Hydraulic Couplers

marrt · Jun 4, 2004

Anyone know the series of couplers that PT uses (i.e., 60 series, 4000 series, 6600 series, etc) for the aux PTO? I think they are Italian made buy I can't find the brand. I also wonder if they are metric. PT tends to find esoteric parts that can't be easily ordered online so I wouldn't be surprised to learn they are metric. For example, I ordered some lug bolts for my PT only to discover that PT uses 7/16 - 20 instead of the common 1/2 - 20 lug bolts. Had to send them back and order from PT.

I don't mind using PT for parts, but their markup is 100% on parts...so, I would like to find a substitute for the couplers if possible. PT uses two male connectors on the PTO for these tractors. Therefore, you can't connect the couplers together on any attachment in storage, to protect them from contamination, as they are both female.

SnowRidge · Jun 4, 2004

<font color="brown"> I ordered some lug bolts for my PT only to discover that PT uses 7/16 - 20 instead of the common 1/2 - 20 lug bolts. </font>

7/16 - 20 sounds real familiar. Not too long ago, I installed electric brakes on my cargo trailer. I think that size was involved in the conversion, somehow. I believe I had to go search them out, and had a hard time finding them without driving to the big city, but was able to get them at the local CoOp. The nearest HD had nothing in that size

Wish I could remember more clearly. /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif

In any event, for odd and/or esoteric nuts and bolts, look in the Yellow Pages under "Fasteners." Most cities of any size have one or more fastener suppliers.

SnowRidge

IrTxRx · Jun 4, 2004

If I am going to purchase a PT it sounds like this might be good lingo to know...

1/2 - 20... 7/16 - 20???

What is this describing?

Thanks

SnowRidge · Jun 4, 2004

<font color="brown"> 1/2 - 20... 7/16 - 20???

What is this describing? </font>

Bolt size. The first number is the diameter in inches, and the second is the number of threads per inch.

SnowRidge

Rip · Jun 4, 2004

Most parts on a PT are not really that esoteric, but there are four or five different (and not interchangable) types of hydraulic couplers out there and not every hydraulic shop carries all types. If you write down the full number from an existing coupler, they can match it or can order it.

You should have or can get plastic protector caps to fit any type, size or gender coupler in order to keep it clean when not in use. They will have a molded retainer or chain to attach them to their respective hose. Get a few extras of each type & size you use so you can replace a lost one right away... they are cheap, dirt in a hyd system is not!!

The lug bolts you were looking for are common for light duty trailers.

Good luck,

Rip

FOURTEEN · Jun 5, 2004

"" You should have or can get plastic protector caps to fit any type, size or gender coupler in order to keep it clean when not in use. ""

Walmart sells white rubber table leg end caps that fit over the whole hydraulic fitting of the smaller hoses. They are a little over a dollar for 4 caps!
See where I have them covering the unused fittings for the quick attach!

/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

toy · Jun 5, 2004

Those rubber chair tips are 1 inch if you use them. I drilled a hole in the center of mine and put a small eye bolt in it and tied a string to it and tied the other end of the string to the hose on the emplement just long enough so that when you hook up the emplement they are handy to put on the ends of the quick attach hose. I have the tips on every attachment that has a cylinder, it's real convenient. The tires look real good turned that way, it widens the stance of the machine and I can't see where it puts any more stress on the wheel motors except when you get on somethin where only the outside of the tire is riding on the ground which would be seldomly done. The wider stance would be very good when you are digging a deep ditch and you want to tram up astaddle the ditch. I've been thinking of doing mine that way but just haven't gotten around to it yet. Last fall I dug a septic whole and an overflow hole with my pt. I used the small bucket with teeth to dig the hole in order to get it deep enough, and the mini hoe to dig the ditches which were as deep as I could dig with the mini hoe. It was a little unnerving having the tires that close to the hole when I would pull forward to clean out the hole, and articulating it to dump the bucketwasn't something that I wanted to do with the wheels turned in. At Tazwell they did warn against turning the wheels out though. They could balk on warranty repairs to any trouble with the wheel units that you may have. When the warrenty goes out though mine will be turned out unless you give us a negetive report on doing so before the warranty is up. It would be easy to put four bolts in the square holes in the rims with them turned out.

marrt · Jun 5, 2004

14,

Thanks for the tip. I would never have thought of using table leg caps. It’s certainly a lot cheaper to find some caps than to buy the coupler itself. Even if I order the wrong size, they aren't very expensive.

One other reason I wanted to hook the hoses together though is to relieve any pressure build up. I have the 4 in 1 bucket and I’ve managed to get enough pressure in the hoses that I couldn’t attach them. I had to take a screwdriver and relieve the pressure before it would go on. Leaving the bucket in the sun all day also seems to cause some pressure build up.

FOURTEEN · Jun 6, 2004

If there is increased stress or wear, rest assured that it will not show up until after the warranty expires!! /forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Rolling your PT over isn't covered by the warranty either!! /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif

"" It would be easy to put four bolts in the square holes in the rims with them turned out. "" /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif

/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

FOURTEEN · Jun 6, 2004

"" Even if I order the wrong size ""

I just took one of the couplings off, took it to WalMart, and tried the various caps until I found the ones that worked best!! No ordering, no returns, and no multiple trips!!

"" had to take a screwdriver and relieve the pressure ""

I have found that it is easier to just slightly loosen the hose to coupling connection. No chance of damaging the inside of the coupling.

I swapped male and female couplings around so that the functions are consistant: UP opens up the Adaptor Plate, the MiniHoe bucket, and the fangs on the Grapple; DOWN locks the Adaptor Plate, and closes down with the bucket and fangs!!

/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

toy · Jun 6, 2004

I figured you would figure it out wheel weights no extra weight on the machine a little more strain on the wheel motors possibly lift cylinders would have more strain but you would have a little extra lift when needed but I wouldn't leave them on all the time just to get that little extra help when the machine can almost lift the load. If you left them on all the time you would become desensitised about the actual capabilities of the machine and soon would be constantly overloading it. The part that the curl cylinder hooks to on the lift arms on mine bent while under waranty., they fixed it without any problems, they were nice about it. If I had been using it with wheel weights and wheels reversed I would have had to tell them what I had been doing and they would have had every right to have refused to do the work under waranty. The cost of that little repair would have been over $300. When they asked me what was I doing I could look them in the face and tell them what I was doing when it bent. They told me that the reason that it usually bends is because you jamb the machine into the work, but I hadn't did that either. When they looked at the machine they told me that one of the inside welds had only one weld pass and that it needed three passes. For the first year I wanted to use the machine in a way that was reasonable just incase the machine was a dud I would have some rights but when the waranty is up you should have some idea of what the machine is like its weakness and its strength and then you can make a more knowlegable decision as to what changes you can make without damaging the machine. But I do like to hear from people that like to make changes to their machine I can learn from them and maybe avoid some pitfalls on the way. Keep up the good work.

toy · Jun 6, 2004

I figure that just about everybody that has used these couplings has had a similar experience, Just remember when you cut the machine off wait a few seconds and then operate the curl handle back and forth to let it bleed off the pressure in the implement before disconnecting the hoses.

toy · Jun 6, 2004

Both ends coming from the valve on my quick attach came with male ends and the ones going to the plate are both female It is the pto that has a male and a female end on the tractor and a male and a female end on the emplement to keep you from reversing the hoses and running the emplement backwards and wondering why the thing isn't doing the work it should.

toy · Jun 6, 2004

I know what you were talking about now about changing the ends around , but I guess I'm charmed in this because seems like I always hook mine the same way each time. I'm not looking at my machine at this time to see if there is something that causes me to hook it up consistantly the same way, but I will look maybe its the way the hoses are run. Just thinking about it though on my mini hoe the hose that comes through the left bracket I hook to the left hose and the one that runs through the bracket on the right I hook on the right hose.

FOURTEEN · Jun 6, 2004

/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

MossRoad · Jun 6, 2004

The snowplow we have has both the hoses coming out of the same place. So sometimes up is right and sometimes up is left. That is why it would be nice to have male and female connectors; the consistency in operation.

FOURTEEN · Jun 6, 2004

I planned to buy extra connectors so as to have a male and female connector on the PT-425 and each attachment to provide consistency of connection and keep the ends clean when not in use. /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif

So far I have gone the cheap route with rubber table leg caps, and red tape on one connector of each set!! /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif

toy · Jun 7, 2004

i looked at my snow plow and you are right consistancy is important and both hoses comes out the right side. My snow blade has one of the hoses the one on the end of the cylinder that pulls it back in h as been run down to the fitting on the other end and is tie wrapped there making it shorter than the other the short end of the hose that is on the snow blade goes on the right side of the quick attach and the long one goes on the left side. If yours is not tied up that way, then always remember that the hose on the pulling in of the cylinder side goes on theright side and the one that pushes the cylinder out goes on the left side. If yours doesn't have it to where one of the hoses is shorter than the other because of the tie wrap, you could mark one of the hoses on each of the emplements and mark the hose on the machine to match which hose you want it to connect to. Thet way you have consistancy without changing any couplings. Since on my machine the hoses are routed so that it is easy to distinguish which hose goes where I never gave it much thought.I hope this tip might help you to get consistancy without going to the expense of changing out couplings. I beleive that consistancy is very important not only for convenience but also for a safety reason. Another thought on hoses if you do ever have to replace a hose try to get the identacle size[length] hose and rout it the same way it is routed on the machine by doing this you can save yourself a lot of frustration and money.