Poorly fixed DIY hydraulic line or normal?

[BXer]

Hi folks,

I recently purchased a new to me BX25. While giving it a good once over, changing all fluids, filters, grease, I noticed that the piped hydraulic lines at the bucket cylinder look strange to me though I'm new to hydraulic equipment. Instead of nicely bent radii to make corners (like in other areas) these look pinched/squished from a poor DIY fix. The loader does not give me any trouble in operation (I guess? No experiecne to gauge from) so I'm wondering if this is normal or I should plan on replacing them?

 

[Peter 315]

Not a factory bend ,Maybe got hooked and pulled on something ....If its not leaking you can price out new lines and see if you want to change it....

 

[BXer]

The line is holding pressure, not leaking. Would this pinch handicap the performance in anyway? Or since the ID is reduced, could it increase pressure to unsafe levels?

 

[jonsstihl]

If there is no performance issue it may not be a big deal but what happens when a tube is dented is that the metal stretches out and becomes thinner. Is the change in thickness enough to make it fail under pressure?? depends on the safety factor used at the design stage. other environmental factors such as corrosion also affect the thickness of the pipe and may eventually cause a failure.

do you use your loader as a man lift? is the pipe on the lift circuit or the curl circuit?

it definitely does not look like a factory bend. I would replace it if it was on my tractor if only for the peace of mind when I do occasionally have my wife lift me in the bucket to get something done.

 

[BXer]

Thx James.

I have not used the loader to lift a human though the thought has crossed my mind if it was opportunistic to do so. The tractor is so new to me I have essentially 0 seat time. Just that used to move it around and get to learn the functions, but not during application – yet.

I would need to double check which circuit this is a part of, lift or curl.

 

[sandyc]

I have managed to dent a line from time to time and unless it is really pinched it should be no problem.

 

[BX23S-1]

You do what you want, but if it were MY tractor, that would get changed out for a new lines immediately.
Any restriction causes heat. Why take the chance. A few dollars + your time = happier tractor.

From what i`m seeing in your picture, looks like 2 lines are damaged/bent/kinked.

 

[LD1]

Hard to see where exactly its at on the machine....but it dont look like a repair. Almost looks like someone had a pry-par in their and didnt realize they were prying against the lines??

But those wouldnt bother me at all.

 

[BX23S-1]

Hard to see where exactly its at on the machine....but it dont look like a repair. Almost looks like someone had a pry-par in their and didnt realize they were prying against the lines??

But those wouldnt bother me at all.

I thought the exact same thing when i saw it, looked like somebody pried against them.

 

[MF243RedTop]

New to you tractor, I would replace them.
Hydraulics have a certain flow and pressure for a reason, why push forward like it is
May cost a few more bucks down the road that you wouldn't want to spend.

 

[4570Man]

Not a factory bend ,Maybe got hooked and pulled on something ....If its not leaking you can price out new lines and see if you want to change it....

They’re $$70-80 They’re not that expensive but quite aggravating to change.

 

[BXer]

Theyæ±*e $$70-80 Theyæ±*e not that expensive but quite aggravating to change.

Thanks for the estimate, that is pretty cheap. I had no idea. I've got no problem with the cash to make things right. Especially over the winter when the tractor won't see much use.

I've got a Kubota dealer 15 min from me. I'm presuming they would be easier and more efficient to tell them what I need and probably more costly with a repair shop not familiar with the machine?

 

[4570Man]

Thanks for the estimate, that is pretty cheap. I had no idea. I've got no problem with the cash to make things right. Especially over the winter when the tractor won't see much use.

I've got a Kubota dealer 15 min from me. I'm presuming they would be easier and more efficient to tell them what I need and probably more costly with a repair shop not familiar with the machine?

Those steel lines will have to be purchased OEM or possibly a direct fit aftermarket but I doubt that exist. As for installing them I have no idea which would be better.

 

[BX23S-1]

Thanks for the estimate, that is pretty cheap. I had no idea. I've got no problem with the cash to make things right. Especially over the winter when the tractor won't see much use.

I've got a Kubota dealer 15 min from me. I'm presuming they would be easier and more efficient to tell them what I need and probably more costly with a repair shop not familiar with the machine?

They will likely ask you for the serial number to look up the OEM parts for it at your dealer. Hopefully you can still read the serial number on the loader.
If you`re not going to do the job yourself, hopefully your dealer has a competent mechanic that will care about your machine and not just slam it together and toss it out the door.
Word of advice.... dont just let some side show hack shop work on it. Nothing worse than having some dimwit that dosent know what they`re doing, and make the tractor worse all the way around.

If your dealer does the work, INSPECT THE WORK BEFORE YOU LEAVE WITH THE TRACTOR, and check for other damage they might have done to your tractor while it was there! Pics BEFORE & AFTER!!!

Make sure you check the fluid level before leaving the repair shop too! Pick up an extra quart of hydraulic fluid while you`re there.

 

[BXer]

They will likely ask you for the serial number to look up the OEM parts for it at your dealer. Hopefully you can still read the serial number on the loader.
If you`re not going to do the job yourself, hopefully your dealer has a competent mechanic that will care about your machine and not just slam it together and toss it out the door.
Word of advice.... dont just let some side show hack shop work on it. Nothing worse than having some dimwit that dosent know what they`re doing, and make the tractor worse all the way around.

If your dealer does the work, INSPECT THE WORK BEFORE YOU LEAVE WITH THE TRACTOR, and check for other damage they might have done to your tractor while it was there! Pics BEFORE & AFTER!!!

Make sure you check the fluid level before leaving the repair shop too! Pick up an extra quart of hydraulic fluid while you`re there.

Very good information. I'd have never thought about serial numbers before calling the service department.

I'm a weekend handyman with my power equipment, but I've never done hydraulic work. It seems simple enough, but messy....I'll likely get a quote for the standalone parts with an option for service.

I once took my truck in for an inspection sticker and it came out with a flat tire. Much easier to see that than making sure the loader/tractor works properly before leaving the dealer. A good reminder to check the functions. One more reason to have your own trailer and not rely on their transport, they can argue it worked fine on delivery before you have a chance to check/use it.

 

[Peter 315]

They羆*e $$70-80 They羆*e not that expensive but quite aggravating to change.

I guess it depends on how much patience you have if I start to get aggravated I will stop and come back later or get a big hammer and make a bigger mess....:laughing:

 

[BX23S-1]

Very good information. I'd have never thought about serial numbers before calling the service department.

I'm a weekend handyman with my power equipment, but I've never done hydraulic work. It seems simple enough, but messy....I'll likely get a quote for the standalone parts with an option for service.

I once took my truck in for an inspection sticker and it came out with a flat tire. Much easier to see that than making sure the loader/tractor works properly before leaving the dealer. A good reminder to check the functions. One more reason to have your own trailer and not rely on their transport, they can argue it worked fine on delivery before you have a chance to check/use it.

You can trust, but ALWAYS verify! If you`re going to have ANYONE other than you work on your tractor, set up a time where you and your service manager of the shop can BOTH walk around your tractor, and let him/her watch you take pictures of the tractor as you both walk around it. And make sure you have a picture of him/her standing next to the tractor when you drop it off. Pretty hard for a shop to deny something if you have the proof in hand.

My wife dropped her car off to get inspected at the dealer one time. Upon picking the car back up the next day, we found McDonald`s french fries between the seats. When we opened up the doors of the car to get in to leave, you could tell they took a joyride in it, ate their lunch in it. Even the back seat had McDonald`s food wrappers thrown on the floor. First thing my wife see`s when she sits in the drivers seat and turns on the ignition, the odometer had an extra 50+ miles on it. We all know that people like HEMI cars, they like to beat the snot out of them, especially at dealerships with the younger kids working on these cars.

If you can, do your own work. If you get in trouble with doing the work, there are TONS of GREAT people right here in this forum than can help you.

 

[BXer]

If you can, do your own work. If you get in trouble with doing the work, there are TONS of GREAT people right here in this forum than can help you.

Thanks everyone. For being my first post I've felt most welcome to the community and with a bit of research I'll hopefully have no issues performing the repair and learn something in the process.

 

[BX23S-1]

Thanks everyone. For being my first post I've felt most welcome to the community and with a bit of research I'll hopefully have no issues performing the repair and learn something in the process.

Let us know how it works out! And post some pictures during your repair.
Posting pictures during the repair progress can sometimes be helpful to others.

Most of all, dont become a stranger in here

 

[Fallon]

I'd rec9mend you don't Google for pictures of hydraulic injection injuries or hydraulic injection that usually results in gangrene unless you have a strong stomach. A 2,500psi hydraulic stream has more in common with a razor blade than a leaky garden hose. Nothing you want to be around.

Replacing hydraulic hoses isn't hard. You just need to support whatever the hydraulics were previously supporting & respect things. A pinch will slow down & restrict fluid. How much depends on the pinch. More importantly circles are really strong, but a Cresent shape isn't. The pinched part will be much more likely to fail. Id repace a damaged section rather than risking it leaking or blowing out later if it were my machine.