Stop damaging shocks to your

drilling assembly, and boost your

ROP with the Hydra-ToraxE tool.
 Never before have the consequences
Two-way shock of bit failure been higher. Deeper wells
mean more valuable time lost tripping
absorption means for the bit. Replacement costs are at an
all-time high for custom-designed PDC
smoother, more and high-performance roller-cone bits.
efficient drilling. Deeper, more complex well designs
mean higher costs for fishing and side-
tracking operations, if equipment failure
occurs downhole.
The Hydra-Torax from Smith is the
best way to extend the life of your drill
bit’s cutting structure and drilling tools
while reducing overall drilling costs.
It’s a shock arrestor that absorbs axial
shock loads produced by bit bounce
and torsional shock loads that result
from the interaction between the bit
and the formation — forces that can
lead to expensive drillstring problems.
Preventing bit damage
and worse.
The Hydra-Torax uses a combination
of both coil and Belleville springs to
dampen vibration while drilling. The
axial spring stack utilizes a coil spring
to absorb vibration produced when
drilling weight is low. As weight-on-bit
increases, the Belleville spring stack
compresses to absorb the higher loads.
This combination spring stack design
ensures protection from damage due
to axial shock loading, regardless of
the weight being applied to the bit.
The torsional spring stack consists of
Belleville springs that are compressed by
the clockwise rotation of the drive shaft
as the bit loads against the formation.
The Hydra-Torax will absorb torsional
loads up to 60,000 ft-lb through a sys-
tem that allows up to 360° of independ-
ent rotation between the tool’s outer
body and drive shaft. This range of
motion is sufficient to absorb the sudden
release of energy from the drillstring as
the bit moves from stick position to slip.
The restoring force is controlled by fluid
that is metered past the torque sleeve
as the Hydra-Torax experiences, or is
relieved of, torque.
For responsive operation, the tool
is fully balanced to both annular and
pump pressure. This eliminates the
pump-open force and allows the tool to
reset quickly in the presence of oscillat-
ing loads; in contrast, other shock tools
must overcome the pump-open force
before they begin to work. The Hydra-
Torax’s stroke length and low spring
rate make it active over a much greater
range of operation.
The Hydra-Torax performs best when
placed as close to the bit as possible. It
should never be run in the neutral zone,
in tension or in large boreholes.
How the Hydra-Torax With PDC bits. In contrast to rock Hydra-Torax meters fluid around the
bits, PDC bits present drillers with both helix to slow the outer body rotation
tool prolongs bit life torque-related and axial-vibration prob- when the bit whirls. The tool can
and increases ROP. lems. As torque loads are applied to a absorb up to 360° of rotation. This
PDC bit, drag forces can slow it down slows the rpm of the bit and reduces
With roller-cone bits. As a three-cone
and/or actually cause it to stop momen- impact of the cutters on the formation,
bit rotates, it produces a pattern on the
tarily as the drillstring continues to turn. thus prolonging cutting structure life
bottom of the hole, which consists of
As the drillstring winds up, it shortens and improving ROP.
peaks and valleys. With each revolution
sufficiently to reduce the load at the bit,
of the bit, the cones follow these con-
causing the bit to whirl forward at a very Start protecting your
tours, producing up-and-down, or axial,
high, instantaneous rpm. The rotational
movement of the drillstring.
momentum created can actually cause the drilling tools today.
The springs in the Hydra-Torax, nor-
bit first to over-rotate and then to reverse- Contact your Smith Services representa-
mally used to keep the tool extended, are
rotate, setting up an extremely destructive tive and ask about the Hydra-Torax case
compressed and absorb the shock load
condition for the PDC cutting structure. histories for your area. To learn what
produced by the bit cones as they move
Such stopping and starting of the bit slows it can do for your projects, just call
over the peaks. When the bit cones move
the penetration rate and can damage the 281-443-3370 or 800-US-SMITH.
into a valley, the Hydra-Torax springs will
bit and drillstring components.
extend the tool to its normal position.
To counteract this torsional loading
These two, combined actions isolate the
and unloading, the torque sleeve in the
axial loads present during the drilling
operation and maintain a near-constant
weight-on-bit when the tool is run within
its operational limits.

Hydra-Torax Specifications
Tool OD, in. (mm)
63⁄4 81⁄4 91⁄2
(171.41) (209.55) (241.30)
Tool ID, in. (mm) 21⁄4 21⁄2 3
(57.13) (57.15) (76.20)
Overall length; ft, in. (mm) 18, 10 18 20, 6
(5,739.17) (5,485.22) (6,247.06)
Stroke maximum deflection, in. (mm) 5 5 5
(126.97) (126.97) (126.97)
Working load range, lbf (N) 10,000 – 75,000 10,000 – 72,000 10,000 – 100,000
(44,482 – 333,617) (44,482 – 320,272) (44,482 – 444,822)
Tensile yield load, lbf (N) 1,000,000 1,100,000 1,600,000
(4,448,220) (4,893,040) (7,117,150)
Working torque range, lb-ft (Nm) 0 – 360 0 – 30,000 0 – 60,000
(0 – 488) (0 – 40,674) (0 – 81,349)
Maximum temperature, °F (°C) 400 400 400
(204) (204) (204)
 (metric)
Engineering Specifications
Tool O.D. 6-3/4 8-1/2 11-1/4
inches (mm) (171) (216) (286)
Tool I.D. 2-13/16 3 3
inches (mm) (71) (76) (76)
OAL 19' 10-1/4" 23' 2-3/16" 22' 7-41/64"
feet inches (mm) (6 052) (7 066) (6 900)
Stroke—Max. Deflection 4-1/2 5-1/4 7-1/4
inches (mm) (114) (133) (184)
Minimum Recommended 10,000 10,000 10,000
Working Load lbf (N) (44 480) (44 480) (44 480)
Maximum Recommended 60,000 85,000 85,000
Working Load lbf (N) (270 000) (380 000) (380 000)
Tensile Yield Load 629,000 1,200,000 2,500,000
lbf (N) (2 800 000) (5 000 000) (11 000 000)
Yield Torque 38,000 71,000 201,000
lbf·ft (N·m) (52 000) (96 000) (273 000)
Maximum Temperature 400° F 400° F 400° F
°F (°C) (204° C) (204° C) (204° C)
Spring Rate 13,000 16,800 12,500
lbf/in (N/m) (2 300 000) (2 900 000) (2 200 000)
P.O. Box 60068 · Houston, Texas 77205-0068
U.S. and Canada: 800-US SMITH · Tel: 281-443-3370
Email: hesales@smith.com · www.siismithservices.com

™Hydra-Torax is a trademark of Smith International, Inc.

© 2000 Smith International, Inc. All rights reserved. SS-HE-2015 2.5M 9/00 Litho in U.S.A.