Alpha Dog
Member
So, after all the horsing around, I spent some time with pen and paper, and decided that after all the stuff on my last post, by the time I finished manufacturing my own 3rd function kit, manufacturing brackets, and spending the extra time involved, in time and money I'd end up saving about $2 bucks over buying one, (not to mention the time with a shrink I'm sure I'd need), I decided to buy a ready made kit. I also bought a grapple, and reinforced the top of my bucket to handle it, (using ideas blatantly stolen from this forum, and proving that I can still weld reasonably strong, and fairly decent looking, as log as I'm willing to spend more money on wheels for my angle grinder). Now I'm doing the final hookup, and noticed that the nice new quick connects on my bracket at the cross beam are 1/2" connectors.
I thought that's odd, since the hose leading up there is 3/8" hose, and I'm further confused because the fittings on the grapple cylinder are 3/8" NPT. Since the grapple came without hoses, and I have to decide, what should I use, 3/8" or 1/2" hose? I know the 1/2" will hold more volume at the same pressure, but what about the 3/8" by 8 ft hoses that lead up to there?:confused2:
I need about 6' of hose to reach the maximum distance with the bucket all the way down without putting any tension on the hose, and of course I can buy "ready made" 1/2" hoses locally that are 6' long. To get 3/8" ready made (with NPTM ends, at least), I'll have to go 8', unless I special order them. That means I have to come up with some way to keep the extra hose "under control" so it won't get pinched, kinked, or hung up. (The bottom line on buying the ready made kit and grapple was that I need to use it this upcoming weekend.)
Anyone got any suggestions? I mean go with 1/2" x 6' hoses, or go with 3/8" x 8' and lots of "rigging" to keep them clear? I really don't know if there's even a reason to go with any length. (The one part of hydraulic work I understand is how to turn a wrench on "adapters" to fit the NPT type fittings together until the size is right.)
Anyone able to bail out the village idiot, again?:ashamed:
I thought that's odd, since the hose leading up there is 3/8" hose, and I'm further confused because the fittings on the grapple cylinder are 3/8" NPT. Since the grapple came without hoses, and I have to decide, what should I use, 3/8" or 1/2" hose? I know the 1/2" will hold more volume at the same pressure, but what about the 3/8" by 8 ft hoses that lead up to there?:confused2:
I need about 6' of hose to reach the maximum distance with the bucket all the way down without putting any tension on the hose, and of course I can buy "ready made" 1/2" hoses locally that are 6' long. To get 3/8" ready made (with NPTM ends, at least), I'll have to go 8', unless I special order them. That means I have to come up with some way to keep the extra hose "under control" so it won't get pinched, kinked, or hung up. (The bottom line on buying the ready made kit and grapple was that I need to use it this upcoming weekend.)
Anyone got any suggestions? I mean go with 1/2" x 6' hoses, or go with 3/8" x 8' and lots of "rigging" to keep them clear? I really don't know if there's even a reason to go with any length. (The one part of hydraulic work I understand is how to turn a wrench on "adapters" to fit the NPT type fittings together until the size is right.)
Anyone able to bail out the village idiot, again?:ashamed: