L4610 Hydraulics Question

[jedens]

On my L4610 I've got a grapple bucket which is operated by a remote valve which is located in one slot of the three slots on the right side between the seat and the fender (the other two slots are empty). I believe this remote might be a factory installed remote instead of a dealer installed remote. I have two questions about this remote and how it controls the grapple arm.
First I tried to trace out the hydraulic lines to/from the remote but I wasn't able to completely because my backhoe was installed and the remote is located way up under the seat. I did locate the remote connection for the hydraulic hoses that appear to control the cylinder on the grapple arm, but I couldn't locate any hoses for the valve inlet or outlet ports. I saw what looked like "hard plumbed" tubing going into the remote valve but I couldn't trace where it came from but it wasn't the hydraulic block. Are these remotes that you get when you order it with tractor "hard plumbed" directly from the pump? If so, can the remotes be expanded in sections?
My second question relates to the routing of the hoses from the remote valve to the cylinder on the grapple arm. They appear to go through some type of mystery valve. Both hoses go from the remote to this mystery valve then two hoses come from the mystery valve and go to the grapple cylinders, but I can't see any type of actuator or lever on this mystery valve so I don't understand what it is for. Attached is a picture of it. In the next post I'll attach a picture of the cover plate. Thanks for any help.
Joe

 

[jedens]

Here is another picture of this mystery valve looking down from the top. I'm sure this diagram must mean something to someone that understands hydraulic valves. Thanks
Joe

 

[hayden]

Those are your quick disconnects for the hoses leading to the grapple.

The remote valve is a kubota supplied, but dealer installed option. The remote valve gets plumber to the quick disconnect block where you can hook up whatever hydraulic device you desire. In your case, there are hoses connected that lead up to the front of the tractor/loader to the grapple. You could disconnect at the rear and hook up something elee if you wanted.

You can add up to two more remoted, and their quick disconnect blocks get stacked under the one you have now.

 

[jedens]

Hi Peter,
Thanks for the answer on the "mystery valve". The connections look different than the quick disconnects that are on my FEL valve so I didn't recognize them. My tractor is 90 miles away but this weekend when I go there I'll see if I can disconnect them. This whole hydraulics thing is fascinating, especially with all of the options that are available for attaching and controlling implements. I'm now thinking of what else I might want to connect to my quick disconnect block!

 

[hayden]

You're sliding down the slippery slope, but don't worry, all of us are waiting for you at the bottom.

 

[MJB]

That kind of quick connect holder is fairly common on the rear remote connections on tractors. They are designed to hold the female side of the quick connects by the release collar. The idea is that if the hoses are connected to a rear implement which breaks away from the tractor the hydraulic lines will automatically disconnect when the hoses pull tight. In order to manually connect or disconnect the hoses from these connections you might have to push the hose connected to the female quick connect toward the back of the tractor (down and to the left in your first picture) to release the collar. Hope this helps.

 

[jedens]

I started to loose my footing as I was reading some of the previous posts on tip-n-tilt and other projects with hydraulics. Oh well, if I'm going down a slippery slope its good to know that other experienced sliders can give me advice as I slide!

 

[jedens]

Hi Michael,
Thanks for the explanation. That makes a lot of sense to have those disconnects for some type of breakaway from the rear. Since mine actually run to the front of my tractor to connect to the grapple arm, that particular function doesn't seem to apply. If I were to add something like a top link capability could I put some type of a selector valve in the circuit and connect both my grapple arm and the toplink cylinder hoses to the selector valve inputs then have the output of the selector valve go to this quick disconnect holder, and then use the selector valve switch to choose which function my remote valve worked on?
thanks
Joe

 

[MJB]

You will have two sets of outputs from the selector valve. You could leave the rear set alone for the top link and then pipe the new outputs up to the same area as your other loader quick connects to run the grapple. Good luck.

 

[ns_in_tex]

When I bought my L4610, they told me you could not add to a existing remote. If you only had 1 or 2 remotes & needed more, you had to start over. I thought I only needed 1, but purchased 2 for safety sake. Now I wish I had 3. I think they charged me maybe 750.00 for the duel kit & a little over 1000.00 installed, so I will probably make do with the duel.