What do lifting chains, bladder-type accumulators and hydraulic hoses all have in common? Well, they typically have only one mode of failure – and that’s catastrophic. One minute they’re working as they should and the next thing you know, they’ve gone to hell.

Oh sure, hoses can leak from around their ferrules and show obvious signs of abrasion, both of … Read more

According to an article by hose manufacturer Gates, it is estimated that 370 million liters of oil leak from hydraulic equipment each year. This is a staggering statistic. And even more so when you consider the same article states that as little as one liter of oil can pollute up to one million liters of water.

Here’s a ‘what if?’ … Read more

With winter upon us in the northern hemisphere, here’s something to be mindful of with respect to hydraulic oil heaters:

A recent client was carrying out major service work on an industrial hydraulic power unit. While cleaning out the hydraulic tank his technicians discovered lumps of a black, tar-like substance on the bottom of the tank. I was asked to … Read more