Loosening hydraulic fitting

drumminj · Oct 14, 2023

Anyone have any advice on loosening a fitting with NPT threads? Need to replace the flat-face coupler on my grapple and for the life of me I can't figure out how to get leverage to loosen the fitting.

I can get a crescent wrench on the hose and the fitting, but apparently don't have the brawn to break it loose.

Heat it (perhaps the grapple manufacturer used loc-tite)? Find a way to get it one end in a vice? Angle grinder? Plasma cutter? (okay, the last two are jokes).

JCoastie · Oct 14, 2023

recently did this myself, changed from a ball to poppet connector on the grapple. Couldn't believe how tight it was, and yes, they "can" use a thread locker on them, mine is a Homestead Implements brand for reference.
It took both my wife and I with opposing 15" crescent wrenches to break them free, it just laughed at smaller tools, and she still had to brace the connector against the grapple to keep it straight and from me moving her. I was surprised how much force it took for that little 1/2 connector.

If you can get one end in a vice, that sure would be helpful. I was close to going that route.

oldnslo · Oct 14, 2023

Cheaters bars on the wrenches to increase leverage.

If loctite was used around 300 - 350 degrees is point most loctites will soften. At that temp You are cooking the oil.

4570Man · Oct 14, 2023

Put a cheater on the wrench or hit the wrench with a hammer.

WranglerX · Oct 14, 2023

First off don't use adjustable end wrench ( Crescent wrench) use a open end wrench...... Adjustable end wrenches tend to flex and loosen and round off the hex of the fitting.... Two thing the may help... Section of pipe (cheater) to extend length for more leverage on wrench to apply more force.... Also try hitting the outer end on wrench with a hard tap with hammer, sometimes the "shock" if a hammer strike will break the bond, and yes as above some heat may be necessary if thread locker has been used... ALSO you want a BACKUP WRENCH on threaded portion of pipe or hose to prevent it from being twisted while trying to loosen fitting...

K5lwq · Oct 15, 2023

Definitely get wrenches that fit the hose and coupler and do not use adjustable wrench.

The way I have found that works real well is position the wrenches close together. Put one wrench on the hose end then position the other wrench on the coupler so that the end of the wrench is close but a little higher than the hose wrench. Now I just squeeze the two wrenches together with my hands.

It is amazing how much force you can put on a fitting like that. I have tightened some so tight using that method that the fitting snapped trying to stop a leak.

drumminj · Oct 15, 2023

JCoastie said:
recently did this myself, changed from a ball to poppet connector on the grapple. Couldn't believe how tight it was, and yes, they "can" use a thread locker on them, mine is a Homestead Implements brand for reference.
It took both my wife and I with opposing 15" crescent wrenches to break them free, it just laughed at smaller tools, and she still had to brace the connector against the grapple to keep it straight and from me moving her. I was surprised how much force it took for that little 1/2 connector.

This is for a Homestead grapple as well. Glad to hear it isn't just me! It really is hard working when you're tethered to the implement -- mine's on a wood dolly so I have some flexibility, but it's still a struggle to find something to lever/brace against

oldnslo said:
Cheaters bars on the wrenches to increase leverage.

If loctite was used around 300 - 350 degrees is point most loctites will soften. At that temp You are cooking the oil.

So you think using a heat gun on the connection is a bad idea?

WranglerX said:
First off don't use adjustable end wrench ( Crescent wrench) use a open end wrench...... Adjustable end wrenches tend to flex and loosen and round off the hex of the fitting.... Two thing the may help... Section of pipe (cheater) to extend length for more leverage on wrench to apply more force.... Also try hitting the outer end on wrench with a hard tap with hammer, sometimes the "shock" if a hammer strike will break the bond, and yes as above some heat may be necessary if thread locker has been used... ALSO you want a BACKUP WRENCH on threaded portion of pipe or hose to prevent it from being twisted while trying to loosen fitting...

Extra leverage won't help if I can't find a way to brace against something, which is part of my struggle. I have the hose with two wrenches on it, but the longer the handles, the harder to keep it steady.

Will have a go again today with these suggestions. I don't think I have an open-ended wrench big enough for the fitting side, but possibly do for the hose.

JCoastie · Oct 15, 2023

worst case, you can probably get the other end of the hose off fairly easy, but it'll make a mess, maybe plug it with a golf tee or something, then walk it to a vice and get it apart with force. I had the same issue, I didn't have an open end wrench big enough, hence the adjustable one.

drumminj · Oct 15, 2023

JCoastie said:
worst case, you can probably get the other end of the hose off fairly easy, but it'll make a mess, maybe plug it with a golf tee or something, then walk it to a vice and get it apart with force. I had the same issue, I didn't have an open end wrench big enough, hence the adjustable one.

Turns out I was able to break it free in the cooler weather this morning. Just two crescent wrenches.

Got both couplers replaced so hopefully I don't have to fight so hard to get them attached to the tractor (I think the male coupler on the grapple was damaged)

JCoastie · Oct 15, 2023

good deal, 2 crescents for the win, same thing I did

Seven Gables · Oct 16, 2023

K5lwq said:
Definitely get wrenches that fit the hose and coupler and do not use adjustable wrench.

The way I have found that works real well is position the wrenches close together. Put one wrench on the hose end then position the other wrench on the coupler so that the end of the wrench is close but a little higher than the hose wrench. Now I just squeeze the two wrenches together with my hands.

It is amazing how much force you can put on a fitting like that. I have tightened some so tight using that method that the fitting snapped trying to stop a leak.

100% this is the way to loosen tight hose end fittings, also to tighten them. Lots of times just squeezing the two wrench ends together with one hand pops them loose. It consentrates all the force in the proper directions

nyone · Oct 16, 2023

At my last job I would routinely need to take off 1.25in JIC fittings, that's a 2in wrench. We would hit the flat with a hammer and they would come loose easily with a 15in adjustable wrench.

5030 · Oct 16, 2023

I worry about people who use an adjustable wrench (aka: West Virginia Socket set) to loosen or tighten fittings. Go buy the appropriate sized open end wrenches (which will also have a box wrench on the opposite end). All a crescent wrench is good for is rounding off the flats and not much else.

Not really a 'Crescent Wrench anyway. Crescent Tool was the original maker. It's an adjustable open end wrench. If you really want to bugger up the flats, use a Stillson style pipe wrench instead. That will assuredly bugger up the flats.

nyone · Oct 17, 2023

5030 said:
All a crescent wrench is good for is rounding off the flats and not much else

Unless you know how and where to use them.

Some times the proper wrench size just dosnt fit in the location and a adjustable is needed.

jjeff · Oct 17, 2023

If you don't have the size you need, Higher quality hardened jaws and a slop free screw adjustable wrenches work pretty good, though I've rounded a few fittings and stubborn fasteners, that's when heat, a pipe wrench with a cheater, come in handy in my experience.

drumminj · Oct 17, 2023

Of course after replacing the coupler I now know the issue wasn't on the implement end, but apparently on the tractor side. So, more loosening/tightening (with crescent wrenches...Crescent brand adjustible wrenches!)

oldtimer 66 · Oct 17, 2023

Here is another option. I know i have done this in the past. You have a large hex nut, fitting etc. and you don't have the correct size open end and or box wrench/ combination etc. And it is not coming apart. I would use one of my crescent wrenches and take a c-clamp and tighten it over the crescent wrench jaws. This would sometimes be just enough to allow me to break a fitting loose. As far as cheaters goes I have selection of them.

Cycledude · Oct 17, 2023

nyone said:
At my last job I would routinely need to take off 1.25in JIC fittings, that's a 2in wrench. We would hit the flat with a hammer and they would come loose easily with a 15in adjustable wrench.

Where can you buy a 2 inch open end wrench ? About 1.25 is the biggest I’ve ever seen in a store.