Newbie vs Hydraulic hoses reconnecting BH

[Shippersteve]

This I thought is worth sharing. I disconnected my Backhoe for the winter; today I reconnected it. I really struggled to reconnect the hydraulic lines. I was successful releasing the pressure from the Tractor side but not the BH. I read “wrap the male end with a rag and hit it with a hammer”. OMG I thought. I also read you only have to release the pressure from the female side. I grabbed a rag layered it on the shop floor and pressed the end onto the concrete, no luck. I admit it, I wrapped the male end with a rag and tapped the end with a hammer; it remained unmovable. I hesitantly grabbed the other line and wrapped it, I tapped it twice quite lightly and witnessed a soaked rag. I placed the layered rag back on the floor and I was then able to hold and release all pressure from both lines. I was finally able to reconnect the hydraulic lines with little to no effort lol.

Both the male and female ends of the quick disconnects have to be depressurized.

Loving this Kioti

 

[Robin Veerman]

In the future, before disconnecting the hyd lines, release the pressure. Kill the engine and fully move the joystick in all directions, also the fel joystick, which generally equalizes the internal pressures. Then disconnect before starting the engine…

 

[Buggs67]

This I thought is worth sharing. I disconnected my Backhoe for the winter; today I reconnected it. I really struggled to reconnect the hydraulic lines. I was successful releasing the pressure from the Tractor side but not the BH. I read “wrap the male end with a rag and hit it with a hammer”. OMG I thought. I also read you only have to release the pressure from the female side. I grabbed a rag layered it on the shop floor and pressed the end onto the concrete, no luck. I admit it, I wrapped the male end with a rag and tapped the end with a hammer; it remained unmovable. I hesitantly grabbed the other line and wrapped it, I tapped it twice quite lightly and witnessed a soaked rag. I placed the layered rag back on the floor and I was then able to hold and release all pressure from both lines. I was finally able to reconnect the hydraulic lines with little to no effort lol.

Both the male and female ends of the quick disconnects have to be depressurized.

Loving this Kioti

If it makes you feel better I learned the hard way too.
I disconnect the BH from the tractor, pull away 1', shut off the tractor and release the pressures. Then disconnect the lines.
To reconnect I reposition the tractor close enough to connect, shut down and release pressure in tractor. The BH is already relaxed. Connect lines, start tractor and lift BH to line up and back in to engage subframe.

It's been much easier to realign to reconnect since the BH is now stored inside on concrete.

Live and learn.

Best of luck.

 

[Fxfymn413]

There are quite a few threads on this topic. Basically the attachment builds hydraulic pressure when it is disconnected because the ambient temperature rises.

As you discovered you need to release the pressure from the hoses in order to re-connect the tractor and there a couple of ways to do that. You can put a flat drift in the female coupler, wrap it with a rag, and hit the drift with a hammer or you can build or buy a tool to release the pressure. Either way you will always have this issue whenever the temp rises after you disconnect the attachment.

I use this:QC Mate Quick Coupler Hand Clamp | XBoom

Not cheap, but it doesn't bleed the oil off or damage the couplers.

 

[Shippersteve]

Thanks for the replies guys
I absolutely did relieve the pressure at the time of disconnection. The BH sat on a concrete shop floor for the winter. Temps dropped here to -30 Celsius. Disconnected about the same temp as reconnect months later +6 ish.

 

[MinnesotaEric]

Piling on, if it is cold outside you may need to hit the quick disconnect with heat to soften the o-ring. Also stuck quick disconnects respond to a hammer and wrench to pop them open.