---
title: The Basics of Hydraulic Hose Crimping
description: If the thought of crimping hoses makes you a bit nervous, fear not. We explain how to make good hose assemblies and prepare them for crimping.
---

[Kimball Midwest Blog](https://blog.kimballmidwest.com)

# [The Basics of Hydraulic Hose Crimping](https://blog.kimballmidwest.com/the-basics-of-hydraulic-hose-crimping)

 Written by [Kimball Midwest](https://blog.kimballmidwest.com/author/kimball-midwest) | May 5, 2021

Do you outsource your hydraulic hose assemblies? Depending on how often you need them, it can be more cost-efficient and convenient to crimp the hoses yourself. If the thought of crimping hoses makes you a bit nervous, fear not. We’ll explain what you need to make good hose assemblies and how to properly prepare them for crimping.

A hydraulics system setup is based on a few simple principles:

- The hose drives the proper fitting series and crimper choice.
- The crimper selection is based on planned use.
- The fitting selection is based on application.

It’s important to note all hydraulic parts should come from the same manufacturer due to liability issues and warranties.

**Hoses**

With so many types of [hydraulic hoses](https://www.kimballmidwest.com/All-Products/Fluid-Flow-Hydraulics/Hose/) on the market, how do you figure out which type you need? The factors to consider are size, temperature, application, media and pressure. This [blog post](https://blog.kimballmidwest.com/key-elements-of-a-hydraulic-hose-assembly) breaks it down for you.

Once you know what kind of hose you need, you can select the crimper.

**Crimpers**

The crimper you select should be based on its planned use. A [crimper package](https://www.kimballmidwest.com/All-Products/Fluid-Flow-Hydraulics/Hose-Assembly/Crimper-Packages/) will provide you with the basics you need to get started. These packages include one [K-Series Crimper](https://www.kimballmidwest.com/All-Products/Fluid-Flow-Hydraulics/Hose-Assembly/k-series-hydraulic-hose-crimpers/k-series-hydraulic-crimpers/) with hose and fittings. You need to determine whether a [stationary](https://www.kimballmidwest.com/All-Products/Fluid-Flow-Hydraulics/Hose-Assembly/Stationary-Crimping-Machines/) or [portable](https://www.kimballmidwest.com/All-Products/Fluid-Flow-Hydraulics/Hose-Assembly/Portable-Crimping-Machines/) crimper will best fit your needs.

- A portable crimper generally uses a hand pump or air power to crimp the hose ends.
- A bench-mounted unit uses either an electric or air-powered pump.  

Thinking of a stationary crimper? We [covered maintenance and safety for stationary crimpers](https://blog.kimballmidwest.com/stationary-hydraulic-systems-maintenance-and-safety) in a previous blog post. Want to know more about portable crimpers? We [covered those](https://blog.kimballmidwest.com/mobile-hydraulics-units), too.

**Fittings**

Some styles of fittings are more commonly used than others.

- Pipe fittings are available in rigid and swiveling styles with male or female ends. Male pipe has a tapered external thread that tightens into the taped internal threads of the female pipe fitting.
- 37º JIC male rigid and female swivels are the most common ends for most hydraulic hose connections. 37° refers to the angle of the cone seat on the end of the male fitting that matches a 37° seat inside the female swivel.
- British parallel and taper pipe fittings are the standard style used by most European and Japanese manufacturers.
- Flat face O-ring seal fittings are becoming more popular as they are used to replace pipe fittings in many applications. The male end has a groove that contains a rubber O-ring. That O-ring seals against the flat sealing face inside the female swivel.
- Split flange fittings are often found on large diameter hoses.

Now that you have everything ready to go, you can prepare your hydraulic hose assembly for crimping.

A Kimball Midwest sales representative can help you determine which hydraulic components best meet your needs and can even put together a completely customized Plan-O-Graph. This maximizes efficiency and safety while eliminating overstock and obsolete inventory.

To learn more about crimping and how to do it safely, schedule a free .

[View full post](https://blog.kimballmidwest.com/the-basics-of-hydraulic-hose-crimping)

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