My B21TLB with BT751 backhoe has blown the main connecting hoses between the backhoe and the tractor over the last couple of years. Last week a hose in the bundle leading into the boom started weeping, so I decided to replace all of the hoses in the boom.
I marked all of the hose ends with colored tape and took pictures for reassembly. After removing them all I cleaned them the best I could and placed them in a plastic garbage bin and took them to a hydraulic hose shop nearby. They took the bin with old hoses in the back room saying they'll get right on it. Two hours later they hand me the eight new hoses and a $1,200 bill. That was double the price of what I was expecting but paid them and left, taking my old hoses with me.
When I got home I noticed the new Aeroquip hoses diameter was slightly larger than the old ones, ~.800" vs. .640" of the old ones. With the spiral wrap outer protection (old ones had that also) the six hoses are now too large to fit through the opening right above the pivot where the boom cylinder attaches to the frame.
Has anyone else run into this problem? Does your hoses have spiral wrap protection in that area?
I feel they should have asked me if the larger diameter was going to be a problem and I would have answered yes, because I know that area was a tight fit getting the old hoses out of. Did I just throw $1,200 away and need to buy OEM hoses?
Some helpful tips for others considering this:
To do this hose replacement AFTER you blow a hose will be much harder since you need to extend the dipper arm, swing the backhoe to one side, then lower everything to the ground to remove the boom cylinder to the boom cylinder hose connections. That will not be an easy task once you lose hydraulics.
I placed old cardboard boxes, flattened out, on the shop floor before starting this. You will have oil everywhere. Have lots of paper towel available to soak up the excess as you remove each hose. The end of the boom cylinder will be very greasy since it has nowhere to go when you grease it. Lots of grease in there after many years. More paper towels needed.
When reinstalling the boom cylinder place a small rope (Clothes line) under the cylinder and leave 20" or so on each side before installing the cylinder back into the boom. You can reach in through the dipper hose slots on top the boom to grab the rope ends and use the rope to lift the cylinder into place to reinstall the pin.
Another important note. Since the tractor end of these hoses have an angled fitting, you need to clock the hose correctly as you tighten the hose on the boom cylinder. Otherwise when you try to attach the hose to the hose to the valves it doesn't line up and you'll have to remove the boom cylinder again. Ask me how I know!
Clock all hoses in a neutral position as when the boom is centered. That way they only twist a little each way as you swing the boom.
I marked all of the hose ends with colored tape and took pictures for reassembly. After removing them all I cleaned them the best I could and placed them in a plastic garbage bin and took them to a hydraulic hose shop nearby. They took the bin with old hoses in the back room saying they'll get right on it. Two hours later they hand me the eight new hoses and a $1,200 bill. That was double the price of what I was expecting but paid them and left, taking my old hoses with me.
When I got home I noticed the new Aeroquip hoses diameter was slightly larger than the old ones, ~.800" vs. .640" of the old ones. With the spiral wrap outer protection (old ones had that also) the six hoses are now too large to fit through the opening right above the pivot where the boom cylinder attaches to the frame.
Has anyone else run into this problem? Does your hoses have spiral wrap protection in that area?
I feel they should have asked me if the larger diameter was going to be a problem and I would have answered yes, because I know that area was a tight fit getting the old hoses out of. Did I just throw $1,200 away and need to buy OEM hoses?
Some helpful tips for others considering this:
To do this hose replacement AFTER you blow a hose will be much harder since you need to extend the dipper arm, swing the backhoe to one side, then lower everything to the ground to remove the boom cylinder to the boom cylinder hose connections. That will not be an easy task once you lose hydraulics.
I placed old cardboard boxes, flattened out, on the shop floor before starting this. You will have oil everywhere. Have lots of paper towel available to soak up the excess as you remove each hose. The end of the boom cylinder will be very greasy since it has nowhere to go when you grease it. Lots of grease in there after many years. More paper towels needed.
When reinstalling the boom cylinder place a small rope (Clothes line) under the cylinder and leave 20" or so on each side before installing the cylinder back into the boom. You can reach in through the dipper hose slots on top the boom to grab the rope ends and use the rope to lift the cylinder into place to reinstall the pin.
Another important note. Since the tractor end of these hoses have an angled fitting, you need to clock the hose correctly as you tighten the hose on the boom cylinder. Otherwise when you try to attach the hose to the hose to the valves it doesn't line up and you'll have to remove the boom cylinder again. Ask me how I know!
Clock all hoses in a neutral position as when the boom is centered. That way they only twist a little each way as you swing the boom.
