Hello all, im new here. i just bought a 2008 Cx80 excavator with about 8500hrs for around our farm. Always fencelines to cleanup, tile drains to dig up and i've got several building plans im hoping to do in the next few years. This machine has a 'multi-purpose 3 way valve' on the top in the centre of the turret next to the cab. I can post a pic. Can anyone tell me what exactly this valve does? The prev owner didnt know and never touched it. Google and the owners manual are not helpful and the only thing i can find is the service binder i got with it says it was 'plumbed for a ho-pack' back in 2012 or so. Its got an aux circuit to run the thumb, something to do with that possibly? Thanks in advance.
Good day Can you post a photo of the valve and the lines. Kind regards Uffex
I would guess that is the single/two way hyd valve. If your running a hoe pac that is a single way hyd function. Thumbs require two way valving. Why that would be a three way valve by the cab, I am not sure, unless you can shut all hyd function off with the third setting. Seeing a picture of the valve, and the hyd. lines down to the thumb and aux connectors might help.
So this is a shot of the valve, and i didnt notice before but the 2nd pic is a sticker thats on the outside of the cab next to the valve. The lines down to the thumb dont appear to anything special but i'll grab a pic of the connections.
Its what I wrote, minus the third setting, which doesn't exist.
Super! so the valve switches it from single to two-way hydraulics, so besides from being able to run a hoe-pac, it would also be able to run a jackhammer as well, if i understand correctly? So what about the switch indicated on the sticker?
Yes hoe pac and a breaker are one way hyd operations. Ok so it looks like it is both mechanical as indicated as in picture 1. Picture 2 indicates an electronic switch in the cab. It looks like that needs to be depressed to indicate desired flow as well. If there is not an electronic switch in your cab, yours might not have an electronic option and it may be just mechanical IE. Pic 1.
So i checked a bit earlier, there is a switch in the cab hidden way under the left armrest. seems a bit odd though that it would have to switch one way for just a crusher but the opposite way for digging +breaker+crusher?
The picture indicates it is on the left console. Well I can't explain the rational for that wording. Just think of it like this, if your doing something that requires a hyd cylinder to run in two directions (thumb primarily for you it sounds like) it needs to be in the C position on the valve and in the cab. If you use a breaker or hoe pac than run it opp. You have not shown a pic of what the stick looks like to see how everything is plumbed. But likely when you use a hammer or hoe pac, you will need to lock out the thumb to utilize the aux. connections on the stick. I am guessing how it was likely plumped. If you can take a pic of the stick where the thumb mounts so we can see the aux connections that would help explain how to utilize it.
pics of the stick and the connections to the thumb, and the button on the left console.
opposite side connection and one of the whole thumb.
Good day Great to see those photos makes it easy to know what you are dealing with. Well done. Kind regards Uffex
Yes that helps immensely. If you plan on putting a breaker on it, then you will need to make some changes to the aux. hyd to make that easier. Just so you know, the bolt head on the underside of the valve where the machine aux line meets the thumb plumbing is where you can shut the hyd off to the attachment. If you plan on putting attachments on the excavator, say so and i can give you an idea on how I would do that.
If you are going to use a hammer at times and you don’t want to disconnect the thumb you can do something like this…
Sorry i really should have put them in at the start, lighting isnt great in the shed and its usually after dark whenever i find myself on a computer. Thanks! So just screw the underside bolt in all the way to shut the flow off? The machine came with 2 buckets and with the thumb that will probably be mostly what i need. My dad has been pushing for the breaker as we have quite a bit of rock in certain areas and i think a rotating log grapple might be in my sights one day as well. Would pretty much any attachment work on the machine long as it only needs the one aux connection?
I like this idea! ithink i will look into doing something like should i decide to get a second attachment that needs to connect to the aux.