Cab-mounted FEL control valve

[rbargeron]

The Laurin cab on one of my L5450's was installed with the FEL control valve bolted to the loader frame, extending through a cab window. To make loader removal easier, I've decided to bolt the valve to the cab instead and put quick connectors on the loader hoses. Another plus of keeping the FEL valve mounted is using it for my front snowblower.

Seems like it might be good to arrange the connectors so each circuit can be plugged into itself when the loader is off. That would avoid ever having a hydraulically locked connector. Any thoughts?

[art]

You could order a remote vale control system from a newer tractor and use the cables to run the valve from a fender mount control.

[forester2]

There are 2 for sale on ebay right now from a guy in Wisc. $40 plus $40 freight

[rbargeron]

I should have been clearer and asked for cab owners to post pictures of their loader disconnects.

I have mounted the valve so it stays with the tractor - that way I can use it either for the loader or front-mount snowblower. It tucks in nicely in the cab next to the dash so I don't need a remote cable setup. The hoses go out to the disconnects located in between the loader and the hood.

My question is whether to have all the female quick connectors on the tractor side, or the implement side, or alternate them so the lines of each circuit can be connected together for free flow when the implement is not on the tractor. Connecting the lines together prevents them from being pressurized when the valve control gets bumped with no implement plugged in. This issue is the same regardless of where the valve is mounted.

[KennyV]

Dick:
You are right about coupling the lines together, it may make a high pressure lock problem disappear. On my and all other cab tractors I have seen the tractor has the female fitting and all attachments have male. There may be a reason for this, or it may be just how it has always been. I have to think it seems that it could be easier to attach with male hose ends and fixed female ends. But there is not a lot of space around those fittings anyway. KennyV.

[herringchoker]

I've always installed quick connects like you are saying (alternate male and female) for two reasons: coupling the implement lines when not in use keeps dirt out of them (without having to use caps), and (not being the sharpest knife in the drawer) I can't get them mixed up when re-connecting. Now that I think of it, I've never had a pressure lock problem, so maybe I now have a third reason.

[rbargeron]

Originally Posted by KennyV

Dick:
..... On my and all other cab tractors I have seen the tractor has the female fitting and all attachments have male........

I had a look at a M6800 with UltraCab on a dealer lot today - the valve is mounted down by the steps - and sticks out past the loader upright - seems like a vulnerable location but there's no room under the floorboard because of the fuel tank. The valve has male disconnects with the females on the four loader hoses - go figure. Also noticed that even though the loader has large cylinders, the quick connectors and the valve ports are only 3/8" pipe size - my L5450's loader valves have 1/2" ports and fittings - almost twice the flow area. Maybe the "newer thinking" is that it's ok to waste power heating the hydraulic fluid? Might be ok - but it looked like a trade-off to me.

[rbargeron]

Looked at still more cab machines today - their loader control designs are all over the map.

The joystick with cables is common to all but there are several versions of the rest of the system. I noticed the Grand L40 cabs have the loader valve built into the transmission case - with four rigid pipes running forward to a plate with plugs at the right rear of the engine - whether or not there's actually a loader installed!

The M6040 still has a separate fel control valve in a box under the right floorboard with disconnects on a plate a little forward of it. Kubota's loader plumbing seems to all be 3/8" these days - the super UDT must be thin enough to flow thru small plumbing and fill those big LA1153 cylinders.

I did see a Mahindra with 1/2" plumbing and alternating male/female connectors - looked like a higher quality job than the others I'd seen. The last one I looked at was a smaller Mahindra cab with a McCormick loader - had a little of everything - and enough hoses running over sharp edges to keep some repair shop quite busy in a few years.