

I'd like to get back on the tractor in a couple hours because I have a lot of mowing to do today.

Could you slide some flexible hose over it and clamp the ends down on that?

go to the hardware store and get some of the "magic" self vulcanizing silicone tape to seal the hole - then a couple hose clamps to keep hydraulic pressure from splitting it?

Some auto parts stores are open on sunday, that might be able to build a new hose.

I have used heater/radiator hose tape to repair a leak in air conditioner hose on a vehicle. Clean ALL oil off, wrap as many times as possible, then cover with clamps, tight & as close together as possible, to keep from blowing off (in your case, maybe also wrap with that square of tin around it.) The man at the repair shop laughed..... until he found out my "patch" was not leaking .

OK...I have a handful of hose clamps, some silicone gasket material and some sheet metal. I'm going to put the gasket material on first with the sheet metal and then hold it in place with clamps.

Clamps close together, touching, right over the whole. Good luck.

urednecku said:

Clamps close together, touching, right over the whole. Good luck.

Click to expand...

Nope. Didn't work. I tried it without the sheet metal too, but the gasket material just kept sliding around, and I couldn't clamp it.

Dave,

Sometime ago I had about the same thing. I did the hose thing like mentioned before and had the hose about 4" long with a clamp on each end. It has been that way now for 3 years still working. The problem you might have is getting a hose on the steel line without cutting it. I cut mine so I could get the hose on.

murph

It's got a hole in it anyway...........cut it and splice a hose in.