Hydraulic accumulators...

[5030]

The issue with ANY hydraulic accumulator is the precharge. One, it has to be an inert gas and 2, the precharge pressure is far above what most owners are capable of producing, if, they had the availability of inert gas in the first place.

The other issue is, if the accumulator is pre charged to 'X' pressure, buying one and having it shipped to you presents some restrictions in the actual shipping.

In my situation, almost none of that applies as I have the high pressure inert gas available and the mechanical means to pre charge any accumulator to the required pressure, whatever that is.

 

[Smokeydog]

On the Kubota set only one accumulator might have been rechargeable. Mystery Allen bolt under a fitting. Pressures clearly stamped on Bosch accumulators. Guess made to be replaced instead of recharged like many automotive type accumulators.

Bought another NOS set to fit an McCormick tractor loader off eBay for -$40. Thinking they weren’t serviceable either but were precharged. They were for a smaller tractor. Haven’t got around to using them yet.

Many accumulators are pressure adjustable to fit the process requirements. Tractor loaders may not be that critical. Doesn’t take much displacement for a little give. Having two at different pressures gives a wide range of dampening.

Having experienced a loader with soft ride it is good option. Made the transport of 100’s tons tornado tree debris much easier on tractor and operator. Only time I valve it out is for some pallet forking and setting some construction beams.

 

[LittleBittyBigJohn]

I've charged several at work. We have a couple of charge kits and use high pressure nitrogen bottles to fill from. If a person is not aware it can be quite the shock at how much pressure is in a vessel with a normal Schrader valve that they are used to seeing on tires.

One of my Mom's neighbors had a motorcycle with shocks that had nitrogen accumulators. He decided to check the pressure with a normal tire gauge, it shot the little plastic scale all the way across his garage...

 

[5030]

Nice thing about owning a welding and fab shop is I have the high pressure Nitrogen on hand all the time (inert gas welding bottles) and I can have one of my employees or myself machine a custom adapter to fill them The one I bought comes empty but no issue pressurizing it in the shop. The 'rub' if you want to call it will be how many PSI of N will be required to effectuate the dampening I'm looking for.

My M's operate at about 2300 psi hydraulic pressure which I'll use as a baseline and adjust as required.

You really don't need a large volume accumulator from what I can ascertain because all it does is cushion the shock load.

I kind of equate it as similar to the in line bladder tank on my in floor PEX system, just a lot more static pressure.

 

[ptsg]

Nice thing about owning a welding and fab shop is I have the high pressure Nitrogen on hand all the time (inert gas welding bottles) and I can have one of my employees or myself machine a custom adapter to fill them The one I bought comes empty but no issue pressurizing it in the shop. The 'rub' if you want to call it will be how many PSI of N will be required to effectuate the dampening I'm looking for.

My M's operate at about 2300 psi hydraulic pressure which I'll use as a baseline and adjust as required.

You really don't need a large volume accumulator from what I can ascertain because all it does is cushion the shock load.

I kind of equate it as similar to the in line bladder tank on my in floor PEX system, just a lot more static pressure.

If you're planning on using the accumulator as a "soft ride" for the loader, you really only need about 400 to 600 PSI of Nitrogen.

 

[5030]

If you're planning on using the accumulator as a "soft ride" for the loader, you really only need about 400 to 600 PSI of Nitrogen.

Exactly what I'm going to use it for and I'll go with your recommendation as a starting point, thanks. A full 120 cubic foot bottle of N is between 2100 and 2300 psi.

 

[ptsg]

Exactly what I'm going to use it for and I'll go with your recommendation as a starting point, thanks. A full 120 cubic foot bottle of N is between 2100 and 2300 psi.

I think I said it before on another post but the one on my loader has 725 PSI and find I find it a bit too much because it only really works well with a full bucket. It's very nice to use it in that case but ideally, I would want it in the 400 or 450 PSI.

There is a lot of factors to it though, like loader geometry, cylinder size and so on. Since you have the equipment, it should be easy to adjust as you get the feel for it.

 

[Smokeydog]

Took a chance with large Kubota ag tractor loader surplus soft ride system to adapt to M59 TLB. Similar loader capacity. Did incorporate a needle valve to act as an adjustable orifice if needed any fine tuning. Ending up not needed but the added height put the ball valve within easy reach so it stayed an option.

While the max operating and relief pressure is approximately 2300psi, the dynamic closed circuit pressure can be twice that. Add curl and forward push on top of max lift. Having a pressure gauge to always read pressure is enlightening. Switched to 10,000psi electronic where I could have options of set-able zero, tare, net, recall max/min. Mixed results trying to weigh things.

The open station M59 has steel framed plastic windows mounted low, facing forward. Perfect for mounting the accumulators behind just in case. Significant potential energy stored in there.

 

[5030]

Why they are expensive to buy as they must be built to ASTM specs for high pressure vessels.

 

[Smokeydog]

With your skills and experience customizing a soft ride system should be doable. Not sure how Kubota stands on offering options for their current line up. Definitely an option I would pick now if buying new. RScotty and I lucked up in finding NOS Kubota kits surplus for pennies on the dollar. Worth it just for the accumulators. Came with various hard and soft lines, fancy gang valves and custom brackets. Seemed overly complicated compared to some add on generic systems. I’m sure Kubota engineers know a lot more than I. Only used one bracket and accumulators out of the kit.

I was lucky the design could have a manual valve easily accessible in the operator station and gauge easily visible. All being well guarded by loader frame components. An electric solenoid valve would work too.

To anyone who has carried hay bales, logs, debris or bushhogs with FEL bucket or grapple the difference is remarkably smoother and kinder to operator and tractor components.