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Need Some Help...

KSSS

Senior Member
Joined
Feb 27, 2005
Messages
4,496
Location
Idaho
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excavation
Post a pick of the hyd couplers on the machine. If you have 340, you have the ports. Comes on all of them since 2011. If you push up against the coupler you will see that it will push in about an inch or so, that is what depressurizes the line. There is no button you can push on the machine. It is the collapsing of the coupler that depressurizes it. Trust me.
 

HandLogger

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Joined
Oct 21, 2007
Messages
108
Location
Berkshires
Occupation
Forest Land Management
Coupler Block - Machine Side .jpg

This side has a Faster casting and couplings that have pressure relief designed into them. The other side, however, does not have the same setup...which is why I put a like under Tinkerer's post about the 3-way relief valve.

When I finally got a chance to see an old friend of mine of today -- a bona fide old school diesel mechanic and tractor puller -- he made exactly the same suggestion...and, when I write "exactly," I mean he even gave me a Surplus Center part number right out of his paper catalog.

We were able to get by, this time around, by cracking the lines on the snowblower, but I won't be coming back to the same issue if I can help it. In my mind, the 3-way valve suggestion is a real winner. :D

By the way, if you live in a cold climate like we do here in the mountains -- and you can't get the collars on your couplings to make that final "click" indicating a positive lock -- get a propane torch out and heat the ends up. That's what ended up getting us over the final hurdle today.
 

KSSS

Senior Member
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Feb 27, 2005
Messages
4,496
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Idaho
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excavation
Yes the torch on the coupler is method I sent you in the email. What other side are you referring to? Both male and female sides collapse. The high flow side, if you have it, does not collapse, however hitting the pressure release on the low side (male and female) removes the pressure on the high flow side as well.
 

HandLogger

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Joined
Oct 21, 2007
Messages
108
Location
Berkshires
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Forest Land Management
I think that I wrote about this before, but we tried numerous methods of pressure relief, including pushing on the Faster couplings depicted in Post 22, but still couldn't get our snowblower hooked up for operation. The major part of the problem was finally solved after we got our hands on the proper tools and cracked the lines on the snowblower side of the circuit. As pushing on the couplings shown in the photo really had no effect on our actual problem, I can't say one way or the other if pushing on the couplings in the Faster casting will relieve pressure on the other side. I can say this, however, pushing on those couplings -- the ones that we use to power our snowblower -- will not make them move.

Admittedly, I'm no hydraulic coupling master, but our machine came equipped with both high flow and enhanced high-flow hydraulic circuits. Our machine hooks up to the aluminum "block" on the left side of the machine, as you face the door, which is what I meant when I used the phrase "...the other side" in my last post (and in this post).
 

KSSS

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Feb 27, 2005
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4,496
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Idaho
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excavation
Once the pressure is already in the line. You may have to crack the fitting to relieve the pressure, however if you push in the pressure release BEFORE you uncouple it, you wont have that issue again. Are you hooking up to high flow or regular aux. flow? Can you take a picture of the front of the machine so I can see both aux. hyd couplers.
 
Last edited:

HandLogger

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Oct 21, 2007
Messages
108
Location
Berkshires
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Forest Land Management
As shown, just below, this is the coupling "block" that we [finally] have the pressure and return lines coming from our snowblower coupled to...

HF Block 010422-3 .jpg


In the next shot (below), you can see the front of the machine in question. If you look to the right side of the cab, adjacent to the door handle, you will see the Faster FFH casting that is shown in much more detail in Post No. 22. Although I remain hopeful that full system pressure relief can be obtained by pushing on the empty couplers in the Faster FFH casting, I can tell you that pushing on the couplers in what I'm calling the "coupling block" (on the left side of the cab) will give you nothing but a sore shoulder. ;)

HF Block 010422-5 .jpg
 

KSSS

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Idaho
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excavation
Yours is the enhanced high flow version as you stated, but I wanted to see the other valve block to be sure. I checked this out from those that know, use the regular aux pressure release to clear the pressure on the enhanced side. The key is to clear it right away after use. Looks like you got the half inch Lexan door with the enhanced flow high flow. I would not use the enhanced high flow side on the blower unless it is made to take the 4K psi. There is a switch inside to switch from high flow to high pressure, I would keep it on the high flows side for the blower. If you mulch with it, then switch to high pressure.
 

Steve Frazier

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6,694
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LaGrangeville, N.Y.
I keep a pair of wrenches in my skid steer to counter this problem, it happens often with attachments removed cold and then seeing a rise in temperature, the expansion of the fluid internally within the attachment builds pressure on the connector.. Crack the line, bleed off the pressure and problem solved.
 

Steve Frazier

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Oct 30, 2003
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By the way, I've tried the couplers that are supposed to somehow bleed off the pressure but have never had them work much better. You might get a couple psi out of them but nothing significant. Either brute force or bleeding them off has been the only solution.
 

hosspuller

Senior Member
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Aug 27, 2014
Messages
1,876
Location
North Carolina
An open question to the HEF brain trust ...

How much pressure prevents connecting? Would a small air-filled accumulator absorb the volume created by temperature change. I'm thinking of a vertical tube section like a plumber uses for water hammer. (Hydraulic pressure rated of course) I could easily install such on my grapple.
My alternative is to install a tee in the line of the grapple. A ORFS cap would be used to relieve pressure.
 

gwhammy

Senior Member
Joined
Nov 20, 2013
Messages
617
Location
missouri
The high flow couplers can be a burger to hook. I've battled them on a high flow brush hog and wondered if I was ever going to get them hooked. The older I get the harder they are.
 

bobatack

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Joined
Feb 20, 2012
Messages
100
Location
Ontario, Canada
KSSS
I can say my machines do NOT have any pressure reduction ports except a control valve movement with engine off. Also, a temperature change will build pressure in the one hydraulic grapple attachment (flat face QC) I have when disconnected. Then cracking the fitting is the only way I know of getting it connected to the tractor hydraulics.
Old tractors are like that... :(
have any of you guys tried plugging the 2 attachment hoses together after removing attachment from loader?
Might help not to buildup pressure
 

skyking1

Senior Member
Joined
Nov 3, 2020
Messages
8,259
Location
washington
The high flow couplers can be a burger to hook. I've battled them on a high flow brush hog and wondered if I was ever going to get them hooked. The older I get the harder they are.
amen to that. The hand strength and position problems don't mellow with age. I used to just hook stuff up and now I am plotting for the best angles to give me the best personal power.
Next week I am building a step I can bolt onto the tilt trailer right below where I climb out of the excavator. I launched off there Tuesday after falling on the ice Monday morning, and it did not end so well.
 

James Sorochan

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Aug 1, 2020
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528
Location
Lethbridge county, Alberta, Canada
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x-water & sewer construction Now farmer.
View attachment 251327

This side has a Faster casting and couplings that have pressure relief designed into them. The other side, however, does not have the same setup...which is why I put a like under Tinkerer's post about the 3-way relief valve.

When I finally got a chance to see an old friend of mine of today -- a bona fide old school diesel mechanic and tractor puller -- he made exactly the same suggestion...and, when I write "exactly," I mean he even gave me a Surplus Center part number right out of his paper catalog.

We were able to get by, this time around, by cracking the lines on the snowblower, but I won't be coming back to the same issue if I can help it. In my mind, the 3-way valve suggestion is a real winner. :D

By the way, if you live in a cold climate like we do here in the mountains -- and you can't get the collars on your couplings to make that final "click" indicating a positive lock -- get a propane torch out and heat the ends up. That's what ended up getting us over the final hurdle today.
Thats exactly what has worked for me. It doesn't take much heat to make it work.
 

Flat Thunder Channel

Senior Member
Joined
Apr 24, 2020
Messages
378
Location
Ohio
have any of you guys tried plugging the 2 attachment hoses together after removing attachment from loader?
Might help not to buildup pressure

Seems like it could have some merit. I wonder if you had a spare set of short hose whips with quick connectors on one end, but free open hose ends. Plug them in directly to attachment immediately when disconnecting the tool. This would bleed off any excess pressure that could build from idle attachments and temperature changes. Shouldn't have to leave them connected. Just a quick plug in and remove. Just an idea.
 

HandLogger

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Joined
Oct 21, 2007
Messages
108
Location
Berkshires
Occupation
Forest Land Management
Before we gathered the tools to crack the lines on the snowblower side of the circuit, I contacted Stucchi USA and spoke to them about a flat face casting/block that has a pressure relief valve built into it. A friend of ours in NY state, with lots of snow-blowing experience, sent me this photo, after I described the issue to him in an email...which prompted me to contact Stucchi USA.

Stucchi Saturn Series FF Casting .png

Although this looks like a very promising solution to residual pressure buildup issues, it also looks very expensive...and, thinking out loud, I assume that it's far more expensive than the 3-way valve solution first mentioned in this thread by Tinkerer. ;)

Regardless, the fellow I spoke with at Stucchi USA did not push the Saturn casting (shown in the photo above) and, instead, made mention of an alternative that they've come up with. Now that the big snowblower is hooked up, I believe that I'll make another call to Stucchi and get some clarity on what they suggest for the future. I'll get back to the thread when I know more. :)
 

DMiller

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Feb 21, 2010
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Location
Hermann, Missouri
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Cheap "old" Geezer
Need a way to dump pressure on Machine and Attachment sides, BOTH sides to accomplish what you seek to do. A Bleed screw/fitting on the Attachment and a dump valve across the ports as above would be the easiest and simplest but as you note not a Cheap fix.

BTW AG loaders with Quick Attach to Tractor do exactly the same, many times end up with both tractor and loader circuits jacked tight and have to shut off tractor cycle control(Manual) then 'Pop' all the fittings on the loader to get a connection.
 

hosspuller

Senior Member
Joined
Aug 27, 2014
Messages
1,876
Location
North Carolina
Need a way to dump pressure on Machine and Attachment sides, BOTH sides to accomplish what you seek to do. A Bleed screw/fitting on the Attachment and a dump valve across the ports as above would be the easiest and simplest but as you note not a Cheap fix.

BTW AG loaders with Quick Attach to Tractor do exactly the same, many times end up with both tractor and loader circuits jacked tight and have to shut off tractor cycle control(Manual) then 'Pop' all the fittings on the loader to get a connection.
DMiller describes my issue to a tee. I've a hay grapple on an Ag tractor using flat face couplers as on a skidsteer. No problem relieving the pressure on the tractor. (as DMiller describes) It's the grapple building pressure that prevents coupling.
 

skyking1

Senior Member
Joined
Nov 3, 2020
Messages
8,259
Location
washington
these attachments have a pocket of air in there somewhere for them to build pressure with temperature changes. Oil does not expand and contract to build the pressure, that bubble of air at the top of the cylinder, line, etc it does the work.
It is entirely possible that those who have good luck also have completely purged attachments.
 

John C.

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Jun 11, 2007
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Northwest
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Machinery & Equipment Appraiser
Actually the formulations for hydraulic oils in the last forty years do indeed expand and contract. Check the level in the reservoir of any hydraulic system on an cold morning and then check it again at the end of a day of steady work. I've seen plenty of forty gallon reservoirs where hot oil is more than an inch higher at the end of the day. What oil doesn't do is compress. A couple of percent of expansion inside a system bearing on a couple of square inches of surface area might put forty or more pounds of pressure against the oil side of the coupler.
 
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