Comparing Spiral Wrap vs Hydraulic Hose Wrap

Heavy machinery should be protected just like new cars, boats, or other large investments are.??

While every company, owner, or operator, dreams of getting a new piece of equipment into operation after waiting several months for it to arrive; ensuring that you’re taking the necessary steps to protect your investment should be important to any business.?

For equipment with hydraulic hoses, integrating some form of hose protection will not only save you time but could also save you thousands of dollars on repairs and unneeded downtime.?

But what level of protection is right for you?

Will stock hydraulic spiral wraps that provide only abrasion protection be enough? Or should you upgrade to a custom wrap or sleeve that provides optimal protection against a multitude of ambient operating conditions such as extreme temperatures (both hot and cold), oil, dirt, dust, or other contaminants, UV light, and more??

Compare and Contrast | Stock Hydraulic Spiral Wrap Products vs Custom Protective Solutions

It’s no secret that the type of protection needed for a hydraulic hose system heavily depends on its operating environment. Many industries have special requirements (such as line-of-sight protection) for operator safety.?

OEMs of specialty equipment often have their own preference when it comes to stock hydraulic spiral wraps vs wrap solutions. However, spiral-wrap solutions aren’t perfect for every industry.

For example, manufacturers of forestry equipment (including harvesters and skid steers) typically integrate a spiral-wrap solution for their equipment to protect against abrasion and impact.?

However, this type of product might not be the best-fitted solution.??

While hydraulic spiral wrap is used primarily to prevent exterior abrasion (such as ripping a hose on a branch or tree), due to the nature of their design, stock spiral wrap doesn’t prevent wood chips, sawdust, and other debris from entering the wrap when the hose is bent.?

Once dust or debris enters the wrap, the friction between the spiral sleeve itself and the debris can cause hose abrasions from the vibration of normal use.?In the image below, notice how the spiral wrap opens when bent, allowing for wood chips, dirt and other debris to enter and cause friction.

While there are benefits of choosing hydraulic spiral wraps, even the leading hydraulic spiral wrap products can’t compete with custom hydraulic hose protective solutions.?Let’s break down the benefits of stock spiral wrap vs custom sleeves and wraps:?

Benefits of Spiral Wrap:

• Potentially cheaper initial-cost (both in terms of materials and potentially labor)
• Integrated as an economical and easily replaceable solution for specific uses (like forestry)
• Field replaceable

Benefits of Wrap Sleeve:

• Provides superior burst, pinhole leak, and abrasion protection
• Can be created with specialized fabrics or materials depending on the job
• Some custom solutions can be mounted just as easily as the leading spiral wrap products
• Field replaceable
• Depending on a customer’s geographic area, custom solutions are as widely available as stock (see image below)
• Durable with a long life-span

The benefits of hydraulic wraps clearly outweigh the benefits of stock solutions in most applications.

When it comes time to replace existing hydraulic hoses, or integrate hydraulic hose protection onto a newly manufactured piece of equipment, working with a manufacturer that has proven experience will ensure you’re getting the most bang for your buck.

Even Python’s most premium products can end up adding extra value to your machine. Choosing between stock hydraulic spiral wrap vs a custom solution can be challenging, especially for anyone that’s unfamiliar with the barrage of stock and custom hydraulic line protective solutions. And while a stock spiral wrap may look sufficient for their needs; it’s imperative to partner with an advanced hydraulic sleeve manufacturer to get the best level of protection for your machine.?

Have questions on what solution is best for your machine or application? Contact us to speak to an expert. Here at Python, we strive to find the best fit solution for your needs.

This post first appeared on the Python blog at https://www.gosuburban.com/python/blog/2022/03/22/comparing-spiral-wrap-vs-hydraulic-hose-wrap