Thermoplastic Hoses

Thermoplastic hose swaps rubber for extruded plastic in both core and cover, with synthetic fiber or fine steel wire reinforcement between them. The core is smooth-bored and dimensionally stable, and because the reinforcement can be a light braid of polyester or aramid rather than heavy wire, the hose weighs a fraction of a rubber equivalent in the same bore.

Engineers pick it for three things rubber struggles to give at once: low weight, a tight bend radius, and a cover that shrugs off abrasion where hoses drag over structure. SAE 100R7, 100R8 and 100R18 describe the common constructions, and fiber-reinforced types can be built with no conductive path through the wall, which puts them on insulated booms. The trade is a narrower fluid and temperature window.

Where it's specified

• Aerial lifts and insulated booms — non-conductive constructions keep the hydraulic line from becoming a path to ground
• Paint, lube and grease systems — the smooth plastic core resists the fluid and cleans through more easily than rubber
• Weight-sensitive assemblies — long runs on booms and lift arms where the mass of wire-reinforced hose is itself a load
• Bundled and dragged lines — twin-bonded pairs stay tidy and the cover survives rubbing that would open a rubber hose

Range and materials. Thermoplastic core and cover with polyester, aramid or wire reinforcement, as single hose and twin bonded, in the smaller dash sizes typical of control, lift and dispensing circuits. Covers come in identification colors and non-conductive grades, with crimped JIC 37°, ORFS, NPT and BSP ends.

Ordering notes. Check fluid compatibility against the core material rather than assuming rubber equivalence, and read the temperature range for the exact type, since thermoplastic tolerates less heat than many rubber hoses. Fittings and crimp specs are specific to thermoplastic; where dielectric performance is the reason for the hose, keep the whole assembly, ends included, to the non-conductive specification.