Stainless Steel or Painted Hydraulic Reels?

[AC1503]

Is it really necessary to use the stainless steel & chrome plated steel hydraulic reels when Phosphate Ester (Hurst) Fluid is used? I know that Phosphate Ester Fluid is more corrosive to metal and harder on paint than mineral oil or the gylcol type fluid. We have used Hurst equipment since 79 and haven't had many paint or corrosion problems in truck compartments, but we have never used reels.

[kromer1]

Phosphate Ester is not corrosive to metal! What are the tools made out of? What are pumps and reservoirs made from? Come on already!

Why chrome and not painted, the oil will remove piant if left to sit for extended periods of time. Doesn't make it corrosive. Egss and Coke do the same. You buy the chrome because the fluid won't affect the finish of the reel. In your 1/2mill rescue truck, god forbid that the paint comes of the reel!!

Other option os to buy the Stainless Hurst reels, cost more but much smaller than the Hannay version. No choice of painted or chrome, just stainless.

Merry Christmas and stay safe my friends!

Kevin

[Lewiston2FF]

Easy now Kevin, No need to get your BP up around the holidays! It is a popular misconception that the phosphate ester in the Hurst extrication tools will corrode metal, it can become slightly acidic when in contact with moisture. This is probably in the form of phosphoric acid and it wont degrade the metal, infact there is phosphoric acid in many soft drinks.

[MetalMedic]

While the chrome is pretty, why spend the extra money on something that is normally hidden out of sight where you won't see it in the first place. Buy painted rheels and use the money that you saved to pay for additional rescue equipment. If you are maintaining your hoses properly, there should be no reason for any fluid to contact the rheels to begin with.