Caterpillar Diverter Valve

[BukitCase]

Brandi, I feel your pain (and MINE ) - I finally quit deluding myself that my short term memory is as good as it was 20 years ago, and found a cool app for my phone called Colornote -

it's kinda like a mini-word processor, lets you choose lists or text - it also works with the microphone if you just wanna get a concept saved for later consideration, send the note as a text, etc - it auto-saves when you leave it, plus most of the usual stuff today's phones are capable of - I use it quite a bit for checklists AFTER I've told it what I'm gonna do.

My phone's Android system, dunno if Colornote is available for Apple or not, but it's worth a look -

BTW, I've been making most of my hoses using DHH's "field re-usable" ends and bulk hose - so far they do NOT offer those connectors for the more flexible hose, so anything that NEEDS that extra flexibility I still have to get from elsewhere. Fortunately ONE of the two local hyd. shops I deal with is almost as reasonable as DHH is on a lot of stuff... Steve

 

[bindian]

I have been busy today making clamp brackets. Here is what I got so far. The boom side mount bracket and the QD bracket will have tapped holes in 1/2 inch plate that will be welded on.

..............and here is the QD Mounting Bracket.

Small X about a foot in front of the T is where the QD bracket will go.
hugs, Brandi

 

[bindian]

Yes - for some reason, male JIC's often cost more than females - your link is for a MALE JIC end, and the individual pieces I linked are just the female JIC sleeve with a female nut - they're installed by gently screwing the nut onto a male JIC fitting (with the sleeve INSIDE the nut), then inserting the tubing into both and finally tightening the nut onto the male JIC fitting til the sleeve is crimped onto the tube. IMO, the ones you linked are grossly overpriced so I've used the separate components to make a female JIC, then if you need that end to be MALE, just get a male/male JIC and screw THAT into the tube-mounted female.

In 1/2" size, that male/male JIC adds a whole $1.07, for a whopping total of $6.33 instead of $23.86...
JIC 37ｰ Tube Union (Steel)

Steve

The reason the cost is so high is need the fitting to compress the sleeve in with the nut. The male fitting for JIC is not JIC on both ends. It is neither pipe or JIC threads. This I asked Marc at Discount Hydraulic Hose.

Here is what he said to me in an email when I asked if they were pipe or JIC threads..................Neither. They only screw onto the compression fittings, they are not JIC or Pipe threaded, they are compression thread. You can see the different thread types and pitches in our free thread ID guide (click free download): How to Identify Fluid Ports and Connectors Marc Vasquez
DiscountHydraulicHose.com
The compression fittings I got from the place in Alvin are jic thread on one end and the compression thread (what pitch it may be) on the other end. The compression end looks more like BSPP to me.
hugs, Brandi

 

[BukitCase]

That makes perfect sense to me - I remember they do NOT recommend using a single fitting to compress several of the flareless fittings - being stubborn, I tried it anyway - another reason for the lubed threads. So far no problems, but I only used each JIC fitting MALE to do 4 or 5 flareless fittings - used a large hex version of a JIC union clamped in the vise, so each relatively cheap union got me maybe 8 fittings crimped for about $.25 extra per flareless fitting.

Some of my "pipe dreams" aren't in a position to make crimping them in place practical, so this worked better for me. So far, no leaks or other problems... Steve

 

[bindian]

The 1/2 inch line clamps came in yesterday. Since I was off tonight, I got to weld them to the brackets and installed, along with the QD mounting bracket and plates.
hugs, Brandi

 

[bindian]

Found a couple pix of the flareless JIC's on my 580 (part of a larger project incl. loader QA, grapple, etc) - these are 3/8", don't need speed for anything these extra remotes will control - sorry about the "bundle of snakes", I wanted to keep these as low to the deck as possible

Where did you buy the stainless tubing and what it is? 304? What wall thickness is it?
hugs, Brandi

 

[BukitCase]

That was 3/8" x .035 wall 304 - normal hydraulic pressures no problem at that diameter, larger (like 1/2") should be at least 18 ga. (.050" or bigger) - those pieces were actually from "dumpster diving" at work - up til the last 4-5 years I worked (rare metals plant) they allowed us to buy scrap from the dumpsters (separate ones for mild, stainless, zirc, Ti, copper, etc) - IIRC, at that time mild scrap was $.05/lb, stainless was $.10...

If you can't find any locally, here's one source

ASTM A269-1 34 Stainless Steel Round Tube | Buy Online | Cut to Size | No Minimum Order

check out the price difference on different wall thickness - 16 ga. 1/2" tube is less than 18 ga. ??? so if you're not desperate for that last little bit of flow, it's cheaper and sturdier to go thicker wall...

Also, note that they will cut a 20' stick in half, should make shipping a little easier. Here's a gauge chart if you don't already have one... Steve

 

[bindian]

That was 3/8" x .035 wall 304 - normal hydraulic pressures no problem at that diameter, larger (like 1/2") should be at least 18 ga. (.050" or bigger) - those pieces were actually from "dumpster diving" at work - up til the last 4-5 years I worked (rare metals plant) they allowed us to buy scrap from the dumpsters (separate ones for mild, stainless, zirc, Ti, copper, etc) - IIRC, at that time mild scrap was $.05/lb, stainless was $.10...

If you can't find any locally, here's one source

ASTM A269-1 34 Stainless Steel Round Tube | Buy Online | Cut to Size | No Minimum Order

check out the price difference on different wall thickness - 16 ga. 1/2" tube is less than 18 ga. ??? so if you're not desperate for that last little bit of flow, it's cheaper and sturdier to go thicker wall...

Also, note that they will cut a 20' stick in half, should make shipping a little easier. Here's a gauge chart if you don't already have one... Steve

I'm second guessing my steel tubing purchase, after forming one tube and installing it last night, after my Grand daughter and daughter went to bed. I was under the impression it was .068 wall and it is really around .88 wall. Really cuts down on the volume flowing. Not sure if it will make me happy with thumb movement. We'll have to wait and see if I like the thumb speed as is. The lines on the excavator are 1 inch lines.
hugs, Brandi

 

[Xfaxman]

What is the thumb cylinder ID?

 

[BukitCase]

That tubing will give you about 12% more flow than the 3/8 thinner wall I have - but my grapple uses 2 cylinders (think they're 2") and your thumb uses one - plus, it'll close slower than it opens due to rod displacement (which is usually a GOOD thing) -

If you have any hoses you could TEMPORARILY hook up to the cylinder along with the tube you already did, you can see what it's gonna be without fabbing another line, cause THAT line will set the flow if everything else is bigger; then you'd know whether to "fish or cut bait"... Steve