Hard Time Reconnecting BH Hydraulic Lines

[lzicc]

I have a L3800 with a BH77. I took the BH off about 2 weeks ago. I went to put it back on the other day and could not get either of the hydraulic lines connected back on the quick coupler. I moved all of the levers in every direction on the BH and the FEL and 3 point just to be sure. The tractor was turned off BTW. The only way I could actually get the lines to connect was to push the end of one of the hoses onto a part of the tractor to release the pressure, then they went right on. I shouldn't have to do this. Am I doing something wrong here?

 

[Delphicoder]

Nope I had the same issue. In my case it was from the attachment being out in the sun caused the hydro fluid to heat up and expand. After the sun went down it slipped right into position effortlessly. I think they call it thermal expansion/pressure.

 

[EE_Bota]

I have a L3800 with a BH77. I took the BH off about 2 weeks ago. I went to put it back on the other day and could not get either of the hydraulic lines connected back on the quick coupler. I moved all of the levers in every direction on the BH and the FEL and 3 point just to be sure. The tractor was turned off BTW. The only way I could actually get the lines to connect was to push the end of one of the hoses onto a part of the tractor to release the pressure, then they went right on. I shouldn't have to do this. Am I doing something wrong here?

I'm reasonably slick on it, and I still have to do it sometimes. I had to the other day on a buddies tractor. His had the couplers with the ball, so I put down a rag, and slapped the coupler down on the ball, and all is fine. (His MF175 had female couplers, so the levers could relieve the tractor side, but it was the implement itself that built the pressure...due to 30 minutes in the sun.)

Your implement (BH in this case) can be just a few degrees hotter when you try to reattach, and you will have the problem. Develop a good strategy to handle it, since you are likely not doing anything wrong.

Once, my tractor beat me, so I had to unscrew the coupler..so you are doing right well.

 

[lzicc]

Glad to hear that it's not just me. Thanks guys!!

 

[copperhead1967]

I had the same thing with the BH on my BX22. I finally figured it was pressure build up. I took a small screwdriver and pushed the center pin in inside the connector and let the pressure bleed off. Worked fine after that. Another good thing is to take brake cleaner or WD and blast the connectors clean every once in a while to clear the dirt out. Makes those little leaks go away.

 

[Ken45101]

What I've found on my skid steer is:

1) turn the engine off
2) turn the key on but do not start the engine
3) move all the hydraulic controls around.

You might try that.

Ken

 

[EE_Bota]

What I've found on my skid steer is:

1) turn the engine off
2) turn the key on but do not start the engine
3) move all the hydraulic controls around.

You might try that.

Ken

The key may be necessary because of electrically controlled hydraulics.

 

[JoeL4330]

as mentioned, sun heats up fluid, which expands and increases pressure...there is another source of pressure: bucket up or curled, even slightly, and its weight pressurizes the lines...until you either take pressure off (jack, or whatever), or keep emptying the excess until the cylinders are sufficiently compressed. This is a particular problem, I have found, with my grapple.

And, surely, someone mentioned that hydro fluid under pressure is quite dangerous so eye etc. protection is in order

 

[EE_Bota]

as mentioned, sun heats up fluid, which expands and increases pressure...there is another source of pressure: bucket up or curled, even slightly, and its weight pressurizes the lines...until you either take pressure off (jack, or whatever), or keep emptying the excess until the cylinders are sufficiently compressed. This is a particular problem, I have found, with my grapple.

And, surely, someone mentioned that hydro fluid under pressure is quite dangerous so eye etc. protection is in order

If your hydraulics has levers that directly work the spools, instead of electro-hydraulics, then turning the tractor off and moving the levers through each position repeatedly, and dwelling in each position briefly should make the only source of pressure upon reconnect a temperature difference.

I am generalizing...my loader is actually off the tractor, while the hoses are still connected, so disconnecting the hoses is the last step. Therefore, the loader can be completely and naturally relaxed on the floor of my building using this method.

Is your loader and grapple different? Can you disconnect the hoses last? If so, the grapple weight should not come into play. But, it could be possible that temperature differences somehow through the grapple and the bucket into opposition.

 

[JoeL4330]

When I had a problem, I had detached the grapple first and then the hydraulic hoses, but it has electro-hydraulic function and actuating the button(s) w. the tractor off has no effect ...to make a long story short, when the hoses were disconnected the grapple was not fully closed ...the weight of the grapple wanting to close due to gravity pressurized the lines...I tried tapping the nipples on the hose connectors, but would have had to actually drain a good bit of fluid.

Dealer's tip was reconnect the grapple with the QA and then come up against a tree or whatever and counteract the gravity-close ...I ended up using a bottle jack, instead, but same effect ...but, we are in agreement: let all the loads relax (don't know what would be the practice with check valves in the circuit...)