Videos of New PT425 Arriving/Unloading

[BobRip]

Regarding your issues with the hydraulic quick disconnect couplings:
Some people here have gotten fed up with the quick disconnects, and have replaced them with flat faced couplers that can be connected even under pressure. An expensive mod, but one that you might consider. Be aware that not all flat faced couplers are designed to mate under pressure.

Many people have been using the standard couplings for years (I have 10 years on mine) and are reasonable satisfied. With the engine off push the aux hydraulic lever up and down to release pressure. Sometimes an attachment will have pressure on its hoses (sitting in the sun is a major cause). To release this pressure put a 1/4 inch diameter pin (not a critical dimension) in the end of the connector and tap it with a hammer. A small amount of oil will be release and the pressure will be off. Sometimes you have to tap 2 or 3 times.

 

[MossRoad]

There are a lot more things I would spend money and time on before changing the connectors... like a spinner knob for the steering wheel, a fire extinguisher, lights up under the canopy, tubes in the tires and a tow hook on the front somewhere.

We've had our PT425 for 9 years and have only failed to connect an attachment maybe 3 times to where I had to resort to tapping the connector with a flat object to release pressure. The small connectors on the Aux PTO are the only ones that gave me trouble. The large connectors on the main PTO never have.

Just set the parking brake, lower the FEL arms to the ground, shut off the engine and then pull up and down on the AUX PTO lever a few times. That should release all pressure. Then go and connect or disconnect the implement or quick attach cylinder and it should be no problem. That has been my experience.

 

[MossRoad]

As for connecting the quick attach plate to an implement that is in uneven ground (or simulated when a front tire is flat), try using the DUMP function to tip the male quick attach plate forward, then getting it under the low edge of the top horizontal portion of the female receiver on the implement. Once you make contact, lift up on the FEL arms and the low side of the implement will start lifting off the ground (on a fixed plate attachment like a bucket) or the on an implement with a pivoting female receiver like a mower, the receiver will start to pivot. Either way, the female receiver will start to self center onto the male quick attach plate on the FEL arms. Once it centers, use the CURL function to tip the male quick attach plate back until the two flat surfaces meet up. Then flip the AUX PTO lever by your knee and lock the implement in place. It just takes some practice. Take a couple implements out and practice on them for a few minutes and you will quickly be able to disconnect an implement, drive over to a second one, connect it up and go in 15 seconds without getting off the tractor.

Here's a link to a video showing how easy it is to accomplish.

http://mossroad.com/PT425Videos/PT425_15S01.WMV

 

[Clumber]

Tim, Moss, Bob et al, thanks for the suggestions. I will practice on uneven ground till I get the hang of it. Thanks.

The connector issue is a more significant problem for me. I have ligament damage in my right wrist which is painfull when trying to shove on the connectors. In addition, the 1/4" aux hose and connectors have no clearance underneath so I cannot get enough leverage. I have tried all of the techniques suggected here and they have helped to the point where I can connect up 50% of the time. That is just not acceptable. The flat faced connectors would be worth it for me if they are significantly easier to connect. I plan to buy a set for the tractor and one attachment to test out and determine wheather to proceed with the swap-out. As always, your advice here is greatly appreciated.

Patrick

 

[BobRip]

Tim, Moss, Bob et al, thanks for the suggestions. I will practice on uneven ground till I get the hang of it. Thanks.

The connector issue is a more significant problem for me. I have ligament damage in my right wrist which is painfull when trying to shove on the connectors. In addition, the 1/4" aux hose and connectors have no clearance underneath so I cannot get enough leverage. I have tried all of the techniques suggected here and they have helped to the point where I can connect up 50% of the time. That is just not acceptable. The flat faced connectors would be worth it for me if they are significantly easier to connect. I plan to buy a set for the tractor and one attachment to test out and determine wheather to proceed with the swap-out. As always, your advice here is greatly appreciated.

Patrick

Your needs are different, so the different connectors may make sense. Sounds like you have a good plan.

 

[MossRoad]

Tim, Moss, Bob et al, thanks for the suggestions. I will practice on uneven ground till I get the hang of it. Thanks.

The connector issue is a more significant problem for me. I have ligament damage in my right wrist which is painfull when trying to shove on the connectors. In addition, the 1/4" aux hose and connectors have no clearance underneath so I cannot get enough leverage. I have tried all of the techniques suggected here and they have helped to the point where I can connect up 50% of the time. That is just not acceptable. The flat faced connectors would be worth it for me if they are significantly easier to connect. I plan to buy a set for the tractor and one attachment to test out and determine wheather to proceed with the swap-out. As always, your advice here is greatly appreciated.

Patrick

That clears some things up on the connectors. Now where's the salt for my shoes? I may have to eat them! :licking:

:laughing:

 

[Clumber]

Tabasco is a better alternative for eating shoes! But, hey Guys, please don't hold anything back. I appreciate you trying to save me from yet another expense.

Patrick

 

[toy]

In mounting an attachment ideally tilt the quick mount plate forward and under the lip of the implement lift and tilt back and the female plate will swing down over the male quick attach plate and then finish attaching it with the quick attach lever. That is not the way it goes sometimes, Moss gave a good tip on getting it to seat properly, another way I do it is when one side goes in and the other side of the plate doesn't I lower the attachment until it just touches the ground and then steer in the direction of the side that didn't drop down usually works for me.

On the attachments with a motor on it like the finish mower I hook the hoses together on the attachment after I take it off, keeps the coupling cleaner and makes it easier to rehook the hoses when you need to reattach the implement. That is on the pto circuit.

On the auxillary circuit where the hoses run through the metal tubes near the end of the hoses, if you are having problems with this hook up I believe there is a square headed bolt that screws down on the hose to keep it from sliding back. If you loosen up that bolt and pull on the hose you might be able to get just a little more of the hose out past those tubes and then tighten the bolts back down, that might help you some. Another thing with the quick couplings some have already mentioned a flat something on the ends of the coupling and hitting it to let out a little of the pressure out of the hose on the implement that will work. You can also take a cressant wrench and crack the fitting on one of the hoses to let a little of the pressure out, that will work also. It is my understanding that due to your hands that it is more than just a little problem to you, so I was thinking [ haven't tried it though] that when you are disconnecting the implement and you pull back on the ring around the coupling don't quickly pull the coupling apart but instead as you pull back a fraction hold it a second to let out a little extra oil and then pull it apart. You can also rig up a set of quick couplings so that you can hook up the hoses on the implement together when not in use. When you are pushing up the coupling on the other mating coupling when hooking it up and it is difficult you might wiggle it slightly as you push it on to help some. Also when you turn the machine off to change implements don't forget to work the quick attach lever back and forth a few times to let it relieve pressure.

Hopefully you have already got a handle on it but if not I hope there might be something of help in my post to help you out. Happy tractoring.

 

[SpringHollow]

I switched to flat face for teh auxillary and found them to be easier to hook up than the standard coupling. And they are MUCH easier to clean before coupling together.

Ken

 

[Clumber]

I switched to flat face for teh auxillary and found them to be easier to hook up than the standard coupling. And they are MUCH easier to clean before coupling together.

Ken

Did you use the CURP kind?

 

[J_J]

Did you use the CURP kind?

Explain CURP.

 

[bobcat fan]

"connect under residual pressure capability (CURPC)"

 

[J_J]

"connect under residual pressure capability (CURPC)"

Although it is logical.

Is this acronym recognized through the hyd world. I don't remember ever seeing it, or the one above.

The only reference I found pointed to the post above.

 

[Clumber]

Although it is logical.

Is this acronym recognized through the hyd world. I don't remember ever seeing it, or the one above.

The only reference I found pointed to the post above.

I made it up. As an engineer and scientist I do a lot of formal papers and reports. In general the use of excessive acronyms is frowned upon, but occasional use okay to avoid repetitions as long as you define it in context. In other words, I'm too lazy to keep typing those five words again.

 

[Marks481]

Clumber's world and mine intersect, I guess. In my busness (military), we have a TLA (Three Letter Acronym) and FLA (Four Letter Acronym) for everything. To the uninitiated, our conversations appear to be in a foreign language.

It can be particularly annoying when going through tech manuals for new equipment. The standard is to define the acronym the first time that it is used, and then use the acronym by itself everywhere else. If you are skipping around in the book, sometimes it can be almost impossible to locate that "first time use".

 

[SpringHollow]

I have both styles. I really do not notice a difference.

Ken

Laughs - just realized the "under pressure" ones are on my filter cart which is never under pressure when hooking up.

 

[Clumber]

I switched to flat face for teh auxillary and found them to be easier to hook up than the standard coupling. And they are MUCH easier to clean before coupling together.

Ken

Folks, here is a note from Ken H. at Discount H... Hose.:

Patrick, I don't think flat-face couplers are the answer to your problem. They take more force to push together than the ag style couplers. The main difference, though, is that they push directly in, without requiring you to pull back a ring like the others do.

If you still want to buy the flat-face couplers, you can find them on our web site at http://www.discounthydraulichose.com...lers_s/155.htm

The connect-under-pressure couplers, as you will see, are much more expensive, and I also don't think they will address your problem.

One of my co-workers ran into a customer at a trade show who is making a tool which supposedly assists with this problem. I will try to get some information on that for you.
__________________
Ken Hutchinson
Webmaster/Internet Sales
DiscountHydraulicHose.com

I got the impression from the forum that they are much easier connect. I guess I will have to buy some and try them.

 

[MossRoad]

I get it now. The ones that connect under pressure just push on and there is no locking ring to retract.

Even if they require more force to connect, the fact that they do not require the ring to be pulled back may be a plus.

Still, with the added cost, I would look at possibly moving the AUX PTO connections a bit forward in their sleeves on the FEL arms to give your fingers a bit of room, if possible (as someone else suggested) and always turn the tractor off and flip the AUX PTO lever a few times first, to see if that helps.

I do know that once in a while they can be stubborn and can only imagine it would be more difficult with reduced strength or arthritis in my hands. I just cringe at the thought of replacing all of those fittings.

Maybe just purchase one set and do one side of an implement to see if it makes a difference for you so you are not out a bunch of $$ if they don't.

I am interested in the tool that you mention.

 

[SpringHollow]

Strange, I find mine easier to connect than Ag style. Laughs - I must have done something wrong.

Ken

 

[J_J]

The Parker 8200/9200 Series QD can be connected, with both sides under pressure.

Some of the others will connect up to 500 psi .

http://www.parker.com/portal/site/P...at=9200+SERIES+COUPLINGS&Wtky=QUICK+COUPLINGS