The subject of hydraulic hose and fittings compatibility has been brought up by many of you in response to one of my articles relating to the importance of using good quality hose. It is not a surprise this has popped up in our discussion as it is a particularly important aspect of hydraulics and to my delight many of you know and understand the risks of using hydraulic components from two different manufacturers.
But why exactly is it so important?
Firstly, both the hose and fittings may seem like a good match with the same size, pressure rating and same industry specifications but what’s missing is the testing. Every manufacturer will subject their components to testing before approving the use of a fitting on a particular hose. This means that manufacturer A has never tested manufacturer’s B fitting on A’s hose because manufacturer A has their own fitting that he approved for use on that hose. Therefore, A will not recommend, approve or give you a guarantee that B’s fittings will be compatible with their hose. This alone should be enough to convince anyone that using mixed and matched hydraulic components is not safe.
This leads us to the next point which is the liability. Mixing components from two different manufacturers voids manufacturer’s warranty and in case of an accident this may also exclude them from being liable for any damages caused.

Always know the origin of the hose & fitting you’re using
All reputable hose manufacturers will have their logo, sometimes pressure rating and other details visible on the hose for easy identification. Many of them will also engrave their logos onto their fittings. If you’re ever in doubt, always go back to your supplier/ manufacturer to help you identify and check if the fitting you’re about to use is genuine and never use generic, unidentified fittings or knockoffs.
Another very important point are the ferrules.
Ferrules are a particularly important part of a hose assembly and it is crucial to ensure their compatibility with the hose. All hydraulic components manufacturers have developed their standards for crimping and calculated their own crimping dimensions that have been tested and designed for use on specific ferrules and hoses. Wall thickness for both hose and ferrules vary from one manufacturer to another meaning that using manufacturer’s A ferrules on manufacturer’s B hose may result in ferrule being under or over crimped and both of those outcomes are equally unsafe.
Mixing and matching components can lead to hose failure such as bursting, leakage and worst-case scenario death caused by blown off fittings.
All fittings and ferrules at Hydraulic Planet have been manufactured by Vitillo, Italy giving you a guarantee of full compatibility. Literature section on our website will provide you with a guidance in choosing the right ferrules for the hose you’re using while our crimping chart will help you determine crimping diameters required for use on specific hoses and ferrules. We have also made Vitillo handbook available to view with Vitillo’s statement being:
“Safe, long-lasting hydraulic assemblies begin by choosing the right components. The “right” components are couplings, hoses, crimping equipment and accessories that are all designed to work together. Not all manufacturers offer safe, high-quality components. Mixing and matching couplings from one manufacturer with hoses from another manufacturer can lead to premature or catastrophic assembly failure.
That’s because hoses, couplings, assembly equipment and crimping tolerances vary from one manufacturer to another, and they’re not interchangeable. When components from different manufacturers are mixed together, coupling retention can be adversely affected. Mixing components can only cause unnecessary downtime, it can result in personal injury as well. In addition, the thread or flange ends of couplings must be properly matched to their mating components to create leak-proof connections.”
Vitillo Technical Handbook/ Selection of hose and fitting/ h) Choosing the right components.
As always, if you’re ever in doubt you can reach out to us at info@hydraulicplanet.com.
Check out our other article on the Open & Close Centre Hydraulic Systems Here
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