M246 in the busted hydraulic hose club

[ROARKY]

So I may need some assistance. Today, I noticed my crane had frothy hydraulic fluid leaking from inside my crane basket. What looks to be one of the steel lines inside the crane cab, is leaking by the seat. I’ve read a few threads but wanted to ask for a down and dirty response.
1. What is involved with replacing the steel lines in the crane cab?
2. What are the best fitting to use when I do it?

 

[Evil Dr. Porkchop]

My m62 was still in service and had a bunch of work done to it in the 90s. They just took out the steel lines and ran long hoses with a guard. This is how I’ll do my m108 if I ever get to it.

 

[ROARKY]

My m62 was still in service and had a bunch of work done to it in the 90s. They just took out the steel lines and ran long hoses with a guard. This is how I’ll do my m108 if I ever get to it.

That’s what I believe I will do too. Any idea on what size/style the fittings are for each end?

 

[royalflush55]

Buy the highest psi rating hose you can with the toughest rubber cover . You can also purchase spiral wrap hose covers to protect the hoses.

 

[Mullaney]

That’s what I believe I will do too. Any idea on what size/style the fittings are for each end?

.
Most hydraulic hose that I have seen on Military wreckers have JIC fittings on them. And there are "skive" type connectors so you can (more or less) screw them onto the new rubber hose. BE SURE that you get real hydraulic hose that is hose inside of a wire braid and should be rated at 3000# or more. If you can find the fittings (McMaster-Carr is one supplier) then buy an entire roll of wire, you can cut them to length with a cutoff wheel. Should be cheaper than buying individual lengths or pre-made hose.

 

[ROARKY]

.
Most hydraulic hose that I have seen on Military wreckers have JIC fittings on them. And there are "skive" type connectors so you can (more or less) screw them onto the new rubber hose. BE SURE that you get real hydraulic hose that is hose inside of a wire braid and should be rated at 3000# or more. If you can find the fittings (McMaster-Carr is one supplier) then buy an entire roll of wire, you can cut them to length with a cutoff wheel. Should be cheaper than buying individual lengths or pre-made hose.

I have been looking and think I am going toeventually replace all of the metal lines located in the crane cab with rubber hose and reusable fittings. I have found several suppliers but want to make sure I get something that will last. The steel line that busted was the hoist control line so I can still use the crane to an extent.

The 2nd picture shows approximately where the line busted. The 1st and 3rd pictures show fluid leaking? Out from close to the top rear cable spool area. Pictures aren’t the best but I’m going to clean it up to see if I can narrow it down. Crane works great though!

 

[ROARKY]

Been a bit but here is the fix. Ended up being the hoist line.

 

[ROARKY]

 

[gimpyrobb]

The Austin Western beds have a goofy "ermetto" (I think) thread fitting. All of the hoses I've had burst on my truck, I've had braised onto standard hose fittings so I can use cheap hoses instead of $$$$$ hoses!

 

[ROARKY]

The Austin Western beds have a goofy "ermetto" (I think) thread fitting. All of the hoses I've had burst on my truck, I've had braised onto standard hose fittings so I can use cheap hoses instead of $$$$$ hoses!

do you recall which fittings you used and where you got them? I want to be ready for the next time. My local hydraulic shop had no idea on where to start lol

 

[Mullaney]

do you recall which fittings you used and where you got them? I want to be ready for the next time. My local hydraulic shop had no idea on where to start lol

.
JIC fittings are the common hydraulic hose fittings.

PirTek Hydraulic Hose Services is an option.
They are locally owned franchises and they will come to your location if you want hoses made and installed.
.

 

[ROARKY]

.
JIC fittings are the common hydraulic hose fittings.

PirTek Hydraulic Hose Services is an option.
They are locally owned franchises and they will come to your location if you want hoses made and installed.
.

I meant to ask what size you went with, I have come across the braze on fittings before, I like those!

 

[Mullaney]

I meant to ask what size you went with, I have come across the braze on fittings before, I like those!

.
Not sure that I can help with that. I generally replace whatever is on my truck with the same size it had. Of course that is assuming that what is there is correct... If it is painted green it could be a good indicator that it was "factory" sized.

 

[charlesmann]

If you dont have a parts manual for that tck, you can measure the o/d of the line or take one of each fitting the metal lines connect to, and have the hyd shop match the fitting with the appropriate size line. I dont remember the - number and sizing, but i think a -10 line is a 3/4” line, -8 is a 5/8”, -6 =1/2”, but a google search can confirm or correct the - size in inches.
with that info, you can go to the hyd shop a d get the hoses made.

 

[US6x4]

The dash number is how many sixteenths of an inch the size is. Like a -6 is 6/16ths or 3/8. A -10 is 10/16 or 5/8 and so on...

 

[charlesmann]

The dash number is how many sixteenths of an inch the size is. Like a -6 is 6/16ths or 3/8. A -10 is 10/16 or 5/8 and so on...

Thank you for the correction in size. Im now having to look at a conversion chart every time for some reason. I guess i kicked off the hyd line sizing penguins off the iceberg to make room for rivet sizing penguins.

 

[gimpyrobb]

I have had my M62 for a while now. Its been years since I blew a hose and had to have an adapter made up, but what we did was take the thread from the original hose and braised it onto a standard hose end for the adapter. If you wanted to get rid of the goofy threads, you could un-bolt all the hard lines and put standard lines on, but that would require new rubber hoses too.

 

[msgjd]

1. What is involved with replacing the steel lines in the crane cab?
2. What are the best fitting to use when I do it?

I concur with others that you should make some sort of shield for any type of line that's within the operator station .. Not saying you have ever considered the following, but some reading this may or may have .. Everyday NPT iron pipe including sch80 is usually not rated high enough for this application, and if it is of a class that is, all fittings should come into scrutiny. Malleable threaded fittings can be the weakest link... I have seen an M108 done that way and suggested he take a look at the psi charts of the plumbing store pipe and fitts he used. ..I do have an old backhoe/loader that uses black pipe and fittings in its system but the relief valve is 900psi.

We have an M62 which of course uses an ermeto fitting of a size specific to military equip, i was told by a Parker hyd specialist it was a limited-production special order only for military and the size was/is unavailable on the civ side. .. Although ermetto fitts of many other sizes are available from a number of sources and are the predominant pipe fitting on my old dozers, excavators, and civ dump trucks,, there indeed are adapters available that connect the one-of-a-kind A/W M62 ermetto to JIC, thus I bet you will easily find an adapter for what is on your unit, I presume your M246 still has an A/W boom.. Last year we spent $460 on two hoist motor hoses with the adapters.. Join the club of learning that the M816 guys have it a bit easier/cheaper It might take me a long time to remember, but if I can locate the paperwork and notes I can get you the mfr part numbers of the adapters etc

 

[ROARKY]

I concur with others that you should make some sort of shield for any type of line that's within the operator station .. Not saying you have ever considered the following, but some reading this may or may have .. Everyday NPT iron pipe including sch80 is usually not rated high enough for this application, and if it is of a class that is, all fittings should come into scrutiny. Malleable threaded fittings can be the weakest link... I have seen an M108 done that way and suggested he take a look at the psi charts of the plumbing store pipe and fitts he used. ..I do have an old backhoe/loader that uses black pipe and fittings in its system but the relief valve is 900psi.

We have an M62 which of course uses an ermeto fitting of a size specific to military equip, i was told by a Parker hyd specialist it was a limited-production special order only for military and the size was/is unavailable on the civ side. .. Although ermetto fitts of many other sizes are available from a number of sources and are the predominant pipe fitting on my old dozers, excavators, and civ dump trucks,, there indeed are adapters available that connect the one-of-a-kind A/W M62 ermetto to JIC, thus I bet you will easily find an adapter for what is on your unit, I presume your M246 still has an A/W boom.. Last year we spent $460 on two hoist motor hoses with the adapters.. Join the club of learning that the M816 guys have it a bit easier/cheaper It might take me a long time to remember, but if I can locate the paperwork and notes I can get you the mfr part numbers of the adapters etc

That would be great! I would love to have the numbers! I am planning on adding some sort of “shield” between the lines and the operators station. Not sure what I will do just yet because the lines contour the wall and go under the valve bank. May be as simple as sheet metal bent to deflect the pressure from any given line. My wrecker still has the A/W boom too. I had another one but traded it off, kinda wish I had kept it for parts now.

 

[msgjd]

I am planning on adding some sort of “shield” between the lines and the operators station. Not sure what I will do just yet because the lines contour the wall and go under the valve bank. May be as simple as sheet metal bent to deflect the pressure from any given line.

Anything that would deflect a stream or spray of high-pressure oil from hitting you is better than nothing at all, even a wood 1x12 or whatever fastened along the pipe surface would seem to be adequate.. I am not a prof engineer but 18 or 20-gauge 4" or 6" stove pipe oval'd around the op station hyd lines would work, just a simple rudimentary example. Your sheet-metal fabrication of course would work just fine and look much better than my idea for sure.. Just throwing out alternatives for those who don't have a brake to bend it or a welder for thicker metals etc. I bet your head has explored several ways to shield the pipes. I have even thought about using that odd piece of leftover thick plexiglass.. I get a bit nervous in that op station since our M62 is now 70 years old, not much older than this antique typing. Uggg.. By using a simple tin shield, I am not implying the situation of flying metal has never happened, but anytime I ever had a metal hyd line break, it had split along a weld in the tubing or else it was a rust pinhole. There was no shrapnel involved, just that "oh crap!" bursting shower of spray probably all of us have experienced at one time or another, leaving us soaked ..