Male, femal coupler for 3rd function?

crabjoe · Jun 28, 2016

I'm getting ready to order some hoses to run from the rear to the front for a grapple but I'm not sure what couplers to get on the front.

Do most attachments come with one male and one female or do they come with 2 females or 2 males? I see pics of what different people have done and I'm just confused. I see people with male/female on the tractor and others with just males...

What do I need to make it so I don't need a bunch of adapters if I end up renting something? Is the standard for the tractor to have 2 males and the attachment to have 2 females?

Thanks!

phiferpharm · Jun 28, 2016

My fronts are set up as 1 male/1female for my grapple.

George2615 · Jun 28, 2016

Some places that sell attachments will state what couplers are on the attachment. Some will sell the attachment with couplers of your choice and yet others sell the attachment with no couplers and leave it up to the buyer to install. For my attachments I like to use one male /one female. That way I keep the control lever movement the same. Moving the lever forward sends hydraulic flow one way to operate the attachment and back reverses the operation.
The equipment at work uses flat face couplers, one male & one female. My tractor uses AG poppet style connectors so I use the same on the attachment. I don't loan out my attachments so don't have to worry about it not fitting someone else's tractor.

art · Jun 28, 2016

Most manufacturers go with m/f, f/m. For the hydraulics on compacts they stick with ag style couplers for cost.

k0ua · Jun 28, 2016

phiferpharm said:
My fronts are set up as 1 male/1female for my grapple.

Mine too. So I can plug the male into the female on the implement for storage and exclusion of dirt.

crabjoe · Jun 28, 2016

Thanks for the info folks.. I'm going to ask for a male/female setup. This way, I can sneak up to all of your places and borrow your attachments, when you guys are sleeping. Bwahahahahahaaaa!!

Thanks again for the info!!

Reload5 · Oct 4, 2016

Be sure of coupler size...either 3/8" or 1/2" but they need to match.

ETA: I just noticed the post date on this... Safe to assume OP has already solved this...

DieselBound · Oct 7, 2016

I am awaiting my new tractor but already have my EA grapple and am wanting to get out of the gates quick on getting the plumbing order filled.

I suspect I made a mistake and got 1/2" hoses on the grapple. I did, however, get male/female flat-faced couplers.

I really don't want to run 1/2" hose (from the rear remote). Just how should I go about matching things up such that I'm going 3/8" hose to those 1/2" flat-faced couplers on the grapple? I'd read James' thread and with all the input there (JIT vs NPT etc.) it made my head spin! I like the idea of using bulkhead adapters: not sure if I can find anything to fab up a bulkhead (it's entering the rainy season here and I don't have any cover to work under- garage is slated to start being constructed in a week or so): it may end up being something that I re-do, so perhaps JIT fittings would be more appropriate?

N2DFire · Oct 7, 2016

DieselBound said:
I am awaiting my new tractor but already have my EA grapple and am wanting to get out of the gates quick on getting the plumbing order filled.

I suspect I made a mistake and got 1/2" hoses on the grapple. I did, however, get male/female flat-faced couplers.

I really don't want to run 1/2" hose (from the rear remote). Just how should I go about matching things up such that I'm going 3/8" hose to those 1/2" flat-faced couplers on the grapple? I'd read James' thread and with all the input there (JIT vs NPT etc.) it made my head spin! I like the idea of using bulkhead adapters: not sure if I can find anything to fab up a bulkhead (it's entering the rainy season here and I don't have any cover to work under- garage is slated to start being constructed in a week or so): it may end up being something that I re-do, so perhaps JIT fittings would be more appropriate?

It's not as bad as you think but to put a new spin on an old adage; research twice & buy once LOL

I built our 3rd function from scratch rather than buying one of the pre-made kits. I have a write up on the entire build & thought process here
http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/customization/358086-kioti-ck-35-3rd-function.html

Almost all of the couplers I found come with NPT threads - My suggestion would be to use the matching couplers for your rear remotes, NPT to JIC adapters and 3/8" hose with JIC fittings. On the front get 3/8" JIC to 1/2" NPT adapters and the matching couplers there.

Making a bulkhead isn't really as complicated as it sounds and you can get away with using standard couplers - check out what we did in my write-up.

Best of luck & congrats on the grapple - you'll love it!

pat32rf · Oct 7, 2016

I ran 1/4" steel line and hose up to angle my snow plow. I just used brass reducing bushings from the plumbing dept of our local hardware and find that the larger couplings are easier to hold when connecting....