Backhoe BX25 backhoe hose needs replacing

[Dpm708]

Found a small nick about 4 in from the dist bloc on the boom piston extender hose. Can get at the piston fitting but how the he## do you get at the fitting on the dist bloc? Do you have to take all the others off just to fit a flare wrench on the fitting in question? Kubota hose $34.00. Local dealer make it hose $60.00. Or do I just suck it up and pay shop rate of $60.00/hr plus parts and not get hands dirty? I really don't mind doing it, I just want to do it at a reasonable price. Anybody got any tips on changing hoses on the distribution block?? Thanks all.

Slight update... Amazing what's out there on the web. Found crows foot flare wrenchs and even socket flare wrenchs. $$$. After looking around I made an 11/16 deep flare socket. Haven't tried it yet but will tomorrow. Was going to post a pix but I don't think I can from my phone..

 

[Dpm708]

How do I delete this post? Got the job done.

 

[radioman]

Instead of asking to delete post , could you tell us how you got the job done?

 

[GolfAddict]

Would be interesting to see how you made your flare socket too...

 

[Dpm708]

Well I know that there are a lot of forums out there and folks may be too busy to read em all so when I got no hits on my thread I just kept searching.... I am happy to share my experiences though.
First make sure you get the RIGHT hose..... I wiggled the hose that was nicked and thought it was the one that extended the boom piston. Ordered from Colemans, put it aside.
Now take an 11/16 socket and hold it like you're eating an ear of corn. Now think you're taking a bite out of the middle.... Grind out that area leaving about 1/2 in on each end. Now grind about a 1/4 in slot on the socket end. Now you have the equivalent of a $54 snap on flare socket from a spare home depot socket. And its a 3/8 drive socket. I'll try and get a pix to work.
Now time to replace hose. Moved boom to the right to get more room at the dist blick. Set down and relieved any pressure. Took about an hour or so to bang out the pin and move dipper piston and boom piston away from each other. Wiggled hose again and LO AND BEHOLD, WRONG HOSE......... Hose I needed was the piston retraction hose, the one connected to the steel tubing on the outside of piston. It has a male fitting on that end. The hose I ordered has a female end. Hmmm........ If i get a double male hydraulic coupler I can make it fit. Off to the not so local Kubota Dealer and for the princely sum of $3.50 I found one. Used baling twine to pull old hose out through the sleeve on boom and same twine to pull new hose up. The socket fit well on the 45 degree angle fittings on the dist block. Could only get about a quarter turn at a time but worked out OK. Used regular flare wrenches on piston fittings. Put back together and so far so good......

 

[GolfAddict]

Thanks for the update and the pic. I'm going to file that away!

 

[kw22614]

Great job. I've made many O2 sensor sockets the same way. That's the good thing about cheap HF sockets!

 

[ryan08]

I wondered how anybody could get a wrench into that block. I tried with crowsfoot and flare wrench and could not get either in there. Now I have a new project. Make my own. Thanks for the tip as I have a loose fitting.