BH77 problem - HELP!

Teikas Dad · Jun 2, 2018

My backhoe was detached and not used all winter. I went to hook it up today and was having trouble with the connector from the backhoe to the tractor, it wouldn't seat and lock in no matter how hard I pushed on it. Same problem with the tractor connector trying to connect to the female on the backhoe. Push hard and nothing happens. I tried reconnecting the tractor hose back to the female on the tractor and it locked right in with no problem. Not so much when I tried to reconnect the backhoe hose to the backhoe connector. It wouldn't lock in. I pushed the tip of the male connector against the backhoe frame and got a spurt of hyd oil. After I did that everything connected no problem...at least for the hoses.

When I parked the backhoe for the winter it wasn't sitting on perfectly level ground, but I figured by moving the outriggers and dipper I could get it to seat onto the tractor mount. I was moving the downriggers and dipper back and forth, up and down trying to line up the lugs on the backhoe/tractor mount when all of a sudden everything hydraulic froze. I couldn't lift my front bucket on the tractor and the steering became extremely hard. I disconnected the hoses and reconnected the tractor hose to the female on the tractor. Tractor works perfect, loader up and down, steering as it should be.

It looks like for whatever reason the backhoe is not circulating hydro fluid correctly or not releasing the pressure. I have no idea where to start looking to fix this. I can't load the backhoe on a trailer and take it to the dealer as the outriggers are fully extended and the dipper all the way out. I tried lowering the outriggers after the hose to the backhoe was reconnected to itself but nothing will move.

What do I do and how do I fix it?

Oldoak · Jun 2, 2018

Sounds to me that one of your hydraulic fitting connections for the back hoe wasn't seated all the way and stopped the flow. I would start over and reconnect the hydraulics to the back hoe and try again.

Fallon · Jun 3, 2018

I had the same symptoms (loader stopped working, machine laboring at startup & idle) just after I got my L4060. Short story is the 3pt feedback rod was mis-adjusted & was still trying to lift when maxed out. Plumbing wise that will be the same as the power beyond line out of the hoe coming loose or getting blocked. Make sure that QD is properly connected. Possible the the QD has failed internally as well.

deathtoblackberries · Jun 3, 2018

Your backhoe hydraulics are under pressure that's why you can't reconnect. Loosen a hydraulic fitting on the backhoe somewhere to allow some fluid to leak out and release the pressure, then it will connect no problem. Alternatively (use caution) tap the center of the hydraulic fitting gently with something soft like a brass punch and hammer, hydraulic fluid will shoot out and blast you in the face. I learned this lesson once when I disconnected my FEL and didn't work the FEL arm in all directions to release the pressure, two of the 4 connectors would not reconnect.

Oldoak · Jun 3, 2018

Loosely cover the hydraulic fitting with an old rag before tapping the end and it will prevent the hydraulic fluid from flying all over the place.

mguitas · Jun 3, 2018

deathtoblackberries said:
Your backhoe hydraulics are under pressure that's why you can't reconnect. Loosen a hydraulic fitting on the backhoe somewhere to allow some fluid to leak out and release the pressure, then it will connect no problem. Alternatively (use caution) tap the center of the hydraulic fitting gently with something soft like a brass punch and hammer, hydraulic fluid will shoot out and blast you in the face. I learned this lesson once when I disconnected my FEL and didn't work the FEL arm in all directions to release the pressure, two of the 4 connectors would not reconnect.

I think you are right on. We have a 10 foot disc, an if we leave the wheels on the ground, you will never get the fitting on. So what i have done is take the fitting,an push the steel ball on a piece of steel an let the oil run out. Soon as the pressure was released, fitting went right on. Hope that's all his problem is.

rScotty · Jun 3, 2018

If you have a control lever or rod that has to be placed in a different postion to run the backhoe instead of the 3pt. Make sure that lever is all the way in or out. Move it a few times. See message #3 from Fallon. If that rod is in the right place the next place to look is some fitting is still holding pressure in it's hydraulic line and they won't connnect up if there is pressure in the line. Sometimes lines will develop pressure in line from just sitting as things settle.
luck,
rScotty

Teikas Dad · Jun 3, 2018

Looks like the problem may have been temperature related. When I dropped the backhoe off the tractor it was the week of Christmas and it was COLD. Yesterday when I tried hooking everything up it was in the 80's and the backhoe was sitting in the sun all day. Went out first thing this morning while it was still cool, pushed the male connector on the backhoe against the frame and there was no pressure, just a little dribble of oil. Backed the tractor up, hooked up and everything worked correctly. Spent the rest of the day digging tree stumps and rocks with no problems.

Thanks for the suggestions and advice! This forum is a wealth of knowledge and experience!!

Omega Woods · Jun 3, 2018

So, I have a little manifold I created for my BH when I had the same problem It's just a tee with a male fitting on one end and a female on the other. On the third leg of the tee, I installed a ball valve. When I take my hoe off, I install my little manifold. When I am ready to hook it back up, I open the ball valve and relieve any pressure that has built up during the storage period (into a container or rag, of course).

Easy Peasy. No more fighting with the hoe hydraulics at connection time!

http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/build-yourself/355891-hydraulic-pressure-releaser.html#post4424915

bandit67 · Jun 3, 2018

Whenever I remove the backhoe, I try to re-attach it at a lower temp then when I unhooked it. If I unhook it when the fluid is good and hot, like after using the machine for a while, hookup later is usually pretty easy, no matter how warm the ambient air temps are. But if I drop it when the fluid is fairly cold, then try hooking it up in 80* or after the sun has been baking it for a while, the fluid pressure is too high to reconnect it to the machine. When that happens, I whack the backhoe's male poppet with a rubber mallet to let some of the pressure/fluid out so I can get it hooked back up.