controller for pronovost puma 74iv hydraulic chute rotation and deflector

[GrumpyL5030]

I'm still a stranger who showed up here late and not sure how to initiate a thread. I guess I'll find out if this it the way or not.
I bought an old, but nice L5030 grand a month or so ago and still getting familiar with it (it's still "new-fangled" to a guy like me that has mostly used old 1940's and '50s machines like Farmal super c's, Cubs, Alis Chalmbers backhoes, farm tractors for haying and a Fergusen to30 for brush hogging.
Anyways... I just grabbed up a new Pronovost rear inverted snowblower from an auction site. it has hydraulic motor chute rotation and hyd.cylinder for chute deflector elevation adjustment. The tractor doesn't have a loader, but does have a joystick in the cab plumbed up for one. It would be cool to use it for rotation and deflector control, but not sure if flow through those valves is suited for hydraulic motors and rams. Any advice or ideas are welcome. I have two remotes at the back, and the loader hookup on the side.
Thanks in advance for your help & advice.

 

[LouNY]

If the loader valve is complete and in working condition it should work just fine.
Although the loader valve will not have the motor ports to allow free spooling in the stop position,
those motors don't turn that fast to be overly concerned about slow down speeds spiking the pressures.
You may want some flow restrictions to keep that small cylinder from moving to fast and the chute from rotating to fast.

 

[Citydude]

Personally I would use the remotes. The remote levers are in a better position than the loader joy stick when looking backwards.

 

[LouNY]

Personally I like the idea of the joystick,
connect the lines so that left is turning left and right is turning right,
then I'd go with forward for up and back for down on the deflector.
Also he is using an inverted blower, he shouldn't have to twist around backwards that much.
And depending on the joysticks positioning, I don't find mine to be uncomfortable to use while reversing and looking backwards.

 

[CH4Ohio]

I use rear remotes for mine. My blower faces rear. Sounds like yours faces forward. Don't really see why that matters.

You'll use the chute rotation a lot. I hardly ever need to change the chute deflection. I'm guessing yours will be the same unless you're working in some very tight locations.

 

[GrumpyL5030]

Thank you Citydude, LouNY and CH4ohio. I'm not sure what the previous owner used the joystick for. There's only two ports from it running up to two ports on the loader port block (Whatever it's called). I'm not sure the joystick is spool type valve. If they had a loader up front with 4 Hyd. cylinders for it, it seems you'd need 4 remotes up front just for that. There are only two lines coming out of the port block and they each feed one of the two remotes in the back. The Hyd. Cyl. for the chute deflector will need two lines and the hyd. motor needs two also. I'm trying to learn this as I go along so I can get this operable before October/November. I'm doing what I can every time I get a day off from work, which are few and far between.
I appreciate your help!

 

[CH4Ohio]

I have two remotes at the back, and the loader hookup on the side.

Two "remotes" would be 4 hydraulic outlets. They come in pairs. Each "remote" will control a double-acting cylinder with two hoses (or a single-acting cylinder), or a motor.

Do you have two outlets or four on the rear?
Do you have one remote control lever or two?
The pic here shows a stack of 3 remotes on a similar Kubota. There will be 3 levers in the cab to separately control these outlets.

Either way I'd still use the remotes. If you only have one remote, set the deflector where you want it and use the remote to rotate the chute as needed.

 

[LouNY]

With only one remote I'd likely use a diverter valve to make it two.

 

[GrumpyL5030]

This thing is challenging to figure out for me while I'm working nights and sleeping days. So... the joystick is cable operated to a valve body where two hoses leave there and become the rear remote. It "looks" like power beyond is routed back into the system right now due to no loader or other implements. Apparently, this tractor wasn't sold with installed remotes, as there's no valve body/port box or levers under the slots where they would be. I'm thinking I could get the kit with a diverter valve and remote with hoses and plumb it into where the loader hoses would go, and run them to the back for a second remote with a flow restrictor in line for the hyd. motor for the rotator. Just need to figure out which hoses go to which ports, and what to do with the pwr. beyond circuit. FUN STUFF.

 

[Jchonline]

Personally I would use the remotes. The remote levers are in a better position than the loader joy stick when looking backwards.

I agree. My rear blower chute control (rotate) is on a rear remote and it works great. You are turned around that way anyway so the remote lever is actually more accessible than the FEL control (at least in the Grand L 60)

 

[Citydude]

I agree. My rear blower chute control (rotate) is on a rear remote and it works great. You are turned around that way anyway so the remote lever is actually more accessible than the FEL control (at least in the Grand L 60)

Yep. One thing I found out is that I seem to look back with my pull type blower about as much as the standard type rear blower. My gravel road is uneven so adjusting the top and tilt is required. The only plus of driving forward is I can use the cruse control.

 

[GrumpyL5030]

I agree about the remote levers being easier to reach when you're sittng sideways to watch behind you. I have an inverted unit that just tracks behind you as you drive forward. I've had a few injuries and the old neck doesnt crank around too good anymore. The other thing is I don't have the remote levers on this machine. The remote that's on the back was an add-on coming off the loader plumbing. The tractor no longer has a loader, but the plumbing is there for it. I plan on using the joystick for rotation and deflector elevation adjustments to the chute while using the mirrors. It should work out. Maybe I'll find out this next winter. Maybe not. Usually when a big purchase of something like this, or a toy like a snowmobile will keep the snow from falling this winter. I'd be fine with that too. Diesel was 7 bucks a gallon last time I bought it here.
Thanks folks. I'm open to any and all advice. I'm a novice with these hydraulic components.

 

[GrumpyL5030]

Yep. One thing I found out is that I seem to look back with my pull type blower about as much as the standard type rear blower. My gravel road is uneven so adjusting the top and tilt is required. The only plus of driving forward is I can use the cruse control.

Yeah my drive is about 1/4 mile of crushed limestone. It has a bit of a crown in it though. I want to box blade the crown down so I'm not throwing the stone out to the field. I haven't tried the cruise yet. I bet its great for snowblowing a long stretch.

 

[CH4Ohio]

So what you have is a completely custom, non OEM setup tapped off of the loader valve circuit. Looks like you have one set of remotes. Have you hooked the blower up to try them. I suspect that you can drive one double-acting cylinder or your rotation motor with that setup. Hook one at a time up and try it.

Are you thinking that you'll put fittings on that second stack in order to add a second set of remotes? Without further changes, likely that you could still use your snowblower by leaving the deflection set and rotating the chute with the joystick.

It would probably cost about a $1000 to add two remotes using the OEM kit. I haven't priced them lately . . . That would include everything from the levers in the cab to the outlets on the rear. If you were to find a loader to add, you could put a front plow on the front and have the ultimate snowclearing machine.

 

[GrumpyL5030]

So what you have is a completely custom, non OEM setup tapped off of the loader valve circuit. Looks like you have one set of remotes. Have you hooked the blower up to try them. I suspect that you can drive one double-acting cylinder or your rotation motor with that setup. Hook one at a time up and try it.

Are you thinking that you'll put fittings on that second stack in order to add a second set of remotes? Without further changes, likely that you could still use your snowblower by leaving the deflection set and rotating the chute with the joystick.

It would probably cost about a $1000 to add two remotes using the OEM kit. I haven't priced them lately . . . That would include everything from the levers in the cab to the outlets on the rear. If you were to find a loader to add, you could put a front plow on the front and have the ultimate snowclearing machine.

It's probably been a month or two since I checked in here. Yeah, I need to make up another set of hoses from the other loader ports to the rear and stack a second set of plug-ins on top of the ones already there. I've been waiting for the dealer to send the hose kit for the rotator, but I'm ready to just build a set fot that and another set for the deflector control. I've got a lot of trees I've planted along the driveway, so hopefully the deflector adjustment ability will help from dumping too much on them at once. If I can find a loader for this tractor next summer, I may add the levers and valves inside the cab for the rear ports. Looks like a bit of a pain in the neck job, but I'll check it out. (Looks difficult with a cab in the way). If I decide I don't wanna deal with that mess I'll just put a selector valve on the joystick valve circuit.
Thanks CH4Ohio

 

[LouNY]

This thing is challenging to figure out for me while I'm working nights and sleeping days. So... the joystick is cable operated to a valve body where two hoses leave there and become the rear remote. It "looks" like power beyond is routed back into the system right now due to no loader or other implements. Apparently, this tractor wasn't sold with installed remotes, as there's no valve body/port box or levers under the slots where they would be. I'm thinking I could get the kit with a diverter valve and remote with hoses and plumb it into where the loader hoses would go, and run them to the back for a second remote with a flow restrictor in line for the hyd. motor for the rotator. Just need to figure out which hoses go to which ports, and what to do with the pwr. beyond circuit. FUN STUFF.

Looking at your post #9, it looks to me like you have a loader valve with cable activation.
The valve in your 4th photo is it at the rear of your tractor or the mid area?
It appears that there are two male couplings mounted to the valve with hoses and female couplings. Are thes the lines that are going to the rear of your tractor?
The other valve has open hose ends in the pictures. What where they connected to?
That is the second spool of the two spool loader valve.

"I'm thinking I could get the kit with a diverter valve and remote with hoses and plumb it into where the loader hoses would go, and run them to the back for a second remote with a flow restrictor in line for the hyd. motor for the rotator. Just need to figure out which hoses go to which ports, and what to do with the pwr. beyond circuit. FUN STUFF."

If the two hoses on the cable operated valve go to the rear for remotes, all you would need for a second set of rear remotes would be hoses and couplers.
The two ports with elbow fittings are the output ports for the second spool of that valve.
You do not need to do anything with the power beyond circuit.

 

[GrumpyL5030]

Looking at your post #9, it looks to me like you have a loader valve with cable activation.
The valve in your 4th photo is it at the rear of your tractor or the mid area?
It appears that there are two male couplings mounted to the valve with hoses and female couplings. Are thes the lines that are going to the rear of your tractor?
The other valve has open hose ends in the pictures. What where they connected to?
That is the second spool of the two spool loader valve.

"I'm thinking I could get the kit with a diverter valve and remote with hoses and plumb it into where the loader hoses would go, and run them to the back for a second remote with a flow restrictor in line for the hyd. motor for the rotator. Just need to figure out which hoses go to which ports, and what to do with the pwr. beyond circuit. FUN STUFF."

If the two hoses on the cable operated valve go to the rear for remotes, all you would need for a second set of rear remotes would be hoses and couplers.
The two ports with elbow fittings are the output ports for the second spool of that valve.
You do not need to do anything with the power beyond circuit.

Lou, you nailed it. It took me a bit before I realized the joystick operated by cables. The only only others I've ever used were direct hydraulic plumbed. Not used to these new-fangled gizmos yet! So, yes. I'll be using the other two open ports on the loader circuit to run hoses back to the rear and stack them on top of the set that the previous owner put there (4th photo you referred to). I'll also use flow restrictors in line on both devices. I found a parts diagram online from the manufacturer of the blower, and they plumbed in reducing bushings to serve that purpose. I'll likely do the same. gotta spend a few minutes on a day off to do some measuring for all these hoses, put a material list together for all the components and then find my checkbook to go buy it all.
Thanks for the help Lou.