I figured out that one of our favorite vendors (not sure which one, I bought them 10 years ago) sold me new front brake hoses that were an inch and a half short. Plus I have a little higher stance in front than stock, so I wanted to make sure I had enough hose length.

I checked the gold standard, Dennis C., and he gets $32 apiece for the stock hoses (plus some egregious amount for shipping and "handling"). I went to the hydraulic hose shop in town and asked how much for them to make new ones in a custom length an inch longer than stock. They quoted $16.50 each, and they made them while I waited, took less than 10 minutes. Nice stuff, too, Aeroquip fittings and US-made hose. I was surprised to learn they can make SS braided hoses on the spot, too.

 

I have a shop near me called "Hampton Rubber" I always go to them for any kind of hose needs. They can make anything i need from coolant, fuel, hydraulic etc. while I wait and they are always very fair on their prices. Its great having places like that around you...


Robert

 

Cool!
glad you got it handled

 

Thanks Ross, I would never of thought about having them made local. Not a day goes by that I dont l dont get schooled around here.

 

Local is the way to go if possible. I'm luckier than most, I live in an industrial area. If I can't find a part at a local auto supply house I check with the industrial places that sell bearings, hoses, pumps, whatever type of individual parts I need. It used to a lot better when there were more manufacturing jobs around this area but there's still a good amount of industrial suppliers around.

 

Nice score Ross! We have a hose place here local and every time I have gone in there I have come away empty handed...I guess I need to buy a forklift or put some lowrider hydraulics on my truck to qualify for their services.

 

That is good to know. I will need power steering hoses and trans lines. I will just have to find a place here in Houston...
Thanks, again.

 

If you're having trouble finding a place that does these, ask your garbageman.... The owner of this store told me he can survive on just the city's garbage trucks' hoses. He said at least one truck a month catches fire from a broken hose spraying fluid on the exhaust. These trucks all have the hydraulic arms that grab, lift, and dump the roll-carts so the Sanitary Engineers don't have to get out of the truck. Lots of hoses.

 

Ross,
I used to do a lot of business through Hopper Specialties back when I was building winches for the tower industry. Those guys used to treat my pretty good. I had the oil cooler hoses for my old Honda CB900 Custom fabbed over there.

Heck I even had them help me when I had to rebuild the gun on one of my mig welders at the shop (the crimping of the fittings on the hose were very similar to hydrualic hoses)

Bobby

 

Got these hoses at Plant Equipment Co (PECo) on 2nd. I didn't realize Hopper did that kind of stuff, good to know! I'll tell them you sent me LOL!

 

I've used a race hose place in the past that's local. For brake hose I have an old picture catalog with dimensions, so I can order them by part number....wagner I believe.

 

Ross...I was just at PECO Friday to get a super weird fitting for the hydraulic clutch conversion.

 

I had forgot about PECO, yea, great place.

I don't think the guys I dealt with at Hopper are around anymore, Its been a decade or so since I was messing with it.

 

Thanks for the heads up. A few years ago I had a clutch and brake shoes relined at an industrial bonder. Cheaper than going to the parts store. Plus, at the time, I didn't know if I could even find new shoes-1942 IHC M-1-4 USMC 4x4 front line ambulance.

 

Bobby, Ross, I don't do that kind of work!