Post Driver Hydraulic Hook-Up?

[MikePA]

The return line fitting is regular pipe thread I think and is the same diameter (at least 1") as the hydraulic fill on my 4300, though the threads areen't the same.

A friend modified the fill cap on my NH TC25D to include a 45 degree elbow and a male quick connect. Where the fill hole is located was difficult to access. It was OK for adding fluid (with a funnel) but not good for a return line. I added a female quick connect to the dump hose on my driver resulting in a 'no spill' solution. The factory return line on my Worksaver did not work well since there was no way to secure it. Your threaded return line sounds like a good solution.

 

[reasley]

Good morning, Mike --

I had always heard that the quick connects limit down force on the post drivers by restricting flow release but evidently not because I have read many of your posts (thank you) about post drivers and you are not exhibitng that problem.

I went by JD anda couple of other places this morning on the way to work and have found out that the threads on everything are metric and, of course, can't find anything locally, so I am on my way on-line to MARYLAND METRICS 'HOME PAGE' to see what I can find . . .

 

[CATMAN]

reasley: Yes, #2 was one of the options. My thoughts were to tilt your forks(post storage) back to the desired angle, then use a log chain from loader boom to fork mast to hold that position. Shutoff the tractor, release any hydraulic pressure in the "bucket curl" circuit. {Note: keep the loader boom up so log chain has tension on it.} Unhook both "bucket curl" hydraulic hoses and use one of those ports for the post driver. If one was to go this route, I would assembly a male to male jumper(or female to female) fitting to tie the two "bucket curl" hoses together to try to eliminate a "hydraulic lock" situation that might occur in those two hoses and thus it would make it difficult to reattach UNLESS the forks were in the perfect "neutral" position. Also, the sun can warm up cylinders and hydraulic oil thru-out the day and make a "closed hydraulic loop" even have some positive pressure. One would have to "crack" a fitting to release that positive pressure.

Currently, It sounds to me like you would be willing to spend the money to install a better system than this description.​

I also had another idea that envolved hydraulic shutoff valves on the same "bucket curl" circuit(tee'd in at quick couplings) but the cost would be too high for a "jerry-rigged" or temporary project/usage, I believe.

 

[CATMAN]

Looks like you got some good advise on the Hyd. section. I did think of one more issue, when that HD-10 ram comes down quickly and the hyd. oil rushes back to the sump/oil filler tube is that 4300 hyd. VENT system have the capacity to let the "displaced air" inside the sump escape quickly enough? I won't want those pressure pulsations working on all those lip-type seals in the low pressure side of the hyd. system. I may be overthinking this, but this tractor is a lot smaller than my Dad's 4020(95 HP) and these little issues can arise.

 

[reasley]

Thanks, Catman, for the reply. Today, I got enough fittings to do the FEL circuit-to-post driver contingent on what I found out today on this site. When I got home, I disconnected one of the FEL curl circuits and applied pressure to the joystick for that circuit and could tell that the hydraulic system was under load. I didn't expect that -- I figured that with the circuit dead-ended, it wouldn't do that so next, I disconnected both of the curl circuits -- same thing on load. Maybe it would have behaved differently if the circuit had been completed to the post driver which is itself an open center circuit?

So after that very fast experiment, I figured that I should probably just get the Power Beyond kit and be done with it. However, after looking at the diagram again closer (see attachment), it appears that the power beyond for the 4000 series is mounted directly above the hydraulic fill which is needed for the fluid dump for the post driver. Any confirmation from someone that has a 4000 series CUT?

So, that's where I am right now. Again, help is appreciated!

 

[MikePA]

I had always heard that the quick connects limit down force on the post drivers by restricting flow release but evidently not because I have read many of your posts (thank you) about post drivers and you are not exhibitng that problem.

Good morning,

Attached are 2 pictures. One of the modified fill plug and one of the original return line on the Worksaver. As you can see, the original end of the return line had it's own flow restriction issues.

 

[Jim_Fisher]

Thanks, Catman, for the reply. Today, I got enough fittings to do the FEL circuit-to-post driver contingent on what I found out today on this site. When I got home, I disconnected one of the FEL curl circuits and applied pressure to the joystick for that circuit and could tell that the hydraulic system was under load. I didn't expect that -- I figured that with the circuit dead-ended, it wouldn't do that so next, I disconnected both of the curl circuits -- same thing on load. Maybe it would have behaved differently if the circuit had been completed to the post driver which is itself an open center circuit?

So after that very fast experiment, I figured that I should probably just get the Power Beyond kit and be done with it. However, after looking at the diagram again closer (see attachment), it appears that the power beyond for the 4000 series is mounted directly above the hydraulic fill which is needed for the fluid dump for the post driver. Any confirmation from someone that has a 4000 series CUT?

So, that's where I am right now. Again, help is appreciated!

The power beyond on my 4300 has an extension on the fill tube. Not sure if the current kit has the same setup, since the one on my 2000 4300 was transfered from my 1998 4200.

Another thing of which you need to be aware is that when you use the power beyond, you divert the flow of hydraulic pressure from your three point hitch to the implement that you power.

Using a backhoe, this isn't an issue since you won't need the three point hitch.

With a wood splitter, the return line is routed back to the three point so that both the splitter and the three point will function.

With a post driver (mine is a Shaver HD8) routing the return line to the three point isn't an option. I mounted a manual diverter valve (about $45.00 from Surplus Center) on the post driver. After I have positioned the tractor and driver, I switch the diverter valve and drive the post. When I'm done driving the post, I switch the diverter back to the three point hitch circuit.

The return line from the post driver is routed directly back to the hydraulic fill, using a fitting that my dealer supplied when I bought the post driver. The fitting has the same threads as the fill plug. With the extension on the fill, there is ample room to reach the fill without the power beyond mounting hardware getting in the way.

If you can do without the loader, you could certainly run a line from the dual selective control valve back to the post driver and save the expense of the power beyond. I don't think that it would be practical to leave the loader on the tractor and switch hoses every time that you want to move the tractor, but if you removed the loader and left the driver hooked up it should be workable.

 

[reasley]

Good morning,

Attached are 2 pictures. One of the modified fill plug and one of the original return line on the Worksaver. As you can see, the original end of the return line had it's own flow restriction issues.

Thanks so much for the reminder of your connection "port," Mike! I had "locked in my mind" the notion that I could either 1) find the proper thread size for the hydraulic fill hole and make an adapter or 2) rethread the fill hole to 1" pipe thread (not an attractive option, for multiple reasons, but definitely would solve the problem).

Your pictures today reminded me that I had seen your drain setup before -- great idea! How firm does the fitting feel in the drain hole after being threaded like that? Also, I am assuming 3/4" pipe thread, correct?

 

[reasley]

The power beyond on my 4300 has an extension on the fill tube. Not sure if the current kit has the same setup, since the one on my 2000 4300 was transfered from my 1998 4200.

Another thing of which you need to be aware is that when you use the power beyond, you divert the flow of hydraulic pressure from your three point hitch to the implement that you power.

Using a backhoe, this isn't an issue since you won't need the three point hitch.

With a wood splitter, the return line is routed back to the three point so that both the splitter and the three point will function.

With a post driver (mine is a Shaver HD8) routing the return line to the three point isn't an option. I mounted a manual diverter valve (about $45.00 from Surplus Center) on the post driver. After I have positioned the tractor and driver, I switch the diverter valve and drive the post. When I'm done driving the post, I switch the diverter back to the three point hitch circuit.

The return line from the post driver is routed directly back to the hydraulic fill, using a fitting that my dealer supplied when I bought the post driver. The fitting has the same threads as the fill plug. With the extension on the fill, there is ample room to reach the fill without the power beyond mounting hardware getting in the way.

If you can do without the loader, you could certainly run a line from the dual selective control valve back to the post driver and save the expense of the power beyond. I don't think that it would be practical to leave the loader on the tractor and switch hoses every time that you want to move the tractor, but if you removed the loader and left the driver hooked up it should be workable.

Good evening, Jim --

Reply in order of your comments:

In the factory picture, there doesn't appear to be an extension now nor does there appear to be one in the enclosed attached picture that I found on-line last night. That unit also seems to be the same as the one currently available.

I found out about the diversion of power today when I used the post driver for the first time!

Since I don't have an adapter yet for the fill hole, I simply took the 1" return pipe, choked it down to 3/4" pipe thread and put it loosely in the fill hole -- worked just fine after I secured it -- lost a bit of fluid prior to doing that.

What I did on the pressure side was what has been discussed earlier in the thread -- I used the "down curl" port after I had lifted the forklits up at an upward angle to hold poles and strapped the forklift to the front guard to keep it from tilting. This seems to work well since the angle of the forks should not vary during post driving operations.

 

[MikePA]

How firm does the fitting feel in the drain hole after being threaded like that? Also, I am assuming 3/4" pipe thread, correct?

It's all solid. Since the return hose is heavy, I zip tie it to the ROPs about a foot away from the fitting so the fitting isn't supporting the weight of the hose. Yep, 3/4".