Power SSQA control, manual diverter valve? Or what other options?

I have a 3rd function on my L4060 (around 10gpm max hydraulic flow). I'm going to be plumbing in a crossover relief valve 1/2 NPT 3 GPM 15-3 PSI Hydraulic Cushion Valve | Relief & Cushion Valves | Hydraulic Valves | Hydraulics | www.surpluscenter.com for my hydraulic post hole digger. Figure I'll put it on the tractor side rather than the implement side so it might protect other implements as well.

I'm also planning on putting in power hydraulic SSQA (which I did previously with a linear actuator on my old L3200 http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/customization/321704-linear-actuator-power-ssqa.html).

As I have hydraulics up there now I'm going to do it with hydraulics this go around. Not that I had any reliablitly issues with the linear actuator, but hydraulics will be faster & less fragile. As per some previous discussions somewhere (may have been my linear actuator thread), somebody noted they just used some manual diverter valves out at the end of the loader. Leave them set to the SSQA most of the time, but after hitching up you need to go up there to hook up the hoses to any hydraulic implements anyway so might as well just flip the diverter to enable those hoses when you are there.

So far my thoughts are:

1/2" NPT 2 GPM Double Selector Valve | Selector Valves | Hydraulic Valves | Hydraulics | www.surpluscenter.com ($100) would do the trick, but I'm not a fan of that lever if it's going to be sitting on the end of the loader.

A pair of 3 way valves ($80) like 1/2" NPT Carbon Steel 5145 PSI 3-Way Ball Valve | Ball Valves | Hydraulic Valves | Hydraulics | www.surpluscenter.com would work, but mounting them so the handles don't interfere with each other, are aligned in the same plane (NTP fittings seat where they seat) or get damaged might be a bit of a challenge.

An electronic diverter valve is $150 or so, plus another $30-40 in wiring & electronic parts to get it running, most of which I likely already have floating around the barn. Not like wiring it up will be any different or harder than my linear actuator

My other thought was just a pair of on-off valves for the SSQA cylinder. ($40) 1/2" NPT Carbon Steel 725 PSI Ball Valve | Ball Valves | Hydraulic Valves | Hydraulics | www.surpluscenter.com. Just put a T in between the SSQA cylinder & the QDs. Turn the SSQA off after hooking up hoses then on again after unhooking the hoses. Rely on the QDs to not leak when actuating the SSQA cylinder. Cheaper that way but still might have some mounting issues & easily snagged or damaged handles.

Anybody have any better ideas for a cheap, reliable & easily installed diverter setup for this scenario?

Check this unit out. Bottom right, $69.68

I wouldnt want a manual diverter up there. A stick, vibration, anything could manually move it when you dont want it to, and next thing you know you implement is not only not working, but is unlatched as well.

MtnViewRanch said:

Check this unit out. Bottom right, $69.68

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I would call on that one. I am thinking that may be a typo and they left of a 1 in front of that. But if that is indeed $69, thats about half of the cheapest I have ever seen them in the last 5 years.

I use an electric diverter like that to control my hydraulic SSQA. If you change front implements once in a while, maybe it would be overkill. But changing several times a day, it sure is nice to be able to drop off one implement and pick up another, in a few seconds, without getting out of the seat. To my way of thinking, using a manual diverter would give up a lot of the potential functionality of the hydraulic SSQA. By the way I paid about 2x that a few years ago, looks like a real good deal.

LD1 said:

I wouldnt want a manual diverter up there. A stick, vibration, anything could manually move it when you dont want it to, and next thing you know you implement is not only not working, but is unlatched as well.



I would call on that one. I am thinking that may be a typo and they left of a 1 in front of that. But if that is indeed $69, thats about half of the cheapest I have ever seen them in the last 5 years.

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That use to be my cost on that type of diverter. But when you have retailers selling at wholesale, well one of the reasons that I quit selling them.

MtnViewRanch said:

That use to be my cost on that type of diverter. But when you have retailers selling at wholesale, well one of the reasons that I quit selling them.

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Maybe they got a truck load of them at a good price. Cause that exact valve is normally in the $150 ballpark

LD1 said:

I wouldnt want a manual diverter up there. A stick, vibration, anything could manually move it when you dont want it to, and next thing you know you implement is not only not working, but is unlatched as well.



I would call on that one. I am thinking that may be a typo and they left of a 1 in front of that. But if that is indeed $69, thats about half of the cheapest I have ever seen them in the last 5 years.

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It also says "currently unavailable" as I read it.

downsizingnow48 said:

I use an electric diverter like that to control my hydraulic SSQA. If you change front implements once in a while, maybe it would be overkill. But changing several times a day, it sure is nice to be able to drop off one implement and pick up another, in a few seconds, without getting out of the seat. To my way of thinking, using a manual diverter would give up a lot of the potential functionality of the hydraulic SSQA. By the way I paid about 2x that a few years ago, looks like a real good deal.

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I have to get off the machine to hook or unhook hoses for impliments. I can just flip the valve over to run the impliments then back to SSQA. The 3rd function would be set to SSQA most of the time unless I kicked it over to the impliment after hooking it up.

Luke'sScreenName said:

It also says "currently unavailable" as I read it.

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As per the manual http://www.metrohydraulic.com/pdf/Metro-Hydraulic-Valve-catalog.pdf I want a 04 (1/2") 20 (knob not lever)

Their site has 2 valves listed with the same description & the same price DS08-20 (out of stock & the 08 in the name indicates 3/4" not the 1/2" in the description) & the DS04-20, which is likely what I want & is actually in stock. Tried buying it & their site wigs out about my address "Warning: Please enter a valid shipping address first" regardless if I have it checked as residential or not. Tried a few different ways with no luck. Will give em a call & try & order it over the phone on Monday.

Thanks for pointing me that way, as near as I can tell that's exactly what I was looking for. Assuming so, it's just going to be a case of having some "fun" trying to get everything mounted up there & getting some custom hoses made up to get it to fit & plumb in properly.

I must be weird. I prefer the linear actuator. I'm just beefing up the mounts a bit when I *someday* do it.
aaaah, *someday*.....

I know this is old but did you get around to building it. I would like to try the same thing on my 4740. I'm just worried about how to plumb a relief into it so I don't snap bolts or break pins if the attachment is not quite lined up right when actuated. I wonder if there is some kind of integrated block with relief valve we could use to make the plumbing a little neater. anything we add up there on the cross tube reduces visibility

jonsstihl said:

I know this is old but did you get around to building it. I would like to try the same thing on my 4740. I'm just worried about how to plumb a relief into it so I don't snap bolts or break pins if the attachment is not quite lined up right when actuated. I wonder if there is some kind of integrated block with relief valve we could use to make the plumbing a little neater. anything we add up there on the cross tube reduces visibility

Click to expand...

I've got 1/2 NPT 3 GPM 15-3 PSI Hydraulic Cushion Valve | Relief & Cushion Valves | Hydraulic Valves | Hydraulics | www.surpluscenter.com & a small cylinder sitting on the shelf along with a manual 2 way selector valve. It's still on my to do list, but as with so many things keeps getting bumped down the list due to other projects.

I've been debating on serring the crossover relief valve really low & leaving it on only the power SSQA circuit. But I also need a crossover relief valve for my post hole digger & potentially other stuff. I'd want it set higher & on the main feed lines for that. My SSQA snow plow already has one to protect itself. I could in theory put 2 up there, one set low for the SSQA & another to protect impliments. Havent looked to see if there is any room for the crossover relief up near the 3rd function solenoid valves, but that's already pretty tight & ugly on the 60 series machines.

I use a directional control valve with reliefs set at 1200psi to control the hydraulic ssqa, the grapple, and the 4in1 bucket. No issues in several years of operation.

thanks for the reply, my main concern was the relief valve and packaging but I found a crossover relief valve rated for 3000 psi that can be adjusted down to 50 psi if need be. I may go that route but has anyone tried locking the handles with the pins up against something solid. I think the spring loaded pins have a little travel that would act like a relief so it may not be necessary.

the handles act through the springs to move the pins, if there is enough lose in the spring movement you could lock the pins and not damage anything at full system pressure.

Just did some measuring this morning. the full stroke of the mounting pins on my ssqa mount is 8 and 1/4 inches. how precise are stroke measurements of cylinders when you buy them. I was hoping to get an 8 inch stroke cylinder to make sure the pins are never partially engaged. even with two inches less stroke, It won't make much of a difference. with one pin fully engaged the other pin is just slightly before going over center with 6 inches of stroke

for those interested my center to center engaged length is 34 3/4 inches and the dis engaged length is 26 1/2 inches

You really dont need to wory about the levers going over center if you have an actuator holding them. The over center but makes sure the pins stay locked & wont back off. A cylinder or linear actuator holding the levers in place just shy of over center will accomplish the same thing. By design going over center means there is less pressure or extension of the pins than holding things right at "center".

I am going the ball valve route teed into the third function circuit. no relief valve with this cylinder from surplus center 1x8x.625 DA Hydraulic Cylinder Wolverine WWSB18-S | Double Acting Hydraulic Cylinders | Hydraulic Cylinders | Hydraulics | www.surpluscenter.com.

the swivel eye ends will make attaching to the handles easier I just need to extend the rod to the right dimension. I just couldn't find a double selector valve that had the kind of packaging I wanted to keep it clean up there on the loader tube.

plus the tee method means 4 hoses instead of six.

UPS just updated my tracking status with (civil unrest has delayed your package)

Hope I get it soon. Stay safe down there neighbours.

Keep is posted on the build. My diverter valve, cylinder & crossover relief valve have been sitting on the shelf for a year now. I really need to find some time to finish my project.

when my order comes in I should have everything for the entire setup except for the hoses. I am wondering whether I should update this thread with my build or start my own.

I've had the tractor for more than a year now and this was always in the plans but what moved it up in the priority list is when I took my grapple to the woods. I got the grapple on and moved the tractor over to the garage to load up the chainsaw and in my head I was thinking I will lock the levers when I put the tools in the grapple at the garage but guess what I never locked the levers so I had the grapple about 4 feet off the ground and dumped far enough to drop the grapple while the hoses were still hooked. Tweeked the solid lines where the quick connects are slightly but didn't seem to hurt the hoses.

and I did it again (forgot to look the levers) with the bucket the last time I went to the woods so it has jumped way up on the priority list.