A home made tool

[kcprecision]

I don't post too much here but thought maybe you guys might be interested in this tool I made for my tractor hydraulics.

The other day I was trying to connect the hydraulic couplings on the tractor and I just did not have enough strength in my wrist to completely push the connector to gather.

Some where I saw a picture of a pair of pliers that had a fork on the end of the pliers. You slipped the fork over the pipe and squeezed them together and and that forced the coupling together.

While I was trying to get the coupler together I was thinking about something that I could use to make a tool to accomplish the same thing.
This is what I came up with.

The first Pic. is the hydraulic coupling. You slide the knurled part back and shove the other piece in. That is what I could not accomplish. So I thought about a fork that would slide down into the grove in the yellow circles.

Pic 2 and 3 is machining the fork. I made several pases to get the fork cut.

Pic 4 drilling the bolt holes in the pipe clamp pads.

Pic 5 The tool is complete. You start the coupling together put the forks down in the groves and gently close the pipe clamp shoving the coupling together.

 

[Matt_Jr]

Looks handy. Have you tested it out yet?

 

[Bird]

The other day I was trying to connect the hydraulic couplings on the tractor and I just did not have enough strength in my wrist to completely push the connector to gather.

You've made an interesting tool, but the only reason I know of that makes the couplers hard to push together is pressure in one or both of the lines. So it's relatively easy to relieve that pressure. If it's the male coupler, just put a rag over the end and hit it once with a mallet. You won't lose much fluid. If it's the female coupler, put a rag over it and insert a drift pin and tap it once. That's much quicker than using your new tool.

 

[LFGENGLER]

I agree with you on relieving the hydo pressure and it being easier and quicker. However if you have a set of arthiritic wrists, elbows, shoulders and all the involved muscles, relieving all the pressure you want still will not make it easy enough to push these couplers together. Great tool.

 

[Bird]

Yes, it can certainly be a handy tool. I just don't know the original poster well enough to know whether he was aware of how to relieve the hydraulic pressure or not. If so, and he still has a problem connecting the couplers, then his tool is going to be very handy.

 

[zzvyb6]

My JD4020 had a cam lever on the back outlets that forced the male connector in. Relieving the pressure on quick contacts with a punch is ok if the cylinder(s) are unloaded, but out in the field, if a hose comes off and the mower header is all the way up (for example), the whole cylinder has to be drained before you would be able to hook it back up (unless you happen to carry along a spare floor jack out in the field). A tool like this could be built into the outlet case/bracket so if the need arises, the forced penetration can be accomplished without much fluid loss. (I've also had the need for such a thing when a loader connector must be reinserted and the lift arms are all the way up. That's over a gallon of fluid that you need to disperse. But, I'm probably the only one whose ever done dumb things like this... Everybody else probably takes their stuff into the living room before they unhook so things won't get dirty.

Gotta go, need to use the Dysan vac on the cab floor because there was some dust on my slippers when I drove the 'Bota out to get the mail this morning...

 

[kcprecision]

Thanks Bird for the comment. I have been around hydraulics in one form or anthor most of my life so I was aware of that method. Or in the case of my old 73 ford 4000 I can just shut off the engine and operate the control valves.

My reason on making this tool is more like Lfgengler said, the dang arthritis or something has gotten into my left wrist.

Matt, to answer your question, Yes and No. when I first started this project I hooked the edge of the pipe clamp pads in the slots and pressed the two parts together. This gave me the idea for the forks so I machined up what you see in the picture and bolted them to the pipe clamp.

One thing I did not mention was I also machined a 5* wedge on the fork. Not all of the slots like are marked in the yellow circle will be the same,depending how hard they were threaded together. The fork being tapered should fit most any slot.

 

[drivadesl]

Looks like they should work great KC. Just another reason why owning a milling machine comes in pretty handy.

 

[Renze]

I agree with you on relieving the hydo pressure and it being easier and quicker. However if you have a set of arthiritic wrists, elbows, shoulders and all the involved muscles, relieving all the pressure you want still will not make it easy enough to push these couplers together. Great tool.

From what i see, you;re attaching two loose ends of hose.
On my frontloader i had a nice bracket lasercut at the company i worked back then, through which the female coupler is screwed. Attaching is very easy, i pull the collar, hold the male end in it so the collar just doesnt pop back, then i take the male coupler with two hands to push the couplers fully together.

I know putting couplers together, one in each hand, is a pain, i cant do that either even though i dont have arthritis....

 

[kthompson]

The Kubota female fittings on my tractor do not require your moving any sleeve. It is just push the fitting in and pull it out. If you were to forget to disconnect it will when you drive off. Costly fittings and when I damaged one did not know how much better than was until I used a standard one with sleeve to slide. I will toss that fitting one day and get the Kubota design.

I have a friend who runs skid steer and he told me the fittings on it can be hooked and unhooked with pressure on it with no loss of fluid. If that is correct it would seem we should toss other designs and use that design only. Does anyone here know?

 

[kcprecision]

kthompson, I went to the ford dealer to get a set of couplings like you are talking about. Man did I get sticker shock as I remember the female fitting was some what over 40$. I think these fittings were around 8$.

As far as your question I do not have a clue, sorry.

 

[3RRL]

Great idea using those furniture clamps like that.
I've had need for a tool just like that many times. Thought of making something like that but never really got around to it. I like the sliding furniture clamp idea ... it's universal fit.

 

[mjncad]

Looks like they should work great KC. Just another reason why owning a milling machine comes in pretty handy.

Or you can use a poor man's milling machine like I do...Drill bits and/or hole saws followed by a couple of cuts on a vertical bandsaw.

I would love to have a mill and a lathe.

 

[kcprecision]

Mjncad, I just looked at your handgun hose reel pic. that is a very nice job for just a hole saw, bandsaw and drill bits.

 

[J_J]

The Kubota female fittings on my tractor do not require your moving any sleeve. It is just push the fitting in and pull it out. If you were to forget to disconnect it will when you drive off. Costly fittings and when I damaged one did not know how much better than was until I used a standard one with sleeve to slide. I will toss that fitting one day and get the Kubota design.

I have a friend who runs skid steer and he told me the fittings on it can be hooked and unhooked with pressure on it with no loss of fluid. If that is correct it would seem we should toss other designs and use that design only. Does anyone here know?

Most all skidsteer machines have the flat face couplers, that connect under pressure. Yes, they are expensive, but once you used them you will wonder why you didn't have them all along. They are also drip-less. The price varies, so just shop around for the best deal.

Hydraulic Cylinder Components, Products

 

[kthompson]

kthompson, I went to the ford dealer to get a set of couplings like you are talking about. Man did I get sticker shock as I remember the female fitting was some what over 40$. I think these fittings were around 8$.

As far as your question I do not have a clue, sorry.

Cheap it is compared to the female ones for my Kubota, they are over twice that. Note JJ's comment on pricing and performance. I need to look further for myself.

 

[mjncad]

Mjncad, I just looked at your handgun hose reel pic. that is a very nice job for just a hole saw, bandsaw and drill bits.

Thanks KC, it just takes me longer to do things with my primitive equipment; but I eventually get it done.

 

[JohnDeere4300]

I don't post too much here but thought maybe you guys might be interested in this tool I made for my tractor hydraulics.

The other day I was trying to connect the hydraulic couplings on the tractor and I just did not have enough strength in my wrist to completely push the connector to gather.

Some where I saw a picture of a pair of pliers that had a fork on the end of the pliers. You slipped the fork over the pipe and squeezed them together and and that forced the coupling together.

While I was trying to get the coupler together I was thinking about something that I could use to make a tool to accomplish the same thing.
This is what I came up with.

The first Pic. is the hydraulic coupling. You slide the knurled part back and shove the other piece in. That is what I could not accomplish. So I thought about a fork that would slide down into the grove in the yellow circles.

Pic 2 and 3 is machining the fork. I made several pases to get the fork cut.

Pic 4 drilling the bolt holes in the pipe clamp pads.

Pic 5 The tool is complete. You start the coupling together put the forks down in the groves and gently close the pipe clamp shoving the coupling together.

Nice job on the tool and it could help me also.

I have a hard time just holding the connectors to get them back together, i have 5% of grip in my left hand and have had three surgery's with another one being discussed.

I know how to relieve the pressure on a hose, that's not a problem.

Could you take a picture with it on the connectors?
I also have a problem hooking up a PTO shaft to use a bush hog, anyone have an easier way to do that.

Thanks for sharing your tool!

You can see in picture 1, when my wrist was first broke.

Picture 2 after the third surgery with a metal plate and my wrist will never bend.

 

[EddieWalker]

You've made an interesting tool, but the only reason I know of that makes the couplers hard to push together is pressure in one or both of the lines. So it's relatively easy to relieve that pressure. If it's the male coupler, just put a rag over the end and hit it once with a mallet. You won't lose much fluid. If it's the female coupler, put a rag over it and insert a drift pin and tap it once. That's much quicker than using your new tool.

Bird,

I'm new to hydraulic couplings and have struggled with mine. I think this tool is just what I need, but in reading your reply, I realized that I didn't know this, nor have I tried it. I usually cracked the hose connections to release the pressure.

With Spring here, I'll be putting my grapple on pretty soon and will try your method first. If that doesn't work, I'm gonna make me a tool with one of my pipe clamps.

Eddie

 

[irwin]

Nice job on the tool and it could help me also.

I have a hard time just holding the connectors to get them back together, i have 5% of grip in my left hand and have had three surgery's with another one being discussed.

That's quite an injury Bill.. That 2nd photo with all the metal looks rough. I'd be trying anything to make those jobs easier..