Coyote, I'll have to buy a new subframe.
Furu, I was thinking about that too. How do you go about flushing it out other than connecting to the tractor's hydraulic system?
Well I am not going to say that my method was the best method or the only method but what I did was as follows.
Since I was doing a fluid swap on the tractor and all implements at the same time it made it easier. I hooked up the BH to the tractor before I started anything thus the BH was supported solidly. That made it much easier.
After hooking up the BH to the subframe, I disconnected the hydraulics from the BH to tractor. Then did the tractor fluid swap first. Then went to the BH.
After removing the QD on each of the hoses I put them in a container so that they could drain out but not suck fluid back in the hoses.(When the direction is reversed there is a suction on the line that is best to avoid.)
Then taking each spool valve and positioning it IAW with the cylinder I was going to swing I would take the cylinder and first slowly then rapidly cycle it full throw. (Rapid is a loose term since the main arm is at least 500 lbs and you are using a come-along tied to a tree or some such thing overhead) The first couple of cycles are real slow and hard as there is so much fluid being expelled but gets easier as the fluid is removed.) Remember the valve might have to be moved the opposite direction as the cylinder direction is reversed. Not all the time however. Tie the SCV controller in position. Probably can be done without this step but I think it helped.
This gets 95% plus of the fluid out of the cylinders and about 75% out of the hose.
Next disconnect the hose at the cylinder connection and blow low pressure air through the hose line to remove the last of the fluid remaining in the hose. DO NOT use high pressure air to do this. At the same time cycle the cylinder again without the hose and the last of the fluid will be spit out.
Then move on to the next set of cylinders. When doing the dipper cylinder and main arm use a come-along and whatever you can use as a tie-off overhead. Be careful as the main arm is not light. Initially I used a come-along on the dipper but as the fluid was expelled I found that I could move it by myself, but don't hurt yourself. The main arm was another story it stayed heavy. I was very surprised how easy the legs, the bucket and the pivot cylinders were to do.
Yours will be more of a challenge as you can't hook it up to the tractor as you have no sub-frame (yet) and even with a sub-frame you would have to hook up hydraulics and cross contaminate which is the point of the exercise to avoid.
I would recommend taking the FEL and using it to position the BH so that you can do a similar type of exercise. it will be more challenging as keeping the BH from moving will be much more difficult in your circumstances. Doing the legs and the bucket will be easy. If you brace the BH frame so that it can't slide sideways or away from you, I think you should be able to move both the dipper and the main arm with the FEL and a strap/chain.
Your task will be significantly more difficult than mine as I had it mounted. Afterward you will have lots of air in the system. Just run each control until smooth movement returns. Of course you can't do that until your sub-frame shows up and you hook it up to the PB on the tractor. If a friend has a FEL then they could lift the BH to mount it once you get your subframe wiithout you hooking up hydraulics and risk contaminating your system.
I have been told I went overboard on my drain process. I disagree as I got lots of contaminated fluid out of the BH after 6 years of use and I felt the effort was worth it. To each their own.
