Flushing hydraulic fluid from implement

[George in NH]

Hi guys,

Sorry, I tried searching, but oddly enough, didn't have any luck. I couldn't even find something on youtube! I'm sure it's my lack of search skills, haha.

Anyway, I recently bought a used 5455 snowblower (with hydraulic chute rotation) and 2751 quick attach and would like to flush the old hydraulic fluid out and refill with new before I hook it up to my machine (BX25D). Could someone please point me to a thread that explains the procedure or give me a quick how to.

THANKS!

 

[Russell King]

Cylinders are a bit messy but you can do it by taking the hoses off and pressurizing one end with air. The piston will move down and force fluid out the other end. Then reverse the operation to force fluid out of the other end. The hoses could be left on and used to direct the fluid into a bucket if you have a way to get the air pressure into the hose end.

if you really want to get more oil out then you would need to either install some of the preferred fluid into the cylinder ends or take the cylinder apart and drain it out.

You could naturally hook one hose to your tractor and force the piston one direction and fill that side of the cylinder with the tractor fluid while the far side is being drained into a bucket. Then switch ends and go back and forth between the ends being connected or drained until you felt good about it.

There is not that much fluid in the cylinders that would contaminate the tractor fluid but you can minimize that amount if you want to put in the effort and create some messiness.

Have fun

 

[McMXi]

Hi guys,

Sorry, I tried searching, but oddly enough, didn't have any luck. I couldn't even find something on youtube! I'm sure it's my lack of search skills, haha.

Anyway, I recently bought a used 5455 snowblower (with hydraulic chute rotation) and 2751 quick attach and would like to flush the old hydraulic fluid out and refill with new before I hook it up to my machine (BX25D). Could someone please point me to a thread that explains the procedure or give me a quick how to.

THANKS!

I bought a used rear blade with three-way hydraulics last year and wanted to get the oil out of all three cylinders. I simply removed the couplers from the ends of the six hoses and used enough compressed air to move the pistons back and forth, first one way, and then the other, while draining the oil into a container. I did this a number of times until I was satisfied that the old oil had been removed. I ended up with something like 1-1/2 gallons of oil.

I use UDT2 so had no desire to mix whatever was in the cylinders with the liquid gold in the tractor.

 

[George in NH]

THANKS GUYS! Well, that sounds simple enough. It's kind of what I had in mind, but since I have no experience doing it, I though it best to ask here first. I've certainly messed things up before by just winging it and hoping for the best, haha. I'd better find the time to get this taken care of soon...snow will be here any time now.

I definitely appreciate you guys taking the time to help out

 

[Spam Bot]

Don't forget to remove the shear pins and ensure they are the correct size for your snowblower. I have found many instances where the owner didn't care enough to use the correct shear pin and instead replaced it with a stronger bolt that wouldn't break when the impeller struck an immovable item. Also, warm the gearbox in front of a heater, and then drain and change the gearbox oil in both gearboxes.

 

[George in NH]

Don't forget to remove the shear pins and ensure they are the correct size for your snowblower. I have found many instances where the owner didn't care enough to use the correct shear pin and instead replaced it with a stronger bolt that wouldn't break when the impeller struck an immovable item. Also, warm the gearbox in front of a heater, and then drain and change the gearbox oil in both gearboxes.

I did check the shear pins!! One of the first things I did because I knew a guy who bought a used blower and the previous owner replaced his with regular bolts! THANKS for the help!

 

[Old Machinist]

Not sure how hard it is to get the cylinder off your machine. I recently purchased a grapple that I just pulled the cylinder off and held it over the drain bucket and pushed and pulled it through it's stroke range to get the factory fluid out.

 

[TheOldHokie]

Not sure how hard it is to get the cylinder off your machine. I recently purchased a grapple that I just pulled the cylinder off and held it over the drain bucket and pushed and pulled it through it's stroke range to get the factory fluid out.

Or just leave it sitting with open ports down for 20-30 minutes ....

Dan

 

[Old Machinist]

Or just leave it sitting with open ports down for 20-30 minutes ....

Dan

Assuming it's level.

 

[TheOldHokie]

Assuming it's level.

Thus isnt that complucated. If yiu have the cylunder in hand you can dump the oil out.

Dan

 

[McMXi]

Hi guys,

Sorry, I tried searching, but oddly enough, didn't have any luck. I couldn't even find something on youtube! I'm sure it's my lack of search skills, haha.

Anyway, I recently bought a used 5455 snowblower (with hydraulic chute rotation) and 2751 quick attach and would like to flush the old hydraulic fluid out and refill with new before I hook it up to my machine (BX25D). Could someone please point me to a thread that explains the procedure or give me a quick how to.

THANKS!

By the way, I assume you have a similar set up to my SB1574 in terms of chute rotation. As stated earlier, my advice is to remove the couplers from the ends of the two hoses and use a little compressed air to blow out any old oil. It would be the easiest approach to clean out out the hydraulic pump and hoses. Given how small the pump is, you won't get much oil out of it, but alternating between hydraulic hoses with an air hose will do the trick.

 

[George in NH]

Thanks for all the help guys!

I seem to have another question though...how do I get fresh fluid into the now empty cylinder? I kind of thought to just attach the lines to my tractor and the tractor would pump fluid in, and I would keep filling the tank on the tractor to keep the fluid at the proper level...but wouldn't that introduce air into the system?

I definitely appreciate all of you taking the time to help!

 

[WI_Hedgehog]

To get fresh fluid into an empty cylinder hook it to the tractor and cycle the control valves several times to pressurize the lines, then top off your tractor fluid. The air works its way out while you're cycling the fluid in and out (it's just that easy, though don't do it under load--go easy and it'll go well).

By the way, it takes a while to fill a side the first time you do it so don't panic when nothing happens for 5 to 15 seconds (do the lift = non-ram side first), and it will likely feel/react weak and spongy. The second side (descend) will likely go a bit faster due to the rod taking up some of the fluid volume (and gravity assisting). With that cycle of up/down complete cycle it again--the first side will go up pretty much right away and faster than before but probably be spongy at the height limit, and as the cylinder is cycled a few more times it'll reach the end of travel without the cushion/spongyness at the end--that's when most if not all the air is out. If there's some air remaining it shouldn't be much so refill the tractor hydraulic fluid and you're set.

 

[George in NH]

Hook it up and cycle the control valves several times to pressurize the lines, then top off your tractor fluid. The air works its way out while you're cycling the fluid in and out. It's just that easy (don't do it under load, do it easy and it'll go well).

It'll take a while to fill a one side the first time (do lift first), and it will feel weak and spongy. The second side (descend) will likely go a bit faster due to the rod taking up some of the fluid volume (and gravity). Then the first side will go up faster but be spongy at the height limit, as it's cycled a few times it'll reach the end of travel without the cushion/spongyness at the end--that's when most if not all the air is out. If there's some air remaining it shouldn't be much so refill the tractor hydraulic fluid and you're set.

Awesome! Sounds easy enough.
Thanks, the help is very much appreciated.

Once I get it all properly set up and ready to use, I hope it just sits on the shelf...I hate snow, haha