ROPS Mounted Auxiliary Valve

downsizingnow48 · Feb 8, 2016

So what is it for, that is a fair question. I bought the B21 new in 2004 and went 10 years without removing the backhoe. Just used backhoe and loader. But now I need to do maintenance and landscaping. For our property and the close neighbors who are very happy to have a tractor located just down the lane.

Two of the three valves will be for top and tilt. I am planning to convert my box blade to hydraulic scarifiers, the third is for that.

With respect to the existing two spool valve on the left side, one is dedicated to the hydraulic thumb with a 1200 psi relief, the other goes forward for the hydraulic SSQA (installed) and the grapple (being built).

It is a lot of hydraulics but everything has a purpose, increasing the functionality of the B21.

I agree the mount is a bit of a mad max sort of thing, I wanted to make something less "in your face" but just couldn't come up with a better plan. My brother in law has a B series Kubota with dealer installed top and tilt that uses a similar valve mount design, that is what gave me the idea. I am hoping that decent workmanship will compensate to some degree for kind of an ugly design concept!

npalen · Feb 8, 2016

I mounted the female QD's directly to the valve to eliminate the extra hoses. I have 3/8" QD's and it's even a little tight for them. I'm guessing it would be impossible with 1/2" QD's? That probably wouldn't meet the need of repositionable valve handles either.

Jim Timber · Feb 8, 2016

npalen said:
I mounted the female QD's directly to the valve to eliminate the extra hoses. I have 3/8" QD's and it's even a little tight for them. I'm guessing it would be impossible with 1/2" QD's? That probably wouldn't meet the need of repositionable valve handles either.

I need to make a manifold for mine before the summer. I also need to plumb this valve into the hydraulic system instead of running it off the rear SCV. I had to use the 45 because I couldn't get that QC coupling to move when the other two hoses were installed. :mur:

So I'm going to put a L bracket behind the valve and move the QD's to face the rear with 90 degree hoses in the middle.

With the SCV tied up, I don't have my top link when I have the stump grinder attached and that's a bit of a problem for controlling the max depth of grinding.

downsizingnow48 · Feb 9, 2016

npalen said:
I mounted the female QD's directly to the valve to eliminate the extra hoses. I have 3/8" QD's and it's even a little tight for them. I'm guessing it would be impossible with 1/2" QD's? That probably wouldn't meet the need of repositionable valve handles either.

That would be ideal but the port spacing on this valve is too compact. I am using 3/8" even so I would have to have the QDs sticking out at all angles like a porcupine.

npalen · Feb 9, 2016

The industry could possibly use a fitting with built-in offset (1/2"?) for these situations. The valve manufacturers are probably not concerned with spacing the ports to allow for direct QD plumbing.

Jim Timber · Feb 9, 2016

npalen said:
The industry could possibly use a fitting with built-in offset (1/2"?) for these situations. The valve manufacturers are probably not concerned with spacing the ports to allow for direct QD plumbing.

If the center hole is only 3/8", how do you get the middle of the fitting opened?

npalen · Feb 9, 2016

I don't understand what you're saying.

Jim Timber · Feb 9, 2016

You want a 1/2" jog in the middle of the fitting while the bore of the fitting is only 3/8". You can't drill it at a diagonal because you'll hit the area were the threads for the fittings go. How do you make a 3/8" hole from one side to the other with a 1/2" offset?

You'd have to cast the fitting, and fittings are forged.

npalen · Feb 10, 2016

The fitting would be cross-drilled and plugged.

Jim Timber · Feb 10, 2016

Which would make it need to be thick enough to have another NPT thread in it, which makes building a Z out of two fittings more practical and sets you back 8 bucks.

I would've done an offset Z for mine had they had Female NPT 90 to ORB into the valve. They only carried swivel NPT 90's which are way too long. So I went with the 45 figuring I was going to replace it all eventually anyway.