Quick Fix for a Broken Hydraulic Hose?

[jpsheb]

Hey folks - I hope everyone is having a relaxing Memorial Day weekend!

I picked up a Ford 7710 a few weeks ago that over all seems to be in solid running condition. It does however have the signs of age and needed maintenance. One of these is the hoses.

Once I'm done with a final push the next few weeks skidding tree stems I plan to go through all the hoses, fittings, and get her on a good maintenance cycle. But for now, I'm trying to keep moving!

Today a rear remote hydraulic hose burst when lifting the 3PH. As soon as I let it down, even if just a little bit, it stopped. I'm fairly inexperience with hydraulics so I wanted to ask you all for advice on the quickest way to keep the tractor moving for now.

I included a couple pictures, with the burst location circled in yellow. It feeds a remote fitting that is for currently unused, so for now I just want to keep hydraulic fluid from spewing out when the 3ph is lifted. Would removing the burst hose for now and capping the end of the metal hydraulic line where the hose was threaded on (circled in green in the 2nd pic)? Would this cause any issues for now? What would happen if I took the end of the other line from the remote (circled in orange) and joined it directly the end of the metal line, bypassing the remote hookup? Would this prevent the 3ph from lifting?

These may seem like some dumb questions - but I appreciate any help or suggestions I can get!

 

[seville009]

If you can take the whole hose off easily, just take it to a tractor or truck shop and have them make you a new one. Probably take them 15 minutes to do. Then it's done and you won't have to worry about ancillary issues.

 

[ROUSTABOUT]

If you can take the whole hose off easily, just take it to a tractor or truck shop and have them make you a new one. Probably take them 15 minutes to do. Then it's done and you won't have to worry about ancillary issues.

Y'all don't understand, he has to keep moving....

 

[oldnslo]

If that remote is not used you should be able to just cap the steel line.

What I am not sure of is why that line would be pressurized while using 3 point. Do those lines connect to a directional control valve?

 

[/pine]

To answer your question...the best way to be able to make a quick field repair on a hose is to be prepared (in the future)...
Have on hand a plethora of different size male and female fittings and adapters etc...and several generic hoses of varying lengths and sizes...

hoses with simple male NPT are not expensive and using a variety of NPSM (female swivel) fittings...and a hose with male ends can usually be made to improvise for just about any typical tractor hose problem..

The NPSM fittings mentioned are National Pipe Straight Mechanical (swivel) they are a mechanical type fitting that requires NO sealant or lubricant etc...they can be used multiple times without issue...

One caveat of storing hoses and fittings...if you live in an area where there are "mud dobber" wasps etc...keep the hoses and fittings in a sealed bag or container...I use the big plastic tackle boxes from Wal-Mart for my fittings etc...

 

[WM75Guy]

My local Tractor Supply Company has 3/8" and 1/2" hydraulic hoses in various lengths in stock with NPT male fittings.

 

[seville009]

Y'all don't understand, he has to keep moving....

i understood.....it's just that sometimes the best move is to take the time to get it fixed properly. Plus....I could not answer his questions regarding rerouting other hoses, etc. for the quick fix.

 

[Gordon Gould]

If that remote is not used you should be able to just cap the steel line.

What I am not sure of is why that line would be pressurized while using 3 point. Do those lines connect to a directional control valve?

This is a big question and may very well indicate other problems if it is actually a standard rear remote.

gg

 

[WranglerX]

Only real (quick) fix is to replace line.... Once its damaged and leaking it needs to be replaced....IT will be faster to replace line than to have to let tractor sit in shop or have to stop and try mickey mouse fixes several times that really don't work.... Sitting and waiting for opinions or solution does not get tractor moving...

IT equates to a tire damaged beyond repair.... What do you do, you replace it...

 

[ROUSTABOUT]

Them quick fixes always work.

 

[EddieWalker]

I don't live very close to a store that builds hoses, so going there, waiting to have it built, then driving home, will eat up several hours of my day. On a weekend, when I have to be close to the hose shop during the week, I would also want to do a quick fix to keep on working and deal with the hose during the week.

In this case, remove the hose, cap it, and keep on being productive!!!!

 

[spruce Deere]

Cap it at the tractor or remove busted hose and make a loop with other hose back to the tractor if possible.

Been there, the gotta keep moving thing... I kept moving right to town with hose in tow to have a replacement made, I have found that to be the best way.... But then there is days like holidays and such NOTHING/NO BODY is open.

But over the years of everything, I now have an assortment of hyd. Stuffs on hand and generally can limp by...

 

[seville009]

One other comment to the OP - if you have additional identical hoses, and you end up getting a new hose for the one that split open, you may want to replace the other ones in the same trip. Can just hang on to them until you need them (which you never will now that you have a new one standing by), or replace them now and keep the old hoses (that were not leaking) as spares

 

[jpsheb]

Thanks for all the replies – The main reason I asked was I was hoping there was some quick fix I could do, since I’m using it at some forest land we have 2hrs from home (where the hydro supply shop and tractor supply are close). Up here for the weekend, and wasn’t expecting anything around here to be open, and did need to keep working..

After sleeping on it and then reading y'alls advice I think I’ll just pull the hose (and a few others) and get new ones & spares. I checked my limited parts in my truck and I don’t have the plugs I thought I had. While I could loop the in/out lines together (bypassing the remote ports), it seems like an odd setup so I didn’t really want to go hacking something I didn’t really understand. Plus, I have a skidsteer and chainsaws with me and there is a lot I can do with that today and tomorrow. All things considered, though I need to keep working, skidding the stems can wait a few days.

Some of you raised some real good questions – like why it is pressurized with the 3PH operation and if it is a standard rear remote. I’ll tell you what I know and maybe we can figure it out.

More detail about when it burst:
- Once it burst and sprayed, the 3PH with about 2000-lb on quickly lowered – it didn’t crash down, but it did go down quickly. I quickly (~1sec) pushed the 3PH lever to the down position and the spray stopped immediately. Being in the cab I had no idea where the fountain of oil came from.
- After shutting off the tractor and finding the (likely) source I restarted the tractor and from beside the tractor very gently moved the 3PH control to up until it tried to raise (and fluid spurted out). By “tried to raise” I mean it just budged. But I didn’t want to apply more pressure since the little flow I was giving it was already running out that burst remote hose.

Q: Why is it pressurized with the 3PH?

Great question. I don’t know. Both lines come out on the front part of the cast iron housing of main gear case (correct me if that’s not what it’s called) that the 3PH linkages come out of. There is no separate directional control for these lines that I can see. I’m guessing the prior owner had put on there to run a 3PH implement. But that’s just guessing – why set up something that only kicked on when upward pressure was on the 3PH? I’ll try to get a pic of the source of the lines shortly.

Q: Is it a standard rear remote?

• Also a good question, but I don’t know this either. It doesn’t look like it to me. The dealer (T&J Equipment in South Hill) didn’t know what it was for when I was getting details before buying. It does look broken, so unless I have a good use for it, I’ll consider just capping it off at the source. From what I can tell, the flow is only one way – pressurizing only when the 3ph lifts. Any theories?
• There is another set of remote ports you can see on the right upper side of the 3PH. The two lines coming out supply the FEL control valve. Not sure what the two empty ports are for, but I may use them for a grapple on the FEL. I think a more protected routing of the FEL lines is in order, especially since this tractor is for woods work.

 

[WranglerX]

Best answer may be to get a manual for tractor (if available) and see if it describes where the hoses are connected and to what purpose.....

The hoses in question may be part of, or "teed" into PB circuit that powers 3PH and it really does not take loss of much fluid to drop any pressure in circuit...

 

[jpsheb]

Here are a few pics showing where those hydro lines come out of. I was wrong about the supply location - it's not on the gear case - It's on the front of the 3PH unit that is bolted to the top of the gear case. Most of the pics show the same thing, just from different angles. Just wanted to make sure it was visible!

Any Ford 7710 owners out there? Is a common setup?

 

[Harry in Ky]

The hoses in question are not for a remote valve. The reason they are under pressure is they are connected to the load monitor system this tractor is equipped with. It will be involved with the three point. I believe you can remove the hoses and cap the fittings without issue. After all, the couplers serve as caps when nothing is plugged into them, right?

I thought I saw in one of the photos the line in question has a J.I.C. fitting. Caps and plugs for those and other style fittings are readily available at places that make hoses and other places as well.

 

[KWentling]

It looks to me like the leaking hose is crimped to the steel line. After a visit to Messick's and viewing the parts diagrams, it is indeed the load monitoring system as Harry in Ky pointed out. I couldn't tell in the parts diagram but I believe the steel line is attached with a banjo bolt, so not so easily plugged.

 

[Harry in Ky]

Easier than you think. Remove the cab floor plate and the lines are in plain view. I think the lines are J.I.C. on both ends.

 

[marhar]

i understood.....it's just that sometimes the best move is to take the time to get it fixed properly. Plus....I could not answer his questions regarding rerouting other hoses, etc. for the quick fix.

Well said. If you are like me you will realize you need to fix something when you need it the most. A few others pointed out hoses are relatively easy to purchase or have made.