Bruce's Journal

[CntryBoy777]

I don't think it was anything that ya did Bruce....I don't have experience with tractors, but have tons on a forklift....there are always weak spots along the way during the manufacture of the hoses and they have to endure the pressure and the oil traveling through them.....if there is a flaw in the wall of the hose it will be revealed sooner rather than later.....sure hope the snafus come to an end for ya....so ya can get back to having some more Fun!!.....

 

[greybeard]

Was using the backhoe in the pond and :ep hydraulic leak!! Stopped doing what I was doing and got the tractor up on "land". Cleaned up the fluid and moved everything, determined that it is one of the hoses for the cylinder that raises and lowers the lower arm. It is getting picked up tomorrow by the dealer.

@greybeard do you have a comment on my question? They are picking it up soon and I would like to know if there is a chance I screwed something up or there was just a weak hose on a new machine.

So a question for the backhoe knowledgeable:
Is there anything *I* could have been doing that would cause the hose to go? It is definitely a hose, not a fitting. Of course the hoses are covered with thick fabric so I can't see the leak.

Yes I do.
Get used to it.
OEM hoses have a short lifespan, just as tires on a brand new vehicle do. On most import farm equipment and implements, anything ancillary to the engine and drive train is made as cheaply as possible.
I'm assuming the leaky hose is part of the FEL and not the backhoe attachment? Or did you mean it is a hose that raises and lowers the BkHoe stabilizer?

On loaders, I saw it constantly when I worked at the Kubota dealership, but they finally learned it was costing them $$ in the long term due to lost customers and too many service related warranty claims. We ended up just changing out every hose on some loaders under warranty while we had them in for one leaky hose, whether the rest leaked or not, using locally made hydraulic hoses.

NO, there is nothing you could have done in your dirt work that could cause the leaking hose. You haven't had it long enough or put nearly enough hours on the unit for it to be a case of the hoses rubbing together inside the fabric cover either, and even if you dead headed the control lever (holding it so that a cylinder is fully extended or fully retracted under pressure for more than a couple seconds) the pressure relief valve is supposed to ensure pressure stays well below burst point of the hyd line/hose.

IF, you were using it out in heavy brush, it's possible a hose could have been hung on something, but I'm pretty sure from your pictures and work description this is not the case, especially in light the leaky hose was encased in the fabric sheath.

Likely as not, the service dept will simply shrug, tell you "it happens" and offer no realistic explanation.

On my brother-in-law's Kubota tractor, I replaced every hose on his FEL and grapple within a few years 2-3 of him buying it, and I insisted we get the hoses made at a local shop as a hydraulic shop or even NAPA makes better hoses and fittings than OEM, and lots of dealerships just make their own or has a local place make the, anyway.

 

[Mike CHS]

I'm interested in the answer to that one. I have put some major strain on my front hydraulics and haven't busted any hoses yet.

 

[greybeard]

I'm interested in the answer to that one. I have put some major strain on my front hydraulics and haven't busted any hoses yet.

As I said, Kubota finally learned and made some changes in QC regarding both their hoses and seals in loaders.

 

[Bruce]

Yes I do.
Get used to it.

We ARE used to it AND value your comments highly!! I figured I should be forearmed in case they want to claim it is not a warranty thing but something I did BEFORE they tell me So far they have been good, hopefully that will continue.

I'm assuming the leaky hose is part of the FEL and not the backhoe attachment?

No, it is one of the 2 that go to the "lower" or "inside" (visual reference) cylinder in the boom. It raises and lowers the boom, the "upper" or "outside" cylinder extends and retracts the dipper arm and isn't affected. It doesn't look like it has been getting pinched and I've not noticed it. I did notice that 2 of the hoses going out the dipper were getting caught between it and the boom as the dipper extended and retracted so I zip tied them to the other hoses farther into in the dipper, problem solved.

On my brother-in-law's Kubota tractor, I replaced every hose on his FEL and grapple within a few years 2-3 of him buying it, and I insisted we get the hoses made at a local shop as a hydraulic shop

Interesting. Before he figured out which hoses I was talking about, he told me to go get one made at a local (to him) shop. Guess if I need out of warranty work I'll do that. Nice to know I'm better off with local than OEM parts.

Oh, and on that fuel "pre filter"?? He had to look at the diagrams and "explode" the can that holds the paper filter to find the part number. Said he has NEVER sold one of those. I wonder if it gets changed when someone brings their tractor in for 50 hour service. I guess it isn't real important to replace it at 50 hours. A guy on Tractorbynet with a 1538 (basically the same engine) said his owner's manual doesn't give a timeframe for replacing the fuel filters. Said something about replacing them if the engine is running rough IIRC.

 

[greybeard]

No, it is one of the 2 that go to the "lower" or "inside" (visual reference) cylinder in the boom.

That's usually simply called the boom cylinder.

By "get used to it" I meant get used to replacing hydraulic hoses.

They will honor the warranty on hoses for awhile, but be prepared, even within the warranty time period, to be told it doesn't cover 'consumables', and consumables often include any rubber goods.

Can't expect even a steel braided rubber covered and rubber lined hose to last as long as a pump or other mechanical part, as the hoses are constantly being contracted into a "U' (or inverted 'U' ) and straightened back out, then cycled again over and over again at high temps and pressures. But, it's way too early for them to start going bad at just over the 1st 50 hr service. 50 hrs of course, is basically just over one six day, 8 hr work week. Not even broke in good yet.

 

[greybeard]

I wonder if it gets changed when someone brings their tractor in for 50 hour service.

Sometimes we changed the fuel filters at 1st service, sometimes did not..........customer's choice.
The reason for doing it is in case there was any debris or even water in the tank between the time it was built and sold to the customer. It could easily be up to a year and rust never sleeps...nor does condensation. Be meticulous about using clean fuel from clean containers and fuel filters will last a very very long time.
(I have not yet changed the fuel filter on my gasoline 2008 Silverado pickup but have changed the filters on all my diesel farm equipment many times since '08)

 

[Bruce]

By "get used to it" I meant get used to replacing hydraulic hoses.

I thought you were saying to get used to you having an opinion and commenting.
Got it, hydraulic hoses will go. ASSUMING they are of 'decent' quality, about how many hours of work can one expect a given hose to last? Could be useful information not only for when I should think about replacing hoses before they go but also anyone buying a used tractor. Questions like: Will it need new hoses soon? Should I just replace them right off?

 

[greybeard]

I thought you were saying to get used to you having an opinion and commenting.
Got it, hydraulic hoses will go. ASSUMING they are of 'decent' quality, about how many hours of work can one expect a given hose to last?

impossible to say. depends on too many local factors, how good the quality was to begin with etc.

Could be useful information not only for when I should think about replacing hoses before they go but also anyone buying a used tractor. Questions like: Will it need new hoses soon? Should I just replace them right off?

I never replace the hoses on my own backhoe till they actually need it, just due to the trouble of getting to them. Not much room to work, and always caked with mud and grease.

 

[Bruce]

I can see that. All the hoses are covered individually in heavy fabric, then they are all sent down inside the boom in a big common fabric sleeve and go up under the platform to the controls. I can't think changing a specific hose will be much fun since it seems unlikely it will be easy to thread a single hose down the big sleeve and up into the controls.