Changing hydraulic fluid in new to me backhoe....

[puma1973]

I have a new to me 1986 JCB 1400b, I am looking to change hydraulic fluid. Maybe I am nuts, but I am changing all fluids and filters before I put her to work. This way, I will feel I did all I could to prevent problems in the future. I got this from a dealer and have no idea what the previous owner did or did not maintenance, or what kind of fluids they used.
I have 40 gallons of premium fluid and a new filter.

So, most fluids and filters are done and it is time to tackle the hydraulic fluid. Problem is, the manuals really don't give me much to go by, other than changing the filter. Therefore I am looking for tips/ideas on how to tackle this job.
Like: what is the best way to drain as much as possible? is there any special tips for doing this task? Am I insane?
Please give the most detail you can, I am new at this whole backhoe thing. Like, I don't even know if there is actually any drain plugs for this system.

 

[Delmer]

I try to change the oil after using it for a few hours, thinking that you want to have all of the dirt suspended in the oil, the oil warm and flowing, and the filter all loaded up. No point in changing the oil with the dirt sitting on the bottom of the pan along with any water.

If you feel you can do it safely, leave the loader and backhoe in the air, stabilizers retracted, drain the fluid and remove the filter, put an empty bucket under each, and then lower the backhoe and loader (could use another piece of equipment with a chain to retract the bucket cylinders too if you want to be more thorough).

The other alternative is to disconnect hoses and flush each line and cylinder individually. There's no reason to do that unless you have bad water contamination, or after a major breakdown.