Has anyone taken off the floor boards of a 555E or similar machine? I have a leaky hose that crosses over the top of the transmission housing from what I believe is the loader control to some split point on the other side. Looking at it I have no idea how I’m going to get to it from underneath. Just wondering if it’s possible from the top.
cosmaar1, I feel your pain. A couple of years ago I had a hose blow under the machine. I got to lay in the mud created by hydraulic oil and struggle to replace it. It seems like it would have been easy from the top. Anyhow, I have never taken the mat out, so I do not know for sure (I think NH575E has tho), but from all indications, the cab has solid floors, except for the heater box hole. Below is from the manual, and it preaty much says the cab must be removed to carry out the tasks, one of which is hydraulics. I can tell you, in the future I may look into cutting the floor for access to the hydraulics. My hoses are over 20 years old and will surely fail at some point. If anyone has cut the floor to gain access on a NH E series, I would love to hear about it too.
There is one panel under the pedals that is removable - at least on mine. Don't know if that's original or not. And it is pretty far forward so don't know if it would give access to the hose you need to replace. I've never removed the back mat, only the front.
When I redid the floor in mine, I cut it out of one sheet then cut it into 3 pieces as I wanted to be able to pull it up if I had to. Small skil saw with a metal blade or a cut off wheel on a die grinder and some leathers, lol.
THAT must have been one heckuva PIA.
I will look again tonight, but it’s leaking enough that with the machine still sitting in my driveway as it has been for the last year, I might as well keep it here a bit longer Vs doing it out in the middle of the woods 10 miles from home.
Very limited access but you might be able to get enough light on it by pulling the panel under the pedals. My cab model also has a box that looks removable under the seat where the AC evaporator and heater core are but I didn't pull it all the way out. The seat is one heavy SOB to get in and out by oneself!
Thanks for the pics. Unfortunately where the hose is that I need is more towards the back. No way in heck am I lifting up the cab and I think taking off the seat is going to be a lot more than I want to try. I guess I will just have to see exactly where the hose runs and how best to do it. Can’t ever be easy.
I wonder what it looks like under the controls cover?
Controls as in where the parking brake is on the right hand side of the seat?
If you can get access to both ends of the hose. Have a longer hose made and by-pass it in a more convenient route.
When I had a hose blow on my E series, it wasnt so much thr routing, but rather getting the hose fittings to start. It was on the top side, and I was laying under the machine. There were many hoses between us. I spent hours getting them to start. It sucked! a removable floor pannel would have made it quick and easy. Because of the age of my machine, I expect more hoses to blow. Next time one does, I may cut a pannel out of the floor. When I am done, weld wings on it and use some good tape on it before reinstalling the floor mat. The older Ford machines had several access points in the floor, and it made it much easier! Not feeling it on removing the cab every time a hose blows on an old machine!
So I crawled under the old girl today and after tracing the hose, it doesn’t look as bad as it initially seemed. Don’t get me wrong it’s going to suck, but luckily the fittings are somewhat in the open. I just hope they aren’t on too tight. On the first picture, it’s under the machine and on the outside of the loader control valve on the right frame rail. On the 2nd picture it’s accessible through the wheel well of the left side rear tire on top of the frame rail. It’s leaking right at the burr on the fitting I pointed out. It’s almost like the thing split and when it’s cold it leaks and as the machine gets warm it stops.
On the tightness topic one method I use when I have room is to position both wrenches close together and squeeze them with a large pair of channelloc pliers.
This works well! Leverage is your friend! Also, if you have the space, a flat bladed air chisel will crack them loose. When I did mine, I had no space, but both fittings cracked without issue. I purchased a set of Tekton Metric angle head wrenches that fit rite in for me.
Not really, made a cardboard template of the floor, made it big on the sides and cut it out. Then bent the sides up 2” and fit it in. Then cut it into 3 pieces and screwed the sides in to the fenders with zip screws.
Looks like it’s leaking at te crimp, which would explain it leaking less as it warms up. Never going to stop though.
Try these: Very handy indeed. Air hammer with the offset round-nose chisel taps the fittings right loose and tightens them too. Milton Shock-It.
OMG! Never seen these. Sets are pricey but individual sizes are pretty reasonable. SHOCKIT™ Milton® Industries Inc. | Tire Gauges, Inflators & Pneumatic Accessories miltonindustries.com
Similar technology. We use these in the shop with great success. 43300 Pneumatic Fan Clutch Wrench Set Quickly Removes & Installs Fan Clutch When Repairing The Water Pump Or Fan Clutch. www.lislecorp.com
Awesome, learn something new here every day. Thanks Gents.
Finally was able to get the hose replaced. Honestly it was quite simple. I had fairly good access to everything and had to remove a couple hose connections that were in the way so I had full wrench access. Only 3 issues I came across with one being my fault… 1) I had the hose made about 1-2 inches longer thinking it would give me a bit more wiggle room in the placement. Needless to say that was a mistake. 2) the fittings the hydraulic shop put on the new hose were not the same as what came off. The elbows were slightly bigger which screwed me when connecting to the loader control valve. Luckily I was able to loosen some of the hoses and turn them so it wasn’t a problem. 3) It would have been much easier to take the rear tire off as I would have had full access to the distribution point that’s on the frame rail. Luckily I’m not a thick guy and was able to squeeze in between the tire and wheel well. Not to mention wrangling that tire off and around wouldn’t have been fun at all.