Questions on installing a ripper?

[Welder Dave]

I picked up the ripper from RB today and it's bigger than I thought. Has 1" plate in the main frame. I thought it might be too narrow by a 1/4" but pounded a 4x4 in-between the uprights and it moved out wide enough. Much better than a bunch of grinding.

Looking at a similar ripper there was a tag that said a 1/2" gap is typical between the mounting lugs on the grader and the mounting lugs on the ripper. The mounts on the back are close to this but the mounts on the side have about a 5" gap. I wouldn't think it would matter too much since the bolts take the stress and I could just use longer bolts. Will a wider gap and longer bolts put more stress on the bolts? The mounting plates are 3/4" and I think the bolts are 1 1/4" grade 8. The grader frame comes to where the rubber latches are. Of course I have to grind those off. If they were back 3/8" I could leave them on. No big deal.

The grader frame has some 2" square lugs on the sides that go around the frame. My first thought is they are to help hold the frame from falling down when installing the grader. Could there be another reason for them? I could weld tabs for them to sit on if necessary but maybe it doesn't matter?

The mounting holes appear to be a tight 1 3/8" so I'm thinking the bolts should be 1 1/4". I don't think they make 1 5/16" bolts? If I used 1 3/8" bolts I'd need to take a die grinder to the holes.

I think the block the hoses go to is a lock valve to hold the ripper in position. Is there anything to be aware of when hooking up the hoses?

Lastly I have an extra valve on the steering pedestal but I think the lines go to the front of the grader. The control valve doesn't move though so I'm not sure if the cable is seized or there's another reason for the lever to be stuck/seized. If I can free it up would it be better to use it for the ripper or get some more new solenoids and use a valve that was for a snow wing?

 

[cuttin edge]

I picked up the ripper from RB today and it's bigger than I thought. Has 1" plate in the main frame. I thought it might be too narrow by a 1/4" but pounded a 4x4 in-between the uprights and it moved out wide enough. Much better than a bunch of grinding.

Looking at a similar ripper there was a tag that said a 1/2" gap is typical between the mounting lugs on the grader and the mounting lugs on the ripper. The mounts on the back are close to this but the mounts on the side have about a 5" gap. I wouldn't think it would matter too much since the bolts take the stress and I could just use longer bolts. Will a wider gap and longer bolts put more stress on the bolts? The mounting plates are 3/4" and I think the bolts are 1 1/4" grade 8. The grader frame comes to where the rubber latches are. Of course I have to grind those off. If they were back 3/8" I could leave them on. No big deal.

The grader frame has some 2" square lugs on the sides that go around the frame. My first thought is they are to help hold the frame from falling down when installing the grader. Could there be another reason for them? I could weld tabs for them to sit on if necessary but maybe it doesn't matter?

The mounting holes appear to be a tight 1 3/8" so I'm thinking the bolts should be 1 1/4". I don't think they make 1 5/16" bolts? If I used 1 3/8" bolts I'd need to take a die grinder to the holes.

I think the block the hoses go to is a lock valve to hold the ripper in position. Is there anything to be aware of when hooking up the hoses?

Lastly I have an extra valve on the steering pedestal but I think the lines go to the front of the grader. The control valve doesn't move though so I'm not sure if the cable is seized or there's another reason for the lever to be stuck/seized. If I can free it up would it be better to use it for the ripper or get some more new solenoids and use a valve that was for a snow wing?

Our 730 had a front mount plow. If you pulled the tool box out of the hole above the front wheels there was a diverter valve to put flow to a mid mount scarifier, or the front plow. The valves under the cab would stick. I think you can get at them if you remove the front section of the skid plate for the transmission. My wheel lean valve would stick in damp weather. Not exactly sure what they did to free them up. Our machine had solenoids for the wing. One was on the frame under the right door, and the other two were back by the hydraulic tank.

 

[Welder Dave]

I have the solenoid under the right door and there is hose looped connecting to 2 lines at the front. I'm not sure why the aux. valve/ripper valve on the steering pedestal won't move. It would be the most convenient if I can free it up but I might need long hoses to go from the front to the back. The electric switch box is still in the cab but I'm not sure where all the wires go. If I could figure that out I could use one of the switches with the wing valve. Of course if I use the wing valve I'll need to buy 2 more solenoids and pay the ridiculous postage. The sad part is I considered getting 2 extra solenoids because they were so cheap, when I bought 2 for the articulation. $7.20ea. I think if you bought 4 and the shipping would have been the same. One of those things... if I'd only known I'd find a ripper I could afford 3 weeks earlier. $100 for solenoids or $100 for longer hoses. I'll have to investigate the stuck lever more. If the cable is shot forget it. Would you suggest the wing valve anyway?

 

[Welder Dave]

Our 730 had a front mount plow. If you pulled the tool box out of the hole above the front wheels there was a diverter valve to put flow to a mid mount scarifier, or the front plow. The valves under the cab would stick. I think you can get at them if you remove the front section of the skid plate for the transmission. My wheel lean valve would stick in damp weather. Not exactly sure what they did to free them up. Our machine had solenoids for the wing. One was on the frame under the right door, and the other two were back by the hydraulic tank.

Do you know if there were additional valves for the snow wing cylinders? Looking at the articulation there appears to be relief valves mounted on the hyd. tank before the solenoid valve but the solenoid valve has a cross over relief valve as well. The wing valve appears to have a cross over relief valve so I'm thinking it should be sufficient. The ripper has a valve on it that I think is a lock valve and/or a cushion valve from looking at other rippers. It is bigger and looks more complex than simple cushion valves I've seen on other rippers. Maybe it has a relief valve??? I'll see if someone on here might know or see if a hyd. shop would know.

 

[cuttin edge]

I don't remember the setup for the rear. You had 3 functions Front lift, rear lift and extent and retract, also plumbed through the rear. If your transmission skid plate is 2 piece, take the top section off, and you should see the valve bank. I think they used to spray the spools and free them up

 

[Welder Dave]

Trans. skid plate is 1 piece and can hinge out of the way. I'm thinking using the wing valve under the door will be the simplest way to hook it up. Just sucks I have to pay the shipping again when I could have got 2 more solenoids for about $15. I guess they're still pretty cheap.

I'm thinking the hoses should be strapped to the other hoses in the center under the cab so they won't get damaged when articulating. I wish I knew what the 2" square blocks on the back of the uprights above the mounting holes were for. Originally I thought maybe just to help hold the ripper in place to mount it but they seem too big just for that. A lot of newer rippers have torque arms going under the frame so I wonder if the blocks are to stop the frame from twisting up or down under heavy loads? Thinking maybe I should weld plates on the frame the blocks would fit into? Here's another pic. showing 1 of the blocks.