Hose Rolling Best Practices
Puck Hose Carts make large diameter hose retrieval and deployment fast and simple. The heavy duty design makes them tough enough to handle any terrain. However, like all equipment, Puck Turn Table Reels require general maintenance and care to reduce wear and tear. In addition to lubricating your grease points, follow these best practices when retrieving the hose to extend the service life of both your hose cart and hose.
How it Works
The reel of a Puck TTR hose cart sits on a slew bearing swivel, which utilizes hydraulics to turn one of two ways for up to 140° rotation. The center mechanism of the slew bearing under the chassis has an extendable cylinder on each side. When these cylinders extend or retract, the mechanism turns the slew bearing. The cylinders work in tandem, so that one will always extend when the other retracts and vice versa.
What Goes Wrong
Positioning the hose reel to be perpendicular to the wheels of the chassis arranges the two cylinders to be nearly even with one another. In this situation, the hose is being pulled onto the reel from over the back hitch. This approach can cause hose to pile on one side of the reel, stressing the cylinders and sprockets.
This position can also make it difficult to see the oncoming hose and its possible menders or couplers. These critical points in your large diameter hose can lose integrity when placed too tightly on the hose reel. The metal shank on the interior of the fitting can dig into the hose and cause damage that can result in a future line break.
What to Do
Hose cart operators can jackknife the tractor so that the turn table reel is clearly visible from the passenger side window of the cab. This positioning sets the cylinders so that one is primarily retracted while the other is almost fully extended. The offset orientation puts extra torque on everything as you shift the reel to collect hose and transition it back to the middle of the reel. The angled view from the tractor cab also provides a clear visual of the oncoming couplers or menders. When fittings are close to being rolled onto the cart, operators should back up into them to create a bit of slack around them. The extra give decreases the chances of hose damage and can extend the life of your hose.
Recap
- Position the hose cart at an angle so that you can see the cart and hose from the passenger side window
- Hose should be retrieved from over the back right passenger side corner of the chassis
- Watch for couplers or menders so you can back up into them
These hose rolling tips can help operators extend the life of their hose carts and reduce maintenance issues. Learn more about hose rolling tips with visuals by watching our video on YouTube. For more tips on improving operational efficiency and getting the most out of your dragline equipment, register for Puck’s Pump School. Pump School covers a range of topics and gives you face to face opportunities to ask experts questions. Check out our events calendar to find an upcoming Pump School session.
