FEL valve replacement

[kbone1]

Hey everyone,

I am about halfway through my school but I wanted to go ahead and try to get things ready so I can finish this project when I get home.

I re-posted my original question and added a few more. I received some great responses from my original post but I want some additional details/guidance.

I would like to hear from people who have the same set-up I have or close (see below in original post). I know there are members who have done this FEL valve replacement and others who are very knowledgeable about hydraulics, please help.

What type of fittings are better, more common/easier to find?, JIC, NPT, etc…?

What size and type of fittings and hose did you use?

Hose routing, what hose goes where on the valve, from which cylinder
and which end of the cylinder?(top/bottom, too/from, return/supply)

Link to FEL valve;
Surplus Center Item Detail
(Original Post)
I am in the process of converting my ZL-30 FEL on my JM 354 to a Prince loader valve. I am buying Metric female to NPT male converter couplings, should I use ½ or 3/8 inch hose? Also if anyone has done this, has the same type/style of tractor and has some pointers, please let me know.

I would also like to hear from anyone who has replaced their Quick Connects. What type, style, size did you replace them with? Was it hard to do?

Thank you,
kbone1

 

[RonMar]

Your replacing the hoses also? JIC or NPT should work fine for a loader, what ever is easier to match up with the cylinders/existing fittings or uses the fewest number of adapters. I use a prince valve on my loader(on a 284), but it is basically a homemade loader with domestic cylinders so it is all only NPT fittings. My supply return and PB hoses are all 3/8" the working lines are all 1/4", but for your larger loader, I would say 1/2" supply and 3/8" working. I recently installed a 3 spool valve instead of the 2 spool so I had another circuit for the grapple. The origial valve didn't have float so I got the 3 spool with float on the first cylinder.

The supply and return ports should be pretty straightforward. Supply from pump direct or via QC. The return line is the low pressure return line to the resovoir. It should have no more restriction on it than what a return line filter would provide. that Prince valve is probably limited to no more than 500PSI on the return port just like mine is. Excessive pressure tends to blow out the "O" rings on the ends of the spools. The output of the PB port is a high pressure line that will go on downstream to the next HP valve in the line such as the 3PH control valve. The work ports will be plummed the same as your current valve is plummed. One port to one end of a cylinder or "T"d to one end of a set of cylinders such as for the lift arms, and the other port to the other end of the cylinder(s). You may need to swap the lines at the work ports to have the loader function in the desired direction with the desired joystick movement.

The QC's just screw onto the end of the hoses. Just make sure you replace the QC's as a matched set(same model, same manufacturer). The QC-s that came on my 284 have 1/2" female National Pipe Threads.

 

[tmronnie]

Hi,
i have a taskmaster 438 with the same loader you have , i put the same valve in 2 years ago; i am not the best at hydraulics but this is what i did and have not had any problems with it in 2 years; hose off pump in to power in on valve with 3/4 to 1/2 reducer npt , i took my 4 loader hoses to the hydraulic shop had them cut off 1 end and put 1/2 npt, you will need the power beyond sleeve to get pressure to the 3 point lift 3/4 to 1/2 reducer to hose going to 3 point, then you need a hose for the relief valve; i put a t in the pump suction side and run the hose to there; hope this helped; i did not use the quick disconnect because i never take my loader off and those hose end were 1/2 npt; this may not be the best way but it works for me