FEL quick disconnect

[boomer613]

I'm pretty new to tractor but I would hope to think I'm somewhat mechanically inclined. Today, I mowed about 5 acres of saplings and notice my Front end loader had problems tilting down and lifting up. When I checked the quick disconnects for the FEL, I notice two of them were disconnected. I am guessing a large sapling rubbed against them both. For some reason, I can get either one of them back on. I can pull back the female side without a problem but I can push them closed when the male is inserted. What am I do wrong or is there a trick to this? The Kioti DK40 only has 30 hrs, so it is pretty new. Also the hose and ends were pretty hot - is this normal?

 

[bubbu55]

Was your loader still raised? Try letting all the way off on loader, shut tractor off and see if they go together.

 

[Baby Grand]

Like bubbu said.
Shut down tractor.
Move FEL control thru all positions to relieve any residual pressure in the hoses.
Try disconnecting QDs

 

[grsthegreat]

you can also try the old tried and true...cover fitting with a towel and smack the spring loaded ball with hammer to release built up pressure.

 

[Gil Case]

you can also try the old tried and true...cover fitting with a towel and smack the spring loaded ball with hammer to release built up pressure.

Works every time, there is also a company that sells a tool to release pressure- that is their only product. somebody on here will remember their name-- Worth? or Wirth?

 

[boomer613]

Thanks everyone. It was dark last night so I did not have time to try out the posted suggestions. It'll have to wait till this weekend as I won't get home late today but should have time on Sunday to work on it. Keep posting if you guys can think of any new suggestions as I'll try them all. Again, the hose and ends were very hot. Is this normal for the hydraulic fluid to be hot? I wasn't using the FEL yesterday but cutting saplings with the bush hog.

 

[bubbu55]

The only thing I can think of is the fluid will be rather warm in the hose. Other than that I don't know.

 

[boomer613]

Was your loader still raised? Try letting all the way off on loader, shut tractor off and see if they go together.

Like bubbu said. Shut down tractor. Move FEL control thru all positions to relieve any residual pressure in the hoses.
Try disconnecting QDs

Thanks everyone! Lowering the FEL down on the ground and relieving all the pressure by moving it in all positions worked like a charm. In fact, it was pretty easy connecting the male hose into the female slot. Literally took 5 seconds to connect both hoses. There was no need to use the towel/hammer suggestion.

 

[bubbu55]

Glad that's all it was, now you can get back to those saplings.

 

[boomer613]

Glad that's all it was, now you can get back to those saplings.

Thanks. This did get me thinking. Has anyone caused any damage to their tractor by clearing saplings? I imagine one could puncture a filter, tire, or break a line.

 

[TripleR]

Thanks. This did get me thinking. Has anyone caused any damage to their tractor by clearing saplings? I imagine one could puncture a filter, tire, or break a line.

I'm not familiar with the steering linkage on a Kioti, but we have cleared a LOT of saplings with our Kubotas and all we damaged was tie rod boots as the tie rods are in front of the axle. We keep the buckets low which keeps the saplings mostly away from the tractor.

 

[Baby Grand]

Whenever I hear "sapling" I think "punji stick".
It's why I don't sharpen my hog's blades too a point.
Have a hole in my front grill where a sheared off sapling tried to spear my radiator, but was blocked by my battery.

 

[bubbu55]

I would'nt worry about it to much, You don't have much of a choice do you? I have a 8 or 9 acre field that I knock down once a year, it's amazing how fast the **** grows up. If you keep knocking it down annually those saplings will be history. Good luck.

 

[boomer613]

I just looked under my tractor and I notice one of the wiring harness snapped off. I was able to snap it back on the plactic holder. There seems to be alot of small things, such as wiring that can get damaged from saplings.

The past 4 years we have be renting a tractor to bush hog the property and I have let a few of my fields go wild. I have just finished 20 acres of saplings and now that I have my own tractor I don't plan on letting it grow 5'-7' as it did this year. Hopefully knocking it down twice or three times a year will kill them off for good.

 

[bubbu55]

Maybe you should keep your FEL low while mowing, it will bend them over alittle before you mow. Then again if you keep it too low you may hit rocks. I know a guy that was doing just that and he hit a rock and broke 2 ribs from hitting the steering wheel.

 

[SSdoxie]

Maybe you should keep your FEL low while mowing, it will bend them over alittle before you mow. Then again if you keep it too low you may hit rocks. I know a guy that was doing just that and he hit a rock and broke 2 ribs from hitting the steering wheel.[/QUOTE]

That is one of the reasons for wearing seat belt, so you don't slide forward in sudden stop.

When you have saplings bent over driving forward don't back up or they can spring up and go through fan, tear off lines or wires, catch on hydraulic filters, all kinds of not so good things can happen.
The tie rods have metal protector in front of them. Check those after day of mowing to make sure you didn't bend ot tear one off.

 

[k0ua]

I'm not familiar with the steering linkage on a Kioti, but we have cleared a LOT of saplings with our Kubotas and all we damaged was tie rod boots as the tie rods are in front of the axle. We keep the buckets low which keeps the saplings mostly away from the tractor.

The Kioti's are pretty well protected there with guards, but there a lot of wiring harness's tucked up under the tractor, It is not like they are hanging down or anything but it is possible that something could get caught on them. Some guys have considered making "belly pans" for the Kioti's.

James K0UA

 

[IslandTractor]

Thanks. This did get me thinking. Has anyone caused any damage to their tractor by clearing saplings? I imagine one could puncture a filter, tire, or break a line.

The most vulnerable bits under the tractor are the FEL lines. I have also managed to snag and bend my oil dipstick tube and one time snagged the throttle cable (which was exciting as the engine suddenly rev'd up). I have also had brush "disconnect" the 4wd circuit wires under the left side operator station. The other likely victims of encounters with brush (from personal experience) include the front axle protective shields and the lynch pins holding the 3PT arms. I have a couple dents in my grill despite a factory grill guard too. Of course there are also the HST and hydraulic filters underneath the tractor which have dents in them but no real damage on mine.

Mother Nature doesn't like it when you mess with her babies so be careful when you engage in toe to toe combat with brush.

 

[joshuabardwell]

Before going at it with a hammer, I would try to clean them out. I have had dirt in the female connector prevent connection.