My Power Steering hose debacle...

My power steering hose on my tractor blew out when I got it running again in June. I hadn"t had the money to get a new one...things have been tight lately.

I finally ordered the part last month on the 12th from jacksmallengines.com - great people and even better since I use their connection into AGCO"s Epsilon to check and see if part numbers for my Massey 135 are still valid and what a ballpark price.

The hose is put on back order...two weeks go by I call them for a status update - says the hoses that had shipped to AGCO/MF were defective and that they were waiting on a new batch to come in from the supplier. As of two weeks ago this coming Weds., there was no ETA.

I call back Friday and Jack"s tells me that it wont finally get to THEM on 01 NOV. A full six weeks after I originally ordered the part.

Now, I could could drive the 70 miles to the dealer that has it, or I could batch order my parts like I did and the 10 bucks I paid in shipping made the most value. Plus, this nagging question came to mind - if they figured out those hoses are defective, who is to say that the one the dealer had wasn"t as well?

I dont have the time and money to keep putting in PermTranIII into the PS housing when it blows. The original hose lasted 43 years. Im hoping the new one does too when it gets here.

I guess the end point of my rant is that I think its ridiculous that it would take six weeks to figure out a hose is bad, get a new batch and send a new hose out to fufill the order. Jacks has been great, AGCO not so much.

Christos

Have a new hose made locally at a hydraulics place with the correct fittings. If the ends are special you can typically have a new hose made up with compression fittings to attach to the fittings from the old hose to make everything fit up.

I've even brazed a coupling to the end fitting from the old hose so an off-the-shelf pipe thread (read CHEAP) hydraulic hose can be used.

TYPICALLY a LOT cheaper than OEM and likely rated for WAY more pressure than a factory PS hose.

i deal with Jack's too...awhile back i needed a new gas tank for a 5 horse Briggs...Briggs said it was B/O so i called Jacks...they said same thing but they'd keep looking in dealer stock...i left order stand in both places...UPS showed up a few weeks later with 2 tanks...luckily i had another customer show up that needed the spare.
Jack's has been able to pull quite a few rabbits out of their hats when Briggs told me no way.

So I called AGCO today and explained my circumstances.

A gentleman from AGCO Corporate is working to help me get the the part in hand and hopefully the end result is its in stock somewhere and its sent to me.

If I have to wait and get it through Jack's its going to be sooner than what the CAT dealer could get it in.

Truth be told, I have to give Jack's a thumbs up..they're great with customer service. And AGCO has shocked me too.

Oh, the only reason why I didnt have it made locally, was the special fittings that were used on the hose to make the connections NAPA couldnt make it and I figured by the time all was said and done, it would be about the same pricewise.

Christos

If you get a new hydraulic hose made up anywhere
ALWAYS clean it before installing it!
You can blow it out with air, or better yet,
shoot some starting fluid through it--then blow
it out. You'll be suprised at the dirt that comes out...which can ruin you hydraulic system
if the new hose is installed without cleaning.
Debris..metal and rubber particles, left in the hose by cutting..if it be by hacksaw, chopsaw,
or other, is VERY ABRASIVE. A good hose maker
will always blow out or clean a hose..others will
not bother. I know one hydraulic shop where the
employees are FORBIDDEN to clean a new hose assembly..saying..."a dirty hose sells new pumps"