Can I cut this pressed fuel hose?
 

In the attached image, I’m keen to replace the factory braided hose that exits the fuel filter but am concerned that cutting the crimped clamp may create irreversible damage. This is on my 76 240D W115.

Has anyone done this? How best to replace this hose?

Thanks!

What engine is this?

My bad - its a OM616 on my 76 W115

I haven’t done it on the fuel line, but I’ve done it on the oil cooler line which uses the exact same crimp. I’d bet good money that if you cut it off you’ll find a barbed fitting underneath that you can use a hose clamp on.

IIRC this is correct. Remove the outer most metal crimp section and you can slide a hose up there and clamp it off.

Brave, as the oil has more pressure in that hose than the diesel pipe. I'm inclined to agree with you but don't want to risk it incase the car becomes stranded.

Take it to a hydraulics shop and have them crimp on a new hose.

The is at lest 3 well developed threads on various methods if replacing only the Hose. I did mine in 2007 as per the thread below with 5/8"ID Hose that was actually too sloppy and drover quite a few years like that and finally found a source of the correct 15mmID Hose and replaced it with that and better clamps. If you read the threads you will not the controversy and other methods people have used.
Not in my thread but one of our members planned to do AC work on more then one of his car and bought crimping set for the AC Hoses and used the crimping tool and AC Hose also to replace his Oil Cooler hoses.
http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/showthread.php?t=205012

Yes you can cut & peel off the outer shell. It likely attaches to the tube, like a Coll-O-Crimp. If so, just cut it away from the tube. For ferrule you could use an AC ferrule, Oeticker clamp, or even screw clamp. One idea is the various PEX ferrules at Home Depot plumbing. Best rubber hose stock is viton-lined "for bio-diesel".

There is nothing magic about these "factory ferrule crimp" hydraulic hose connectors. You can replace them with one or two screw clamp connectors if you have room. Instead of lasting 35 years, they might only go 30 years. The hose is far more important than the clamping device and the old German fabric braided hose is not even close to the best.

Note you cannot use worm gear type clamps on hose that has steel braid. You cannot get enough clamping force with them.
Anyway that is what I have seen where truckers have tried that.