My Homemade Skid Steer Machines

[justinlovestobuildstuff]

Anything that you can do to keep air out of the suction line will greatly extend the lifetime of your system. If you can, try to have at least five or six inches of coverage on your outlet.

As a rough temperature check, after you run your machine for awhile, can you put your hand on the tank and keep it there?

All the best, Peter

Yes temps are fine, never seen over 120F, with the smaller pump and motors that is.

 

[ponytug]

Yes temps are fine, never seen over 120F, with the smaller pump and motors that is.

That's great!

If it were me, I would fiddle around with the plumbing a bit to get the hydraulic system foam/bubble free. A little air makes a huge difference in both performance and lifetime for hydraulic systems. Could you put an inclined tank so you have enough oil to keep the inlet covered at all times? Would a baffle(s) in your tank(s) help keep the oil outlet covered? Just tossing ideas out...

FWIW: The Power-Trac machines have an oil tank integral to the body, under the seat; just a bulkhead across the steel plate frame, with a lid.

I think what you have built is very creative.

All the best,

Peter

 

[Vigo327]

The return is on bottom and the suction is about 2" up from that. With cylinders fully extended the fluid level was very low, i think it was simply sucking in a little air when trying to crawl up hill.

So if the port sizes are already similar it might be worth the slight hassle of swapping their positions on the tank. If not easy, you might be able to add a 'pipe' of some sort onto the end of your return fitting which would carry return flow up past the inlet.

But i do give good odds that the second tank you are adding will 'fix' the problem anyway, even though the plumbing on the first tank is not ideal.