Flat face coupler

[TheRealWorld]

I have a gehl Track loader with the factory flat face connectors, I had a grapple connected and somehow damaged the female connector on the machine. I ordered a new one, got it, and put it on, but I can't get the hose in far enough to connect. The other hose connects no problem, I have not started the machine yet, so I should not have pressure there. Any idea if there is something I need to do when installing a new female coupler

 

[Industrial Toys]

Welcome to flat face connectors. My experience anyway.

Depending on how your aux circuit is controlled, you need to find a way to relieve the pressure, if that is the problem. I simply have a lever that always works but need to shut off the machine, then go one way and the other. Sometimes more than once. It can be difficult if electrically controlled. BOTH sides, the male and female have to have no pressure for them to mate. Maybe there is pressure on the grapple male.

I carry a torch in the winter, because if I didn't nothing about the FF connectors would work.

 

[groundcover]

Check to make sure if there is a spot the yoke needs to be turned to line up with safety pins . Some have that as a safety so they can’t pop off.

 

[TheRealWorld]

I think there might be pressure on the male, so I will try to relieve it, I guess the way to do that might be to hook the two lines from the grapple together? Thanks for the help!

 

[TheRealWorld]

groundcover, thanks for the info, I will look it over, and see if I can see anything like that.

 

[Industrial Toys]

I still don't understand it. I THOUGHT the whole idea of the FF connectors was you could connect/disconnect them under pressure. Apparently, some, you can.

They do get damaged WAY too easy as well. Don't ever let a connector drop onto a hard surface.

When an attachment sits and gets hotter or colder, the pressure change can also cause problems. I found it best not to close the grapple all the way when putting it away.

 

[TheRealWorld]

I think this damage was the result of just being torqued many times and the grapple moves and twist around. I have actually built a support arm to strap the hoses to, so they did not have excess force on the connectors. I was right there, and I did not see anything hit it, but it came apart and started to shoot oil!

 

[hayden]

I still don't understand it. I THOUGHT the whole idea of the FF connectors was you could connect/disconnect them under pressure. Apparently, some, you can.

My experience is that NONE of them connect under pressure. They are a huge pain in the ***. I finally re-plumbed my excavator aux circuit with valves to the case drain so I can easily relieve pressure. I used to have to crack open a fitting on one of the hoses and dump out some fluid. After really releasing the pressure, they hook right up.

Another trick I came up with is to add a bleed port on implements. I just added a pressure gauge test port, then keep the mating fitting (without a gauge connected) in the cab. Just screw it on the test port and it pees out any excess pressure.

 

[TheRealWorld]

Good to know, I have several things to try in the morning now. I thought I must have needed to do something special, that was not obvious when I screwed the new on on.

 

[Industrial Toys]

I am told by a guy that deals in hydraulic fittings that there ARE ones that connect under pressure. Of course they cost more. I don't quite understand, as the oil has to be relieved somewhere. The real problem comes when you have a machine where you can't operate the circuit with it switched off. It bugs me, that although I can do this on my loader, I have stopped and restarted it hundreds of times, just to fiddle with these stupid connectors.

 

[TheRealWorld]

Where do I send the check for all the great free accurate advice and knowledge? I had to hike out to where I broke the connector, as I had to shut them machine down right away as it was shooting oil out. I took some tools, and ended up cracking loose the hose fitting on the grapple and oil eased out and that solved the problem. I was convinced that this could not be the problem, bit it was. Thanks a bunch for being there and willing to help! You guys are great members of society!

 

[Smokeydog]

Made this tool to make flat face connections.
Connecting the grapple ends when storing and cycling the valves works 80-90% of the time by hand. The other times a little help is needed.

 

[TheRealWorld]

Very interesting and clever. Great concept, I might duplicate your tool, have you considered a patent?

 

[Smokeydog]

Thanks for the kind words. Have several patents and patent pendings. This tool is not a good candidate for patent. If someone made the tool at reasonable cost I would have had probably bought one. Room for improvement and you might make a better mousetrap.

Doesn’t take much force to connect just more than I can do by hand. Thought about using modified visegrip, R11?, pliers to relive pressure or connect.

 

[Discount Hydraulic Hose]

I think something already exists, the Waite Decompression Tool, unless I'm missing what is going on..Ken has it on his site, he's a member here.

Ken's Bolt on Grab Hooks <<Hydraulic Tools>>

 

[Smokeydog]

Thanks for the link for the Waite tool. It was featured in Farm Show magazine some time ago and tired to get one but no response. Guess they have that part figured out now. Pretty easy to make something similar. Most folks don’t appreciate the danger of high pressure fluid.

Made my connector clamp to connect a Kubota B20 backhoe connection in an awkward place. The other side is for another tractors’ flat face grapple connections.

 

[Industrial Toys]

If I were going to make something, I think I might start with C clamp style vicegrips.

 

[TheRealWorld]

Very interesting also, thanks for the tip. I also will look at the link DiscountHydraulicHose.com

 

[jmc]

I am told by a guy that deals in hydraulic fittings that there ARE ones that connect under pressure. Of course they cost more. I don't quite understand, as the oil has to be relieved somewhere. The real problem comes when you have a machine where you can't operate the circuit with it switched off. It bugs me, that although I can do this on my loader, I have stopped and restarted it hundreds of times, just to fiddle with these stupid connectors.

I can vouch for the premium flat faced connectors that easily connect under circumstances that were almost impossible with my Gehl tracked loader's original connectors. Pretty sure I bought them from Discount Hydraulic Hose, the advertiser who is participating on this very thread. Maybe he will elaborate on what is different about them.

 

[TheRealWorld]

I can vouch for the premium flat faced connectors that easily connect under circumstances that were almost impossible with my Gehl tracked loader's original connectors. Pretty sure I bought them from Discount Hydraulic Hose, the advertiser who is participating on this very thread. Maybe he will elaborate on what is different about them.

Just reminding all of you that my problem was on a Gehl Track loader, might be they are extra hard to connect.