The horizontal hose expands and contracts at a ratio of six to one. A typical 30 foot system can contract into as little as five feet. The hose is supported along the track every 12 inches (expanded length). The combination of compression and support means there is minimal strain on the hose, the hose can adjust to a large range of tailpipe positions and the hose is up and out of the way. The flexible hose is designed to compress and expand for a minimum of 100,000 cycles.