Opinions on l60 vs l40, esp FEL hydraulics routing?

[BGigHarbor]

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Bill,

Hope these help. My longest hose is 58" and the other is about 6" shorter.

I am thinking of going with your lengths plus maybe 6 - 8 inches. My OEM 3rd function came with what looks like 3/4 npt males that are capped (no connectors yet). What was the thread size on the FEL that you mounted the couplers to?

I am thinking of going with 1/2 inch flat faced.

edit: Travis said a difference between yours and my grapple model is mine has the spring on the grapple for the hoses. So I arbitrarily added 10 inches to the length of my hoses as compared to yours to take into account the longer fel, the slightly great curl of the grapple (based on the greater bucket curl on the spec) and the spring built in my model of grapple to take up slack.

But in looking at pics it looks like your hoses go directly to two places on the cylinder (2 lengths) and my model has the hoses going to a central location and then doing a T to each cylinder.

So I think my hoses need to be the same length. My new guess is based on your shorter hose +10 for the FEL and the grapple hose spring.

I'll see how that works when I get it. I did order the FF couplers.

 

[Wild Bill the 2nd]

Here are a couple of pics I took showing the third function valve and where I think Kubota should have provided a bit more protection.

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The valve is well protected and out of the way behind the step. Lines come into the valve from the rear (solid lines) and head to the FEL (black flex lines).

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Here's the weak point IMO. Kubota should have provided another plate, say 4x4 angle, that bolts to the block plate the hydro lines come through for protection of those couplings. Just enough to cover the rigid lines and get past where they curve back, probably 6-8 inches at most.

Hope this helps.

John

Has anyone come up with a better solution for the hose locations or made skid plates yet?

I have a L6060 that should be here in a couple weeks. It will have 3rd function as well.

First, I was wondering if the lines for the FEL can be moved to the inboard side of the loader. Can you just remove the 90 degree elbows / lines that run to the outside of the frame. Then find fittings to attach the QDs on the inside? Would the couplings be in the way of the oil / fuel filter or something? Would the lines on the loader be long enough?

Second, could you find an elbow fitting that would thread into the third function valve so that the lines run back rather than out perpendicular to the direction of travel?

I'm thinking I will tell my dealer to hold full assembly of the tractor until I can review these issues. If there is a quick fix it would be a lot easier to do it now rather than when everything is full of fluid.

 

[BGigHarbor]

Has anyone come up with a better solution for the hose locations or made skid plates yet?

I have a L6060 that should be here in a couple weeks. It will have 3rd function as well.

First, I was wondering if the lines for the FEL can be moved to the inboard side of the loader. Can you just remove the 90 degree elbows / lines that run to the outside of the frame. Then find fittings to attach the QDs on the inside? Would the couplings be in the way of the oil / fuel filter or something? Would the lines on the loader be long enough?

Second, could you find an elbow fitting that would thread into the third function valve so that the lines run back rather than out perpendicular to the direction of travel?

I'm thinking I will tell my dealer to hold full assembly of the tractor until I can review these issues. If there is a quick fix it would be a lot easier to do it now rather than when everything is full of fluid.

I don't weld (unfortunately) so I had my dealer fabricate a sort of box around the 3rd function hoses beneath my l5460.

My lack of tractor experience (and therefore my opinion) was taken to task by a forum member earlier so take my opinion for what it's worth, but I would have ripped those lower hoses off within the first 20 minutes of owning the tractor without the skidplate. Doesn't take a genius to see the hydrualic routing choices made by kuboto on the new L series (esp with 3rd function ) have much room for improvement.

In terms of the exposed fel hydraulics on the side I have just tried to be careful and learn to live with them. A problem waiting to happen, imo though.