Quick Connects, Skid Steer vs Kubota

[avc8130]

I just picked up a used grapple bucket from a skid steer for use on my Kubota. I need to convert the grapple bucket hydraulics to match my Kubota. My Kubota has 2 male bulkhead fittings. The grapple bucket has one male/one female. They appear to be slightly different than the Kubota.

Anyone know where to source these fittings or what type they are?

Should I convert the tractor to the SS setup or convert the grapple bucket to the tractor setup?

ac

 

[CurlyDave]

Do you have anything else that connects to these fittings?

If you do, keep the tractor fittings, and convert the grapple bucket.

If you don't have anything else that uses the fittings, convert the tractor to the skid steer fittings. One male, one female means you can't hook anything up backward.

Look carefully at the fittings, and they will almost always have a part number on them. You can get new fittings at a local hydraulic shop, or you can get them on the internet for a lot lower price.

The ones that require crimping are much better than the no-crimp ones, but this means you will need to buy an entire hose with pre-crimped fittings on both ends.

The least expensive way to do this might be to buy two short hoses each with a Kubota female on one end and the correct skid steer fitting on the other end.

 

[avc8130]

At the moment this is the only attachment I have. I didn't look at the method of connection on the grapple hoses. Not sure if the current fittings are crimped on or if they are threaded.

The tractor has bulkhead fittings, so swapping them to something else would be pretty easy.

I also need to figure out if the hoses are long enough as setup now. If they aren't, the conversion hose seems like a good option.

ac

 

[kennyd]

A picture (or two) is worth a thousand words. There are many style's of QD's out there so without some pictures we can only guess.

 

[avc8130]

A picture (or two) is worth a thousand words. There are many style's of QD's out there so without some pictures we can only guess.

I'll snap a few tonight.

ac

 

[rd_macgregor]

In addition to keeping the connections always the same (so the control levers do what you expect them to), the paired male/female fittings can be connected to each other when you dismount the implement, which will keep dirt out of the fittings.
BOB

 

[Discount Hydraulic Hose]

I'll second what kennyd said. A picture is worth a thousand words. Also, if you're talking about quick disconnect couplers, they probably don't actually crimp onto your hoses. Usually, the couplers have a threaded back end (NPT is the most common, but SAE is not unusual) that allow the couplers to be screwed onto a hose fitting.

Flatface couplers are dripless and very common on skidsteer loaders and such. If you have a part number, we can probably cross reference them for you. You might also want to look at the different couplers available here...

Hydraulic Quick Disconnects > Discount Hydraulic Hose.com

 

[avc8130]

The ones on the skid steer bucket are definitely flat face. The tractor ones look like agricultural.

ac

 

[avc8130]

Pulled some part numbers off the couplers:

Skid Steer
Male: parker FE-502-12F0
Female: parker FE-501-12F0

Tractor (both male)
H4-63

ac

 

[Discount Hydraulic Hose]

Pulled some part numbers off the couplers:

Skid Steer
Male: parker FE-502-12F0
Female: parker FE-501-12F0

Tractor (both male)
H4-63

ac

Those are both common couplers. I have cross referenced them for you and the interchange for our part numbers is shown below.

Parker FE-502-12FO (male) interchanges with DiscountHydraulicHose.com HT4OF6
Parker FE-501-12FO (female) interchanges with DiscountHydraulicHose.com 4HTOF6

Parker H4-63 (male) interchanges with DiscountHydraulicHose.com 702-08-08S
Parker H4-62 (female) interchanges with DiscountHydraulicHose.com 701-06-06S

If you're looking to save money, the 700 Series couplers are significantly less expensive than the flush-face skidsteer couplers, but the flush-face are dripless and extremely common on Bobcats, other loaders and countless attachments. You will have more interchangeability with other devices if you go with the flushface couplers on your equipment.

Please note: H4-63 couplers look similar to the common Agricultural Couplers (aka Pioneer or 4000 Series), but they are actually a different series and they not interchange.

 

[Discount Hydraulic Hose]

I forgot to mention...

Your skidsteer couplers have an SAE thread on the back end. The couplers on your tractor have an NPTF thread. If you're going to convert one to the other, you need couplers that mate with your existing couplers, and the same threads as the ones you are replacing.

Should you decide to pull off the H4-63 couplers, and switch them with flush-face couplers to mate with the ones your skidsteer, you'll need skidsteer couplers with NPTF thread, not the SAE thread that's on the ones you have now.

In that case, I would suggest you buy 4HTF4-HT4F4, a matched set (1 male, 1 female) of flush-face skidsteer couplers with NPTF thread. You can get this set for $47.50 on our web site.

 

[avc8130]

Ken,

I appreciate the help! I think I am going to go with the flush face connectors like the skid steer has. That seems more "universal" for a FEL 3rd function.

I did some internet searching on the different pipe thread types. From what I could find the NPTF and NPSF should be compatible when used with sealant. Is this not true?

ac

 

[J_J]

NPSF is a dry seal thread.

National Pipe Straight Fuel NPSF

http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&sour...zHTtfVhVw&sig2=UJCQSo4S7EtC-QKWXkM60g&cad=rja

A variation of the Dryseal thread is the NPSF
(National Pipe Straight Fuel). It is used for
internal threads and a NPTF external thread can
be screwed into it to provide a satisfactory
mechanical connection and a hydraulic seal.

 

[avc8130]

NPSF is a dry seal thread.

National Pipe Straight Fuel NPSF

http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&sour...zHTtfVhVw&sig2=UJCQSo4S7EtC-QKWXkM60g&cad=rja

A variation of the Dryseal thread is the NPSF
(National Pipe Straight Fuel). It is used for
internal threads and a NPTF external thread can
be screwed into it to provide a satisfactory
mechanical connection and a hydraulic seal.

So I should be good buying any flush face couplers as tehy will be the female and they will interface just fine with regular pipe thread bulkhead fittings on the machine.

Time to figure out the sizes. I think the skid steer is 1/2" and the tractor is 3/8".
ac

 

[Discount Hydraulic Hose]

I'm not sure if NPSF is an official designation, but NPSM is National Pipe Straight Mechanical. It's a parallel thread with the same pitch as NPT and NPTF. Female Pipe Swivels are NPSM, for example. The seal is internal, and if your NPTF male is has the proper internal chamfer, it will seal with a female NPSM.

As to sizes, I looked up the part numbers you listed before, and both of them were 1/2" couplers. The couplers on the tractor also had 1/2" NPTF thread on them, so the flushface couplers you replace them with should have the same thing, unless you want to mess with additional bushings or adapters.

Fortunately, 1/2" couplers with 1/2" NPTF thread are very common and fairly inexpensive. As I said in my previous message, we offer a pair of 1/2" flushface couplers with 1/2" NPTF thread for less then $50 per set on our web site.

ISO 16028 Flushface Quick Couplings