Loader How do I reconnect FEL hoses

[wv joe]

Ok, first one of my few gripes with my DK45SE - just about every time I bush hog, at least one of the quick connects for the FEL hoses under the step has a hose disconnected. I know I'm a bit aggressive bush hogging, but I'm trying to reclaim pasture that hasn't been mowed in years, so a lot of saplings. Couldn't Kioti have put some type of protection around the quick connects so that this doesn't happen?
Most of the time, it is one or two hoses and I have to horse them on. This time, all four hoses came off and I'm not sure which hose goes to which quick connect (one hose was up the sleeve around the hoses and when I pulled it out, not sure if I messed up the order).
Anyone know an easy way to match hose to quick connect? Anyone have any home made solutions to keep the hoses connected when plowing through brush?
Thanks!

 

[MF 1532]

On my MF they put colored cable ties on the hoses to match up the connections. On the farm we always spray painted a small section at the end of hose to match up . With as many as 8 couplers it would take forever to trace lines and get them in correct coupler . Mark all of your implements , and life will be simpler :thumbsup:

 

[wallace]

Are you driving forward all of the time? If so then switch you ends around. What I mean is if the female end keeps poping off because of the brush pushing it back. Switch it to the other side and the pusing back will no longer happen.

 

[wallace]

Your ends should be color coded.
If not you will have to follow the line down from the loader cylinders.
I know the inner 2 ports are for the tilt/curl. Hook them up and if it dumps when you curl just swithch them around.

 

[grsthegreat]

My dk45se has colored bands on both the male and female ends. if your doesnt then its going to be trial and error i guess. They sell colored male/female dust caps also. Ive never had mine disconnect before, but if your having issues, make yourself a detachable brush guard to cover the ends. even a simple canvas wrap bag would do. Id make a metal guard myself if i was having these issues.

 

[acme97]

That was one of my concerns when I was looking to get my DK50. I'm doing a lot of reclamation bushhoging so I had the dealer fabricate a shield for the connection point. Basically it's a plate bolted on the frame that extends past the hose connectors. Works great! Could be a little stiffer, but does the job.

 

[IslandTractor]

Man, I thought I was aggressive in clearing brush from overgrown pastures but I've only knocked a hose off twice in four years with my DK. I'd say you should rethink how you are using the tractor if you are knocking all four connectors off at once. One of these days you will rip a hose or worse if those sorts of forces are occurring regularly.

Can you explain just what you are doing when the hoses pop off? Backing up? Snagging on a stump? What type and density of brush are you dealing with? Is a brush hog involved?

It is possible to build guards that could provide extra protection to the hydraulics and you might also want to protect the electrical wires under the left side of the operator station.

 

[billybobjimmyjoejack]

I have color coded plastic bands that were factory installed on my loader quick connects that started to fade and were getting a little difficult to tell red from white (both were kind of orange looking).
My solution was to use colored electrical tape, it was something I had on hand and I could use it to cover a wider area.
I would just remove the loader to do your brush hog work it does not take long at all (they are called quick attach for a reason) and you would have more maneuverability.

 

[gkh7890]

Acme97,
Would you mind posting a couple pictures of your guard for us? That would be awesome!!!

I had the outside line disconnect on me this past summer. Never figured out why...probably a stick pop up from the front tire as I was in our tree line at the time??

My lines are color coded too (KL401) but had faded a bit. The order of the colors from the outside to the inside are: green, yellow, white, red (see photo)

I'm pretty sure the green line controls the "raise" function/action as that wasn't working when it was disconnected.

Hope this helps?

 

[acme97]

I will, but it will not be until Thanksgiving. I'm out of the area right now. I needed to get up under and look to see what I could do to put plates all the way under (or at least until I get finish with the heavy stuff). Since I don't have a cutting torch, thought I could take some measurements then go get them fab'd.

 

[gkh7890]

Sounds good. Looking forward to seeing them. Have a great Thanksgiving and safe travels!!:thumbsup:

 

[J_J]

Colorized dust caps.

There also locking QD available.



Features - Frey Loaders

 

[KubotaEd]

I use the plastic cable ties where the end goes through an opening at the other end and you pull the end through and they lock. I put one tie around the first outlet connector and one around the hose that goes to that connector, and then two ties on the next outlet connector and two ties on the hose that goes to that connector, etc for each connector and hose. I cut off the long end of the tie. This allows me to always get the correct hose on the correct outlet, even in the dark! It works fine for me.

 

[mpham]

I use the plastic cable ties where the end goes through an opening at the other end and you pull the end through and they lock. I put one tie around the first outlet connector and one around the hose that goes to that connector, and then two ties on the next outlet connector and two ties on the hose that goes to that connector, etc for each connector and hose. I cut off the long end of the tie. This allows me to always get the correct hose on the correct outlet, even in the dark! It works fine for me.

That's a good idea. Will do that to mine.

 

[wv joe]

Are you driving forward all of the time? If so then switch you ends around. What I mean is if the female end keeps poping off because of the brush pushing it back. Switch it to the other side and the pusing back will no longer happen.

Thanks, but that is probably beyond my skill level. The hoses are tight right now, really have to push the hose into the connector. Think I'll see about making a guard like some of the suggestions below.

 

[wv joe]

Man, I thought I was aggressive in clearing brush from overgrown pastures but I've only knocked a hose off twice in four years with my DK. I'd say you should rethink how you are using the tractor if you are knocking all four connectors off at once. One of these days you will rip a hose or worse if those sorts of forces are occurring regularly.

Can you explain just what you are doing when the hoses pop off? Backing up? Snagging on a stump? What type and density of brush are you dealing with? Is a brush hog involved?

It is possible to build guards that could provide extra protection to the hydraulics and you might also want to protect the electrical wires under the left side of the operator station.

I'm using a bush hog, going forward nearly all the time (I don't think the backing is an issue since that is usually to trim the top of a slope too steep to drive on). Not sure exactly what pops them off, just notice when I try to change the height of the FEL and get no response. This has happened since I started mowing, even fields that have nothing bigger than a thorn bush on them. THe pasture I'm working on now (where all four came off) has a couple of groves of thickly grown sumac, a few hardwood saplings (1 - 2 inches) and a lot of small pines (from 1 to 4 or 5 inches). I push over the saplings with the FEL and go over them slowly (or stop while the bigger ones get shredded). I think it was one of the pines that popped off the hoses (or what ones were left connected). I do the pines one at a time since they are spaced, the sumac is no choice but to cut a swath to start then I overlap cuts for the remainder.

 

[MossflowerWoods]

I use the plastic cable ties where the end goes through an opening at the other end and you pull the end through and they lock. I put one tie around the first outlet connector and one around the hose that goes to that connector, and then two ties on the next outlet connector and two ties on the hose that goes to that connector, etc for each connector and hose. I cut off the long end of the tie. This allows me to always get the correct hose on the correct outlet, even in the dark! It works fine for me.

KubotaEd,

Pic Please?

Thanks,
David

 

[wv joe]

Just want to say thanks to everyone with the suggestions and help. I'm overdo on posting my review of the tractor, but this is the first year of really using it, the first year it was an expensive lawn ornament. My first tractor, so the suggestions are really appreciated. I will definitely mark the hoses to avoid this in the future (I didn't see any color coding on them), thank goodness there is only 4! I'll also see what I can do to rig up a guard.

 

[kco]

Ok, first one of my few gripes with my DK45SE - just about every time I bush hog, at least one of the quick connects for the FEL hoses under the step has a hose disconnected. I know I'm a bit aggressive bush hogging, but I'm trying to reclaim pasture that hasn't been mowed in years, so a lot of saplings. Couldn't Kioti have put some type of protection around the quick connects so that this doesn't happen?
Most of the time, it is one or two hoses and I have to horse them on. This time, all four hoses came off and I'm not sure which hose goes to which quick connect (one hose was up the sleeve around the hoses and when I pulled it out, not sure if I messed up the order).
Anyone know an easy way to match hose to quick connect? Anyone have any home made solutions to keep the hoses connected when plowing through brush?
Thanks!

Page 9-3 (scan attached) of the loader manual shows the loader connections.

All the hoses are marked in several places on my DK35, making them easy to trace.

 

[MotorSeven]

Joe if you do that kind of hogging often, really think about building a belly pan. I have yet to do mine, but I will. There are filters and electrical connections that are vulnerable to sticks, including the radiator fan(ask me how i know the cost of one). I have knocked off the FEL connectors on a couple or occasions just in real heavy thick grass. Also keep an eye on your side engine skirts. I was hogging a overgrown pasture one day and saw something laying in the brush...what the heck? Turns out is was my side skirt shaped like a pretzel...never heard or saw it get torn off.

Basically if it can be disconnected or broken, a stick will find it....sooner...or later. Armor...think armor............