Keeping FEL controls on the tractor

[Jim2]

I've got a Yanmar w/ a Koyker 125 quickattach loader. The FEL controls are attached to the loader arms, so they are removed w/ the loader when I take the loader off of the tractor. I would like to mount a snowplow (subframe mount) and use the FEL controls to control lift and angling.

I don't know how the OEMs do it, and I haven't had a lot of luck tracking down some good pics on my own! I'd like to do this project up so that it turns out nice and works well.

Anybody else have this situation? Any pics out there?

thanks,

Jim

 

[quicksandfarmer]

I have a Koyker 160 on my tractor. When you remove it, part of the frame stays on the tractor and part comes off. The joystick is bolted to a piece of flat plate that is bolted to the part of the frame that comes off. What you would need to do is bolt it instead to the part that stays on. That shouldn't be hard.

A bigger issue is the hydraulic hoses. On mine the supply and return have quick releases and when you take the loader off you disconnect them from the joystick and connect them to each other. What you want to do instead is disconnect the four hoses that go to the loader cylinders. You probably don't want to have the quick releases just dangling, and there won't be enough clearance to put the quick releases on the valve itself, so what you'll want to do is bolt a flat piece of metal somewhere nearby, run short hoses from the valve to bulkhead fittings in the piece of metal and then run the original hoses to the other side of the bulkhead fittings. Join the hoses with quick releases.

Note that you're basically doing all the work and buying all the fittings you would need to add remote hydraulics. When I bought remotes the fittings and hoses were more than the valve (about $200 from surplus center). You may want to consider spending the extra money and getting remotes which are more versatile.

I hope that makes sense.

 

[kennyd]

You also need to make sure you have a 4-way valve, and not a 3-way. A 3-way valve will NOT operate a snowplow with two SA (single acting) cylinders, and may have trouble with one DA (dual acting) cylinder.

Here is a good read on the subject- 3 position valve-vs-4 position valve - TractorByNet.com

But like QSF said, you will most likely need to add QD's to the 4 lines going to the loader and design a mount that will stay on the tractor, not be in the way, and put the valve in a comfortable spot...

 

[Jim2]

Well, I've already got one remote on the tractor. Right now I'm using that to lift the snowplow, but I'd like the ability to angle it, too! I think that would make the plow much more versatile.

I had kind of worked through what I might need to do to make all this work. I was kind of hoping that someone might have some pics? Sometimes the way I'm picturing things isn't really the best way, and seeing how somebody else has done it gives me a few more options and ideas to work with. . . .

Also--I had no idea about the 3-way vs. 4-way valve. I s'pose I've probably got a 3-way? I'll check my manual--that is, if I can still find it. Otherwise, couldn't I just use the bucket curl circuit to lift the snowplow? That would work anyway, wouldn't it? Having that fancy joystick control and using the side-to-side to lift and the up-down to angle wouldn't be all that intuitive, but it might get the job done. . . .

thoughts? pics?(!)

Jim

 

[Bill_M]

Jim,
I am not sure how your Koyker loader looks , but I did remount my Kubota loader valve to stay on the tractor when I added my aux. valve, I welded a piece of angle onto the lower mount & the valve mount plate, then added quick disconnects to the hard lines on the loader arm. I do have to run the plow off of the aux. valve though because of the 3-way on the loader dump circuit. Right now I actually have the plow on with the loader still on because of a broken fitting on the lift cylinder, talk about confusing, lift plow with loader up/down & angle with the aux. valve.

 

[radioman]

I dont have pics of mine yet on BX24 but the FEL controls stay on tractor when FEL comes off. The earlier model of BX23 goes off with FEL. Perhaps you could take a look at both and compare it to yours for ideas ?

 

[Jim2]

Thanks for the pics.

I should have posted back sooner. I did find a manual for the loader. It wasn't much help, so I emailed Koyker. They indicated that the loader valve is a 3-way, and wouldn't work for a snowplow. I am so glad I started this thread now! I was ready to just go ahead and move the valve, and I would have been pretty disappointed to find out that the dump circuit wouldn't work for angling the snowplow.

My plan now is to add a dual-spool auxilliary valve. That would be the most versatile solution. . . .

Again thanks to all who posted on this thread, and especially KennyD for mentioning the 3-way vs. 4-way valve!

Jim

 

[kennyd]

A new joystick loader valve is $200 if you want to just go that route and update what you have...let me know and I will point you to it.

 

[Jim2]

I'm not 100% sure on what I'm going to do yet.

The deal is that I've got a single-spool auxilliary valve mounted already. Changing it out would be no big deal. Plus, it's mounted in a bad spot. It's high up on the fender, and I came pretty close to getting a mouthful of hydraulic valve control handle the other day when I was ducking for some limbs as I was driving through the woods. . . . I'm probably going to want to move that valve anyway.

OTOH, I don't have the loader mounted very often, so it would be nice to have the loader valves available for other purposes. Also, getting the controls past the exhaust stack is a struggle on this ol' Yanmar when I'm attaching and detaching the loader. Having the controls on the tractor would probably make the switchover much easier.

I probably won't do anything either way for a couple of months until we're past snow season. I can't afford to be w/o a snowplow this time of year.

Post up a link if you've got one!

thanks,

Jim

 

[kennyd]

9-7694 and 9-7401 are both good valves.