Fuel hose (best)

[scsmith42]

I've worked around cars and equipment for around 50 years.  Many things have improved over the years, but some things (such as fuel hose) seem to have gotten worse.  For instance, industry mainstay's Gates and Dayco's fuel lines don't seem to last more than a few to several years now.

I'm in the process of replacing the energy chain on Tom the Baker sawmill, said chain is 18 years old and has been operated outside in the sun and rain for the entire 18 years.  For those who don't know what an energy chain is, this is a flexible conduit in  chain form that holds the hydraulic, fuel and electrical lines that run from the traveling sawmill carriage down to the operators control.  Every time the sawmill head travels down a log, the energy chain is following it and flexing.  It's basically a big plastic chain that has corridors running down the inside for various lines.  Below is a sample pic from the internet:



The new chain (ouch - don't want to have to buy that again) arrived this past week after being on back order by Baker for around 6 weeks.  The old one had gotten so much sawdust inside the links that it finally grenaded last month.  We've been patching it for several years and finally it reached the point where entire replacement made sense.

But I digress.....  One thing that really impressed me about Baker's product was how well the fuel and return lines have held up.

In dismantling the chain, I noticed that the brand on the fuel and return lines was Boston Easy Couple hose (now Eaton).  I just ordered a 50' and 100' spool to replace the original, and wanted to share the brand info.  You can find it on e-bay, Grainger's, and other industrial suppliers.

The 18 year old old hose is still holding up, but taking the energy chain apart is such a PITA that I figured that I'd replace any suspect fuel, hydraulic and/or electrical cables while it's apart.

Just wanted to share this information about a better than average product.

[doc henderson]

good to know.  the last I bought had a brown discoloration initially and then whatever it is, is running through the engine.  I think it was gates, and yes I assumed it was good stuff.

[scsmith42]

Doc, I worked part time in an automotive parts house during high school and college (1975 - 1982 - also worked in a machine shop and stocking groceries at night).  Back then, Gates fuel hose was top of the line, and Dayco was right up there with it.

But I've been pretty disappointed with the quality of the Gates fuel hose these past few years.  Their hydraulic hose still isn't bad (but I prefer Parker), but the fuel line really seems to have gotten worse in terms of longevity and durability.

The extreme service from the Easy Couple hose really (and pleasantly) surprised me.