Hydraulic disconnect is stuck..help!

   / Hydraulic disconnect is stuck..help! #1  

Homebrew

Bronze Member
Joined
Jul 14, 2003
Messages
73
Location
Morgantown, WV
Tractor
PT 425
So I went to take the brush cutter off my 425 to put on the bucket to move some things and I can't get the disconnect to work. It looks like the piston on the attachment plate is only traveling about half way. Obviously it's not enough to detach the brush cutter. I've messed around with it and there doesn't appear to be any binding anywere. I've detached/reattached the lines, checked the hydraulic fluid level, but same problem. Any suggestions as to where to start or what to do?
 
   / Hydraulic disconnect is stuck..help! #2  
So I went to take the brush cutter off my 425 to put on the bucket to move some things and I can't get the disconnect to work. It looks like the piston on the attachment plate is only traveling about half way. Obviously it's not enough to detach the brush cutter. I've messed around with it and there doesn't appear to be any binding anywere. I've detached/reattached the lines, checked the hydraulic fluid level, but same problem. Any suggestions as to where to start or what to do?

Spray lubricant on the pegs, behind the pegs, and all joints. Lub all the zerts on the QA. Go underneath the QA with a hammer and tap upward on the pegs. That should free them. The problem may be rust or debris behind the pegs... or a bad cylinder.
 
   / Hydraulic disconnect is stuck..help!
  • Thread Starter
#3  
Okay. I tried the lubricant and tapped with a hammer. No luck. It really seems like something is binding, but I sure can't see what. Here are some pictures showing the QA as far open as I can get them. There's also some pics showing a bit of space between the QA plate and the plate on the brush cutter. Is it possible that I bent the QA plate on the tractor and that's what's binding? I don't know what the next step should be....
And thanks for your thoughts.
 

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   / Hydraulic disconnect is stuck..help! #4  
Okay. I tried the lubricant and tapped with a hammer. No luck. It really seems like something is binding, but I sure can't see what. Here are some pictures showing the QA as far open as I can get them. There's also some pics showing a bit of space between the QA plate and the plate on the brush cutter. Is it possible that I bent the QA plate on the tractor and that's what's binding? I don't know what the next step should be....
And thanks for your thoughts.

Update: The slots that to which I am referring are the ones at the bottom. Your photo shows the ones at the top. However, they both have to retract for the plates to disengage. Also, hang in there. There are veterans on this forum with more knowledge. They are probably enjoying seat time now and will be checking in later.


The gap indicates that the pegs did not sit in the slots because the QA was not curled enough to seat the male part on the lift arms with the female half on the attachment. That happens on my PT. I have to disengage and re-engage to seat properly.

Check from the bottom to see if the pegs are actually in the slots. If they are not in the slots then try this: start the tractor, place the joystick in float mode, push the Aux lever down to see if the pegs move up fully. If so pull the joystick out of float and curl right to disengage. You may have to work the Aux lever up and down a few times. You also may have to right curl then raise the mower 6 inches and jiggle it by raising and lowering a few inches to try to snap it free.

If the pegs are in the slots they are probably bent and jammed (there should not be a gap that wide.) You may have to dismantle the QA to fix replace the pegs etc.
 
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   / Hydraulic disconnect is stuck..help!
  • Thread Starter
#5  
Well, the pegs are most definitely in the slots. I guess it's time to try and dismantle the QA. Looks like taking the bolts off the ends of the QA cylinder may be the place to start. It looks like I could then see if the pegs will move freely or if I have to beat on them.
 
   / Hydraulic disconnect is stuck..help! #6  
What is really strange is that there are gaps on both sides at the quick attach plate.

Ken
 
   / Hydraulic disconnect is stuck..help!
  • Thread Starter
#7  
It is very strange. I may see if I can get a better picture. It really looks like the QA plate is bent. It looks bowed. For the life of me I can't figure out how the heck it would have gotten like that. It really looks like I'd have to have been moving top speed in reverse and hit something with the mower deck so that it really yanked hard on the ends of the QA plate. All I did was mow the yard and mow some high weeds at the edge of the yard.
 
   / Hydraulic disconnect is stuck..help! #8  
It is very strange. I may see if I can get a better picture. It really looks like the QA plate is bent. It looks bowed. For the life of me I can't figure out how the heck it would have gotten like that. It really looks like I'd have to have been moving top speed in reverse and hit something with the mower deck so that it really yanked hard on the ends of the QA plate. All I did was mow the yard and mow some high weeds at the edge of the yard.

Is there anyway that something has gotten between the plate on the attachment and the plat on the machine, or maybe something has gotten in the slot at the bottom of the plate maybe has something in it and blocking the movement of the pins? The rod on the cylinder looks like it is rough, but maybe it is just dirt. If you could get someone to work the lever while you observe the movement up close that way you might be able to see where it is binding. It looks like one side is coming closer to disconnecting than the other maybe that is a clue as to where it is binding.

There is another thing that you might try but I don't know if I can explain it clear enough but here goes. When you want to disconnect you push the lever one way and when you want to disconnect you push it the wrong way. Move the lever slightly in the direction to connect enough to give slack on the cylinder and then quickly move it the other way and keep doing it like that to see if it will give any. Hope you get it lined out soon.
 
   / Hydraulic disconnect is stuck..help! #9  
If the QA circuit is using QD's, quick disconnect plugs, unplug and reconnect the QD's. Sometimes the QD's will hang up and not connect together correctly. If the QA cyl is working properly, there is enough force to bend things. If you put a pressure gage in the circuit, it will help trouble shoot the hyd system.

Does the relief go off when you try to engage and disengage?
 
   / Hydraulic disconnect is stuck..help! #10  
My QA is bent way worse than that. One day I will order another.

my thoughts are that either you grabbed something up when attaching and bound it up tight or the hydraulic cylinder has failed / jammed opened.

You said you get no movement when you try and open and close it, right?

First I would take the bucket and bounce it around a bit. Whack it on the ground and see if you get any love.

Second, if it you see light around the pegs then the cylinder is jammed open (debris in the valve in the cylinder. Take it apart, clean and put back together but more than likely just get a kit form PT and rebuild the cylinder.
 
 
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