I have a SVL95-2 equipped with a high flow Loftness Battle Ax vegetation Mulching head. The Mulcher began spewing/leaking hydraulic fluid from the pressure relief port located at the lower back left side, under the protection cover, at the point where the hoses enter the frame. Low flow condition is working properly.
My problem began when the "high flow, hose side, female quick connect coupling" connected to the skid steer manifold block, began leaking a considerable amount of hydraulic fluid. After I replaced both the high flow female and male fittings, I noticed that the mulcher began blowing fluid out of the mulchers "over pressure" relief port.
I replaced the Loftness pressure relief valve ($16). This valve is located inside of the mulcher, behind the 5 bolt panel located on the left side. This did not cure the problem.
I contacted Kubota, they told me the mulches hydraulic motor was bad and to contact the manufacture. Next, I contacted Loftness and talked to an excellent and knowledgable technical service man name Clint. He believed that this was not a major problem, and asked me to focus efforts on the hydraulic manifold block located on the skid steers left lift arm. He asked be to perform the following procedure.
The male "LOW FLOW" connector on the "skid steers hydraulic manifold" is also a pressure relief valve. If the pressure in the manifold increases to a specific level, the low flow male coupling/pressure relief will blow off and divert the fluid back through an 1/8 inch port located inside of the manifold, back into bypass hose, and then back into the the hydraulic fluid reservoir.
Then why is the mulching head blowing off the pressure relief valve?
If you are running the machine in HIGH FLOW at higher motor speeds and the skid steers LOW FLOW male connector is bad, causing it to fail at lower pressures, the bad valve creates a condition which will begin to push fluid volume greater than the 1/2" those can handle. Therefore, the excess fluid flow/pressure will be pushed back into the mulcher head (up to 3k to 5k of pressure) which causes a "pressure protection condition" in the mulcher head. This condition causes the mulching heads pressure relief valve to blow off the additional pressure. When this condition occurred in my mulcher, at 1/4 motor throttle, hydraulic fluid was shooting out of the relief port two feet in the air and back half way onto the skid steers track.
Big thanks to Clint at Loftness. "Great knowledge is greatly apperciated".
I hope this helps. Good luck and stay safe.
My problem began when the "high flow, hose side, female quick connect coupling" connected to the skid steer manifold block, began leaking a considerable amount of hydraulic fluid. After I replaced both the high flow female and male fittings, I noticed that the mulcher began blowing fluid out of the mulchers "over pressure" relief port.
I replaced the Loftness pressure relief valve ($16). This valve is located inside of the mulcher, behind the 5 bolt panel located on the left side. This did not cure the problem.
I contacted Kubota, they told me the mulches hydraulic motor was bad and to contact the manufacture. Next, I contacted Loftness and talked to an excellent and knowledgable technical service man name Clint. He believed that this was not a major problem, and asked me to focus efforts on the hydraulic manifold block located on the skid steers left lift arm. He asked be to perform the following procedure.
- Unthread the coupling from the 1/2 inch bypass hose. This is the smallest hose out of the five hoses on the mulches hydraulic hose group. Put the open ended hose in a 5 gallon bucket.
- Connect the mulchers high flow hoses to the skid steer. Do NOT connect the 1/2" bypass hose, leave this opened ended hose in the bucket.
- Start the Skidsteer, put the hydraulics in highflown mode. Turn the throttle to 1/8 speed.
- Turn on the hydraulics for the mulcher.
- Hydraulic fluid should exit the bypass hose at the normal rate of 1-5 quarts per minute. This will vary depending on the speed the skid steer motor. Mine was about 1-1/2 to 2 quarts per minute. If there is more than 5 quarts, contact the mulchers manufacture. If fluid bypass is 1-5 quarts per minute, go to step #6
- Connect the quick connect coupling (just the coupling without the hose) that you removed from the 1/2" hose, to its counter part male coupling located at the top position of the skid steers manifold gang, located on the lift arm.
- Disconnect the mulchers high flow lines from the skid steers manifold.
- Start the skid steer. At an idle speed, see if fluid comes out the bypass quick connect coupling. Note: A small amount of fluid may leak out directly after you start the machine, after that, only a vary tiny amount if any fluid may drip out the bypass coupling.
- With the machine at idle, using the buttons on the right joy stick, engage the low flow pressure.
- At idle speed, the condition should be the same; very little to no fluid should be coming out of the 1/2'' female quick connect coupling that you removed the hose from and connected the to the bypass male coupling on the manifold. At this point, mine had a stream of fluid running out of the coupling connected to the bypass.
- Next, slowly speed the machine up and observe how much hydraulic fluid begins flowing out of the 1/2" coupling. Note: Mine began leaking a considerable amount of fluid when I turned up the throttle a little bit. At 1/4 throttle, there was a steady flow of fluid squirting from the coupling. If this occurs; this means that the "Low Flow male coupling/pressure relief valve" located on the skid steers manifold is BAD and is causing an over pressure condition in the mulcher head. The low flow male coupler will needs to be replaced. No fluid should be leaking out of the bypass hose at idle and up to 1/4 to 1/3 throttle.
The male "LOW FLOW" connector on the "skid steers hydraulic manifold" is also a pressure relief valve. If the pressure in the manifold increases to a specific level, the low flow male coupling/pressure relief will blow off and divert the fluid back through an 1/8 inch port located inside of the manifold, back into bypass hose, and then back into the the hydraulic fluid reservoir.
Then why is the mulching head blowing off the pressure relief valve?
If you are running the machine in HIGH FLOW at higher motor speeds and the skid steers LOW FLOW male connector is bad, causing it to fail at lower pressures, the bad valve creates a condition which will begin to push fluid volume greater than the 1/2" those can handle. Therefore, the excess fluid flow/pressure will be pushed back into the mulcher head (up to 3k to 5k of pressure) which causes a "pressure protection condition" in the mulcher head. This condition causes the mulching heads pressure relief valve to blow off the additional pressure. When this condition occurred in my mulcher, at 1/4 motor throttle, hydraulic fluid was shooting out of the relief port two feet in the air and back half way onto the skid steers track.
Big thanks to Clint at Loftness. "Great knowledge is greatly apperciated".
I hope this helps. Good luck and stay safe.
