Stock hydraulic couplers

menchhofer · Apr 23, 2006

Is it just me having problems whenever I am changing implements with my PT or does anyone else experience difficulty when attaching the hydraulic hose couplers up to the machine? Sometimes I end up using a small hammer to tap the couplers off and when I re-connect the hoses it is even more difficult to do. I usually end up tapping the small needle in the bottom of the female coupler to get it to attach to the male. This releases some fluid and gets messy at times.

What in the world am I doing wrong? Appreciate any suggestions.

J_J · Apr 23, 2006

This problem has been discussed before . You are doing the only thing you can do to relieve the pressure. What is happening is that heat is causing the fluid to expand in the hose and put pressure on the quick connects. This will occur with hoses not connected together. Solution is to connect the two ends from the motor together to equalize the pressure, and to help keep the couplers dirt free.

Spiffy · Apr 24, 2006

JJ summed up the implement side of things; connecting them keeps them clean and equalized and I can ussually disconnect them slowly enough to drop any built pressure on a warm day (sometimes I have a rag handy to catch the little bit that does release - less dust sticks if they're dry).

If you have the electric valve though (assuming all the electric ones are plumbed like mine was), the problem is compounded:

The valve doesn't turn off the flow it just opens a bypass; so you have perhaps 25psi (no idea on the #, but the bypass hose flow resistance), both on disconnect (thus a little pressure even without temp changes) and on the PT lines for reconnect.

I'd have to relieve the attachment pressure and sometimes even turn off the PT to get the hoses to cooperate. /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif After going to a manual 4way valve, hoses change like cutting hot butter! /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Spiffy · Apr 24, 2006

JJ,

A slight tanget to the topic a hand, but I did stumble across a website with current controlled proportional electric valves - looked a bit fancy for your project though (it seems like they also had a frequency "dither" controller); also I posted some hose prices in the backhoe thread.

MossRoad · Apr 24, 2006

Another thing you can try is when you shut down the trator, before you disconnect the hoses, wiggle the joystick or the aux PTO lever in all directions a few times. Then disconnect the implement. This seems to take off any residual pressure that may be left in the lines. Also, when hooking up implements, I've found that if the tractor is off, it works much easier.

Hope this helps. /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif

Spiffy · Apr 24, 2006

Another thing you can try is when you shut down the trator, before you disconnect the hoses, wiggle the joystick or the aux PTO lever in all directions a few times. Then disconnect the implement. This seems to take off any residual pressure that may be left in the lines. 

aux PTO? Are you referring to the lever on the the same bank of spools as the lift and tilt [essentially the aux or QA on my machine]? Or does your machine have a manual PTO lever; or does it use the PTO pump for the lift?

Mine has the PTO on its own circuit (except the inlet manefold and the bypass line) and the lift and steering on another. Without the BH connected [originally teed paralled - now spooled parallel) turning off the tractor was my only option.

MossRoad · Apr 24, 2006

The lever that operates the Q.A. cylinder on the PT425 is referred to as the AUX PTO.

The main PTO is operated by flipping an electric switch on the dash.

Spiffy · Apr 24, 2006

( The lever that operates the Q.A. cylinder on the PT425 is referred to as the AUX PTO.

The main PTO is operated by flipping an electric switch on the dash. )

Thanks MR! That's exactly what I was thinking (just like mine), but since I never have to disconnect the AuxPTO (just use it for QA), I was a bit confused.

I bet the same electric switch configuration is used for the main PTO on all of them.

MossRoad · Apr 24, 2006

When I use an implement like the pwoer angle snow blade, I first hook it up with the quick attach, then disconnect the quick attach cylinder hoses and attache them to the snow plow power angle fittings. The quick attach lever then operates the power angle cylinder instead of the quick attach cylinder. Several folks have installed an electric selector valve and additional hoses and fittings so that they can operate the snow blade angle cylinder through the joystick instead of the quick attach handle with the push of a button.

Spiffy · Apr 24, 2006

The blade makes perfect sense. I thought there were a few attachments that might require the AuxPTO line, but since I don't have any of them, couldn't think of a one! /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif