Attaching hydraulic hoses together

[otherguy]

I am new to tractors but I bought a tree puller for my tractor that attaches to the FEL arms. So I had run hose from the auxiliary ports in the back of the tractor up to the front as the tree puller only had three or four feet on it.

As you can see in the pictures this is what I have temporarily done just to kind of hold the hoses there, but the problem is trying to connect the two fittings together.

Is there some trick to getting the fittings to snap in place easily?
Do I need to somehow attach the hose fittings coming from the back to the tractor so they don't move when I try to push the fittings together?

I just find it a real struggle to get these fittings together when things are moving around while trying to hold the collar back and then when a little fluid leaks out then it gets even worse.

Just looking for thoughts or maybe I am missing something on hooking these up.
Thanks

 

[Omega Woods]

Sounds like you have residual pressure in your lines. Tractor is off, correct?

 

[otherguy]

Yes, its has always been off when I am trying to connect.

 

[newbury]

One of the key things in hooking up hydraulics is relieving pressure. Very often things are unhooked when they are cold then need to be hooked up when they are warm, and the oil has expanded.
There's the hitting the ball with wood, waiting for stuff to cool, dousing with cold water to cool and many other options.
Lot's of threads here about various ways.

 

[LouNY]

with loose female couplers like you have it can be a real pain to keep the collars pulled back while holding the fitting from sliding back in your hand while trying to insert the male end. They are usually in a bracket which holds the body for you. Such as this
Double Breakaway Clamp With Offset Bar For Hyd. Couplers

 

[4570Man]

It’s going to be nearly impossible with both sides of the line being loose. If you mount them on a bracket and bleed the lines properly before discounting the couplers you won’t have any problem with reconnecting them.

 

[ericm979]

From your pic it looks like the hoses you have cable tied to the loader arm will get pulled back when you raise the loader. The hose should be run up by the loader's pivot point with some slack left at that point. Copying how the existing hoses are laid out is a good way to go (and it'll look neater too).

 

[WranglerX]

It’s going to be nearly impossible with both sides of the line being loose. If you mount them on a bracket and bleed the lines properly before discounting the couplers you won’t have any problem with reconnecting them.

Ditto...

Dale

 

[rd_macgregor]

I agree with ericm979 that your hoses might be a bit short. The ideal would be to run them up the mount then right along the arm of the FEL. Securing the fittings in a bracket would also solve the two-hands problem. I set mine up with SS flat-face couplings so I don't have to hold the ring back to push them together...I still need a bracket mount, though, to keep the fittings from rattling around and banging the paint off my FEL arms.

 

[otherguy]

I agree with ericm979 that your hoses might be a bit short. The ideal would be to run them up the mount then right along the arm of the FEL. Securing the fittings in a bracket would also solve the two-hands problem. I set mine up with SS flat-face couplings so I don't have to hold the ring back to push them together...I still need a bracket mount, though, to keep the fittings from rattling around and banging the paint off my FEL arms.

I have lot's of extra hose coiled up in the back because I didn't know how much I needed. Will look at running them where suggested and get a bracket that someone posted.

 

[MtnViewRanch]

I may be wrong, but those couplers look like push-pull sleeve couplers. So instead of pulling the collar back, simply hold the collar and push the male end into it. Same for disconnecting, hold the collar and pull the male end out.

Easiest thing is to get the mount that holds the collars, then you simply push or pull the male end for coupling. Easy easy easy and if you drive away with the implement disconnected and forgot to disconnect the hoses, they will disconnect on their own with no damage to the hoses. :thumbsup: