WM hydraulic hose fitting problem.

[Jim_Rogers]

When I was working my mill the other day, Wednesday, just before the up/down chain broke, I was having some problems with the log loader not raising up enough. It seems I was low on fluid.
So I put some in.
I also looked around to see if I had broken off a fitting where the hoses connect to the loader pistons. You know that one that everyone breaks when they freeze to the ground/snow/sawdust in the winter time. I even raised the loader arms up and cleaned out the bark behind them and there was no fresh oil there and everything seemed ok.

Well today, just as I finished edging the 2" slabs off the big hemlock I was milling the loader arms wouldn't lift up again. I thought that was a little strange as I just put in some oil.

With a little more closer inspection, I found this:



 

There was a pin hole leak in the "T" fitting where the lines split and go to each loader arm piston. At least I think that's where that stream of transmission fluid is coming from.

Well, I got some tools and put on a new pair of my mechanic rubber gloves:



 

Great gloves when you pull them on the shred to pieces.

And got the fitting out:



 

Tomorrow, I'll be off to my local hardware store that makes hoses for me, and see if they have a fitting this size.

Would you put thread tape on one of these types of fittings?

Or because of the way it goes together is it not needed?

Jim Rogers

[thecfarm]

Thread tape might help it come apart 10 years down the road.

[NWP]

Depends what type of thread it is. Hard to tell what type of thread it is from the picture. If it's a JIC fitting you don't need tape. If it is a pipe thread fitting you'll need thread sealer. I usually use a paste type pipe dope on my pipe thread hydraulic fittings.

[Nomad]

     Those look like JIC fittings to me.  You shouldn't need tape.  Make very sure the taper is clean and undamaged, both male and female sides.

[oscar4749]

As NWP said if anything use pipe dope (do not use thread tape on any hyd. fittings)The little pieces of tape cam get into hyd. system and cause big problems. We once had a customer that did that on a backhoe. it got into everything including the valve bank. Ended tearing it entirely all apart to clean and flush every part. Very costly repair! Don't use tape!

[Brucer]

All the hoses on my 2006 mill have JIC fittings. That means anything that connects directly to a hose will have JIC fittings as well. No thread sealant required.

Some of the specialty fittings such as the velocity fuses and sequencing valves have NPT threads, with a JIC/NPT adapter between the hose and the fitting. The NPT threads would require sealant.

[rmack]

Might not hurt to determine whether the fitting is JIC or SAE. Everything on my mill, in terms of bolts etc, seems to be SAE. In many sizes the two will thread together but the seat will not seal properly because of the different seat angles. I assume most 'made in America' stuff would use SAE.

btw, tube fittings do not require sealant or tape. X3

[Jim_Rogers]

Here are the two fittings, one the left if the old one, and on the right is the new one:



 

I did go to home depot this morning and got some pipe paste but I won't use it if I'm not suppose to.

Let me know as soon as you can, as I want to put this back together this morning.

Jim Rogers

[thecfarm]

Come to think of it,  : I had to replace a hyd line on my tractor once. There was nothing on the fittings on that. Came apart very easy,15 years later.

[bandmiller2]

Jim use the pipe paste on the threads not for sealing but to make removal easier next time.Note the rust on the threads of the old fitting.I like the Teflon paste the best. Frank C.

[beenthere]

No need for paste other than for future ease of removal (and I don't see a need for that either).

I'd be concerned how this fitting got so corroded. Looks to be seriously eaten away. Is it located in a place where there is a lot of sawdust and/or moisture trapped?

[rmack]

Here are the two fittings, one the left if the old one, and on the right is the new one:



 

I did go to home depot this morning and got some pipe paste but I won't use it if I'm not suppose to.

Let me know as soon as you can, as I want to put this back together this morning.

Jim Rogers

Sorry Jim been on the road the last 4 hrs. If the seat angles are the same on both fittings you should be good to go. Also Iguess some never seize on the threads wouldnt hurt.

[Jim_Rogers]

I just came in from putting it all back together again. I did put some paste on the threads to help for next time.

Here is a shot after the flow test:



 

I went to my case box of transmission fluid bottles and wouldn't you know it, I need to get three and there is only one left in the box.

Luckily I had two in the snow plow truck. So the tank is now full.

On to the next sawing job.

Cutting some salvage beams in half for a salvage lumber company.....

Thanks to everyone for all your comments and advice.

Jim Rogers

[Jim_Rogers]

I've been waiting all day for a guy to show up and get his lumber that I finished on Saturday.
He told me Saturday he would be here late morning. Well it's after 3 pm and he hasn't showed up or called.

I just called the hardware store to tell them that I won't be over today to pay for the fitting. She couldn't even find the slip from yesterday that the kid filled out as a "charge" because he couldn't find the price.

Anyway, she finally found it and looked it up and it was only $7.48 for the fitting.
I told her that I would most likely get another one as they had plenty and there are at least two of these on the mill.

I would imagine that the reason why it rusted out was not enough proper cleaning of the mill of wet sawdust.
That sawyer what a lazy butt.....

Jim Rogers

[bill m]

JIC 37deg. fittings are steel used for higher pressure applications such as hydraulic. SAE 45 deg. fittings are brass used for lower pressure such as water and gas lines.