Is there a quality difference in Quick Couplers

[gtrippleb]

I'm wondering if there are quality differences in quick couplers? The size of the couplers are 3/8.

The reason I ask is I had a dealer give me some prices for some quick couplers from Woods that are used in a Woods kit to plumb a remote to hook up a woods backhoe. The price the dealer gave me was roughly $45 a piece for the male and female quick couplers. Looking at Surplus Center's website, Surplus Center - FEMALE QUICK COUPLER, it looks like similar quick couplers are $4. That's a big price difference. Unless the ones from Woods are made of high priced material, I can't see a justification in the price difference. Another thing that surprises me in regards to the price, is that a 20" x 9/16 JICF x 9/16 JICF hose is roughly $20 dollars less than the coupler from Woods. I would think the hoses would cost more than the quick couplers.

Thanks,
Greg

 

[crash325]

JJ when he gets up from his nap will have the best answer.

Recently had to 5' hoses made up to run the log splitter. NH dealer does not make up hoses although he has a good supply QD fittings. He sent me to an industrial hose supply co.

The standard fittings at NH are a lot smaller in size (Not the part that plugs in) than the industrial fittings. I don't remember the exact price, but the industrial fittings cost roughly twice as much as the NH parts.

It took the girl ( A very healthy girl.) about 20 minuets to make up 2 hoses for me. At only twice what I expected to pay.

 

[J_J]

Remember the hoses, fittings and other stuff from Surplus Hydraulics is over runs, close outs, but some of the stuff can be name brands. If you go to a hyd shop, and tell them you want the best, it will cost much more. If you have the time, shop around. The material that comes on tractors, are not necessarily the best. A good bit of it is foreign. I haven't come across a particular brand that fails more often than others. I have seen name brand fittings fail, and some of the fittings and hoses will last 40 to 60 years.

Nobody intends to buy inferior products, but some one will say they have a better part.

I use the Faster QD's, and they are not expensive.

There are good deals to be had at Surplus Hydraulics, but shop around and take advantage of the internet sales.

The QD that will work on your machine, will vary in price from $6 to $40. Does the same job.

Some people are fixed on name brands while most of us will use what is available.

 

[nickel plate]

I recently bought six sets of Pioneer 8010-4/4050-4 1/2" QDs for my grapple install and after shopping the local hydraulic shops and the on-line stores I found them at TSC for $16.99 a set. I tried to order them on their website but could only get one set to hit the shopping cart?? LSS, I wound up buying them at a TSC thirty miles from my home.
I seem to remember that 3/8" QDs were typically quite more money than the 1/2" sets. They seem to be a little easier to work due to their larger size. You can use 1/2" QDs on your 3/8" hoses with no extra adaptors-that's what I'm doing.

 

[gtrippleb]

Thanks for all of the information. I'm new to the whole hydraulic stuff so I figured there had to be a reason.

I'm starting to put together what I need for adding rear hydraulics to my SC2400 and when the dealer gave me that price for the coupler that Woods uses, it just seemed kind of expensive. Granted I don't know what brand of coupler Woods uses so it could be a more expensive one.

 

[Chilly807]

IIRC, the Parker QCs I used on mine were about $25 a set. Compatible with Pioneer, I think. Good quality, no leaks yet.

Sean

 

[Dan in CT]

I bought a set of 3/8" male connectors from DHH for about $6 each (made in China). They're plugged into the remotes right next to the two I bought from the dealer ($14 each, genuine Parkers). The cheap ones have a noticeably looser fit, and they weep under pressure.

 

[Gordon Gould]

I bought some Male QDs that were compatable with Parker/Pioneer 8010s or 4000 series from Discount Hydraulics for about $6. Dis Hyd are easier to deal with and much faster getting your order shipped than Surplus Center IMO. The QDs are fine and my Parker QDs on the rear remotes don't know the difference.

 

[slowzuki]

The female QD body is where the largest difference in quality shows up. I find the males are all pretty good. The cheap female couplers are a pita to use.

 

[Snaker]

IIRC, the Parker QCs I used on mine were about $25 a set. Compatible with Pioneer, I think. Good quality, no leaks yet.

Sean

QC quality generally falls into the "get what you pay for" territory. To be fair you might compare prices of the exact parts to see if your putting the dealers kid through college.

Chilly807 makes a good point. Different brands/versions may not fit togather (similar to air hose QC's). If you are considering buying your own, you might consider keeping all your equipment compatible. I have on occasion used oddball sets on connections that I don't switch around, but uniformity is handy.