Suggestions for how to replace this hydraulic tee?

bill333 · Nov 8, 2021

I have a small leak in a rubber tee connector in my small tractor hydraulic lines. I was wondering if anyone has had to replace something similar (this is on a Ford 1220, but I'm not sure that matters).

The "overall image" shows where the tee lies. One line coming in is from the pump. I'm not sure where the other lines go. Front/mid/rear PTO/hydraulics?

I can't see how to free up the rigid lines to get enough movement to replace the tee. It's made of rubber, but while flexible I don't think it has enough bend to work over the lines even if just two of them are in place. I can see how the line to the right might be removed (3 bolts on top of the end of the line) but the others would be really hard to access.

I've also linked to the parts blowout. The tee is part #18 here New Holland 1220 - 3 CYL COMPACT TRACTOR 20 SERIES(01/87 - 04/98) Parts

Any suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks.

diesel85 · Nov 8, 2021

I'd loosen or remove the right hand side piece to replace the T. Looks like 3 bolts on top and a line carrier holding it in place on the bottom.

Looks like a 5-10 minute fix.

jthibodeau89 · Nov 9, 2021

Not sure, but there appears to be a joggle in the tee on the right run leg. May need to work tube support or tube to ensure proper alignment upon reassembly.

May also need to remove the tube on the left run leg as well. Can't see where that goes.

That looks like the suction side of pump, so any leaks may suck air when running.

Left clamp screw appears to have been snagged at some point in the past, and right clamp has been switched to a band type. Best to orient the clamp bolts so that they aren't hanging down or add some sort of guard plate to protect this area.

LD1 · Nov 9, 2021

Remove two of the hard lines.

Front one looks easy.

Follow the other two and see which one is easiest to remove. Once two hard lines are off it becomes easy. Assuming you can still get that rubber tee?

bill333 · Nov 9, 2021

Thanks all. I have the replacement tee. It doesn't have any offsets. I think it looks that way in the photo because of the angle and/or because of how I wrapped it with tape. I see your point about the clamps.

As for where the other two lines go: The one to the left I cannot even see where it goes. The end of the top line an be seen in the larger image (a bit blocked by another line). There is what looks like a hex top, but I cannot see any crease suggesting this can be turned. The parts blowout shows an 'eyebolt' coming in from the other side of where that line goes into the body (part #23) which certainly suggests in can be accessed from the other side, but I'm not good at reading how those parts line up and I cannot see it on the tractor, unless it is in part #48 ("rigid tube"). And the fluid would have to be running through the eyebolt (and a spring)?

If I can only remove the one line, I'm wondering if there is enough length in the tee to allow it to be started on the other horizontal line just a tiny bit, and then bent into place a little at a time. I've been hesitant to start work on this at all but I'll learn how much play there is when I try to get the old one off.

There's nothing in the shop manual about this, unfortunately.

[On the parts blowout link, I noticed that it defaults to the overall tractor, you have to pick "07 Hydraulic systems" and then within that "05F02 Hydraulic Pump and Piping"]

LouNY · Nov 9, 2021

It looks to me that item 23 is a banjo bolt that secures the short upright from the T,
then the 3 bolts securing the front section and it should come apart easily.
It is a suction line so the clamps and o-rings 32 and #22 should be replaced if in the least bit ???

bill333 · Nov 9, 2021

@LouNY, thanks. If that is a banjo bolt (I didn't even know what one was) then I am assuming I should be able to remove it. That would make things relatively easy. When I looked up banjo bolts it said that they come with copper crush washers, but the parts diagram shows O rings. (And of course, I already received my order for the tee, so I have to hope that I have the right O rings around.). I'll put a wrench on it and see if it moves.

Now if all this hadn't happened soon after I just change the hydraulic fluid. . .

jthibodeau89 · Nov 10, 2021

Copper ctush washers are used on high pressure fittings and smaller bolts. A large return line like this will use o-rings. Large O-ring assortments are $10-15 on amazon. But there is no guarantee this oring is a standard size.

bill333 · Nov 13, 2021

Well, I put a wrench on that top bolt and couldn't get it to budge. There's only an inch or so of room for the wrench to move anyway given the angle and other stuff in the way. I can't get a socket on it because the footrest and possibly the brake lock mechanism are in the way, so those would have to be dissembled before I can try a breaker bar. If that doesn't work the only remaining option might be an impact wrench, which I'm a little hesitant to use, but maybe I can use it to free it up.