Hydraulic quick couplers wont connect - grapple, 3ord function. Help?

[FlyFishn]

Ive been fighting these connectors for close to an hour. I cant get them to connect. The male implement end wont go jn at all. The female implement end does - but not far enough to lock. And I cant work the sleeves on the female ends - they are both locked.

Im sure Im doing something wrong. What?

The tractor engine is off and I tried to drop the loader and 3 point so there wasnt any static back pressure from the implement weight. But maybe I still have pressure somewhere?

Kubota LX2620 tractor
Land Pride SGC0660 grapple

 

[EscapedSuburbia]

There's still pressure in the hoses, possibly because the temperature has risen since they were disconnected. These clamps make it easy
Amazon.com

 

[Seven Gables]

Ive been fighting these connectors for close to an hour. I cant get them to connect. The male implement end wont go jn at all. The female implement end does - but not far enough to lock. And I cant work the sleeves on the female ends - they are both locked.

Im sure Im doing something wrong. What?

The tractor engine is off and I tried to drop the loader and 3 point so there wasnt any static back pressure from the implement weight. But maybe I still have pressure somewhere?

Kubota LX2620 tractor
Land Pride SGC0660 grapple

Those flat face couplers have a tiny protrusion and notch that have to be aligned on the females spin the collar until they align and then retract the collar

 

[FRISKY]

Try tapping the ends of the couplers on something metal to relieve the pressure. Sometimes it takes a pretty good "tap."

 

[Lineman North Florida]

There's still pressure in the hoses, possibly because the temperature has risen since they were disconnected. These clamps make it easy
Amazon.com

This, I have a skidsteer and used to fight this all the time, so order you one of these and you will be glad you did, but in the meantime you are either going to have to tap on the poppett in the center of the connector or break the hose pressure by unscrewing the hose from the connector and as soon as you start loosing fluid you have released the pressure, connect the fittings and tighten hose to connector fitting back up. One other tip that helped me if the problem is on the grapple side when you disconnect from the grapple leave the jaws of the grapple slightly opened and when you put pressure on the fittings to re-connect it makes releasing the pressure easier.

 

[TMGT]

Try tapping the ends of the couplers on something metal to relieve the pressure. Sometimes it takes a pretty good "tap."

Don't do that on those flat face, it won't work and if you do manage to depress the end on something pointed its very likely to damage the seal in the coupler.

Best bet is to crack a line lose if you need to relieve pressure. (Crack the line down where the hose goes into the T on the grapple since that is a JIC doesn't require sealant.)

Sent from my SM-S921U using TractorByNet mobile app

 

[leonz]

I guess you will have to decide if you want to invest in a pair of male and female pressure relief tools for over 300.00
or throw the 4 current fittings over your shoulder and invest in the best type for the attachments and your tractor
using the threaded poppet male and female quick connect fittings from Stuchi or Aeroquip to permanently solve this.

 

[BlueKnife]

Ive been fighting these connectors for close to an hour. I cant get them to connect. The male implement end wont go jn at all. The female implement end does - but not far enough to lock. And I cant work the sleeves on the female ends - they are both locked.

Im sure Im doing something wrong. What?

The tractor engine is off and I tried to drop the loader and 3 point so there wasnt any static back pressure from the implement weight. But maybe I still have pressure somewhere?

Kubota LX2620 tractor
Land Pride SGC0660 grapple

Make sure that the notch that's circled in red is lined up with the little ball detent looking thing on the other side of that fitting. Try it after doing that. If that doesn't work, there's probably too much pressure in the lines on the grapple. Happens with changes in temperature. In that case, you can crack the two junctions indicated by the green arrows. This will relive any pressure in the system. You should then be able to connect them and then tighten those junctions back up. For future reference, not all flat face couplers are created equal. Higher quality ones are often easier to get to work in that sort of situation. Many attachments come with the cheapest fittings the manufacturer could find. That male coupler on the grapple looks pretty beat up too. That's probably not helping.......

 

[FlyFishn]

This, I have a skidsteer and used to fight this all the time, so order you one of these and you will be glad you did, but in the meantime you are either going to have to tap on the poppett in the center of the connector or break the hose pressure by unscrewing the hose from the connector and as soon as you start loosing fluid you have released the pressure, connect the fittings and tighten hose to connector fitting back up. One other tip that helped me if the problem is on the grapple side when you disconnect from the grapple leave the jaws of the grapple slightly opened and when you put pressure on the fittings to re-connect it makes releasing the pressure easier.

Bold added.

That is exactly what I needed and it did the trick.

Thankfully I kept the wrenches in the tool box afterward too. I ended up shooting hydraulic fluid out of another fitting on the grapple when I was working so had to do a quick on-the-job tightening too. Different fitting, go figure.

Anywho - all is good in the world here Progress.

 

[Lineman North Florida]

Bold added.

That is exactly what I needed and it did the trick.

Thankfully I kept the wrenches in the tool box afterward too. I ended up shooting hydraulic fluid out of another fitting on the grapple when I was working so had to do a quick on-the-job tightening too. Different fitting, go figure.

Anywho - all is good in the world here Progress.

Glad I was able to help, I've been through it before but the clamp tool that was posted is by an large the easiest way in the future to hook up aggravating hydraulic connectors, it will be money well spent.

 

[leonz]

Ive been fighting these connectors for close to an hour. I cant get them to connect. The male implement end wont go jn at all. The female implement end does - but not far enough to lock. And I cant work the sleeves on the female ends - they are both locked.

Im sure Im doing something wrong. What?

The tractor engine is off and I tried to drop the loader and 3 point so there wasnt any static back pressure from the implement weight. But maybe I still have pressure somewhere?

Kubota LX2620 tractor
Land Pride SGC0660 grapple

The Stucchi saturn block series of hydraulic hose connectors allows
easier and safer hydraulic hose connecting and disconnecting of flat
face hydraulic couplers with no risk of oil escaping the hydraulic system.

www.stucchiusa.com

I am unable to attach an image of the Stucchi saturn block series of pressure
relief valves due to the forums file acceptance restrictions.

As previously mentioned by others, the people that sell these remote powered implements
purchase the least expensive male and female hydraulic couplers and that only
makes it much less safe to use if the user is unable to relieve the system pressure
without endangering themselves and others by loosening hydraulic connectors.
Sub compact tractor manufacturers are no different in this regard as they do not invest
in high quality flat face hydraulic quick connectors that use screw together fittings that
prevent oil from escaping the fitting.

 

[bdhsfz6]

Glad I was able to help, I've been through it before but the clamp tool that was posted is by an large the easiest way in the future to hook up aggravating hydraulic connectors, it will be money well spent.

Or, you can make your own tool from this $12 HF welding clamp. Just grind the jaws open to fit the notch in the coupler barrel:

9 in. Locking Welding Clamp

Amazing deals on this Locking Welding Clamp at Harbor Freight. Quality tools & low prices.

www.harborfreight.com