Standard Schedule 40 pipe for hydraulics?

[bobdoss]

Does anyone have either experience or an opinion about using ordinary water pipe for parts of the hydraulic system?

I have a two JD350 loaders, one with some steel lines remaining and the other with all steel lines replaced with hoses. The steel lines are exposed to accidental damage while working in the woods and they are no longer available from John Deere. Where the original steel lines have been replaced with hoses, the hoses are prone to abrasion, crushing, kinking, cracking and stretching.

Since 1/2" Schedule 40 pipe has a maximum working pressure of 3000psi, while the maximum pressure in the loader hydraulic system is to 2250psi, I think I'm safe technically.

Are there other things I should consider?

BTW: I'm planning to use ungalvanised black gas pipe to keep fleck's of galvanizing zinc from clogging the system.

Any advice would be appreciated.

[pop pop]

ask for certification papers with ASTM designation,or, if you buying new stuff from a supplier that has choices, ask him if he's got anything better.
throw out some words like welded and drawn over mandrel.
higher schedules.
for the most part your black gas pipe will work fine ,,,,unless it comes from china,,,their idea of pipe is extremely questionable. i try to avoid it.

[gregjo1948]

Do you think the threaded fittings will marry well enough not to leak?

[pop pop]

test fit everything, possibly cut off a thread or two from the pipe, depending on how much of(thread length) nipple was put on it.
ensuring maximum thread engagment and tight just before bottoming out.(and having teflon tape on threads too,)
you should get 3 turns minimum.

another way is to have a coupling on the pipe and thread your hose into it. you can even weld the coupling to the pipe to eliminate any possibility of a leak.

[CuttingEdge]

I think you would be just fine, more importantly though you are replacing your steel lines with steel lines. A lot of people do not realize this but steel lines are part of the hydraulic cooling system so to speak. That is, they dissipate a lot of heat to atmosphere, something you don't get when replacing steel lines with rubber hydraulic lines.