Backhoe B26 Stabilizers pins

don white · Sep 29, 2011

I am the new owner of a used B26. 160 hours. I did what all new owners do and got the grease gun out. All the fittings worked except one. On the lower ram pin of the stabilizer arm. So I removed the fitting and it was ok. So I proceeded to remove the pin. It came out about 1/3 of the way and then stoped. So I tapped it the other direction and same thing. What is up? I see no set screw so why does this pin stop coming out.

jsranman · Sep 29, 2011

I did the exact same thing with my b2630 with 65 hours when I got it. I beat the heck out of that pin, heated it, pryed it and finally got it out after too much work. I got a new pin because the old one was so deformed. Put the new one in and it stopped taking grease on the next greasing. Now both sides dont work. I dont know why they dont work but I am not going to worry about it.

don white · Sep 29, 2011

It is very strange because the pin will turn and I can get it to move out the same distance on both sides. When it stops it stops solid. I thought maybe there was a burr on the snap ring grove so i filed it which did nothing.

I won't be happy till I get grease in that thing. I did soak it good with oil.

nspec · Sep 29, 2011

There was a thread on this a couple of years ago. VERY common for those pins not to take grease - haven't found anybody's whose will! So little wear at that point, I just let them go. When they wear enough, they'll take grease.

lhansman · Sep 30, 2011

My B26 is almost 4 years old now with just under 500 hours on it and I don't have any trouble greasing these pins on my machine nor did I on my B21 which I had for 7 years and 1,800 hours. I have noticed sometimes that I can't get a pin to take grease but if I move the attachment the pin is for (backhoe, loader or stabilizer) that the change in position will usually allow the pin to take grease.

I have lost the snap rings that hold the stabilizer foot pins in place on both sides of my B26 machine and the pins slid out easily when that happened. One of the stabilizer pins broke on my B21 and there was no retainer in the center - just a groove for the grease - which is where the pin broke.

I do tend to grease generously every ten hours per the clock so things hopefully don't get a chance to seize. I don't use the backhoe much in the winter up here because there is too much frost in the ground but I make sure to give the hoe and stabilizers a fresh shot of grease just before snow season to make sure they are will lubed as they sit unused as rear ballast for 3 - 4 months.

don white · Sep 30, 2011

Life is funny.
Today I put the grease gun on the pin and it took grease.
Thanks for the information though.

This machine replaced a B20. It sure is nice to have a tight machine. I also love the hydraulics. The inching valves are so much easier to use. Popped out five big stumps this evening. Big old oak stumps. I'm loving it. Just dug around um a little and they come right out. So much more digging power than my old B20.

lhansman · Oct 3, 2011

I never operated a B20 but I know the B26 is a huge improvement over the B21 in terms of power and precision. I like the inching valves also but must admit that at times I find them a little too slow compared to the rapid (but sometimes too fast) response on the B21.

I often have one or two pins on the loader near the bucket that won't take grease and I find just changing the curl will usually allow the grease to flow.

Enjoy your "new" machine!

traneld · Oct 14, 2011

I purchased my B26 at 650 hours and 50 hours later I have freed most of my 'stuck pins'.. except for the bottom hydraulic pins on the stabilizers. I started with about 12 pins which would not take grease when I first acquired it. For some, removing the zerk fitting and flushing with brake cleaner, soaking with penetrating oil and flooding with spray lube which cleaned out the path enough to take grease. For the dipper pin, it was a four hour process of heat and pounding to remove the pin which was well worn and rusted. On dis-assembly we found the bearing sleeve had been broken for some time (rusted cracks) for some time. For most of the other pins (mostly the FEL pins) they took grease when the joint was warm and in the 'right' position - this involved applying full grease pressure and cycling the joint. We did this after working with the machine for a couple of hours. (one person cycling the arms and the other holding the grease gun.
I tried pulling the lower stabilizer pins but they did not budge with 'moderate' force. At this point I am not worried enough to spend lots of time heating and pounding to get the pins out. For now it is alternate cycles of trying to grease while cycling 'warm' and removing the zerk and cleaning and soaking the passage.
I look forward to hearing a success story on this situation so we can all benefit.