I am sure this has been discussed before on the forum. I did a search and nothing come up with any thing. I am 84 so you are not going to teach this old dog any new tricks. When I was younger I owned 3 or 4 backhoes and a excavator. All had SAE controls. I recently purchased a mini excv. to use around my property. It has ISO controls. The best I can describe is like using a typewriter for 60 years and typing Then put a blind folded on and change all the keys and then type. Can I just simply follow the lines from the dipper stick and boom stick back to the control block and switch lines? (4 lines) It has pilot controls and some one said I should just switch those lines. Problem is I think there are 6 lines on each stick and I have no idea which one to switch.
What brand and model mini ex ?
i knew some one was going to ask that. Let me bite my tongue and gag a little bit. Sorry to say, but it is one of those little China made ones. Rippa 328
Most American machines have the pilot lines all coming together at a block for this very reason. You might have better luck tracing the lines from the boom and stick cylinders back to the control valve, and swapping your pilot lines there.
Yes: that is what I have done. 2 lines from each cylinder, to the block where all the other lines connect. I have them marked, but have not connected yet. Boom & dipper stick. I just wanted to make sure that was right as some one else suggested switching at the pilot control handles, which have 6 lines, on each stick and have no idea how to do that, plus I want to keep it simple and just do it at the block and mark it so if I decide to sell it, and next person can switch them back. Thanks
Does it have any kind of operators manual? Most machines have a selector valve somewhere to change control pattern. And sometimes they‘re hidden pretty good, like under floor plates or under the seat. But if there is no selector valve I think it would be easiest to swap the pilot lines at the control valve and not the control handles.
You need to trace the lines from the cylinders to the control valve itself. Then, identify the pilot lines to the corresponding spool, and swap them. It may not matter on this particular machine, but switching the lines from the cylinders will accomplish the pattern change, but will not fix the issue of different relief pressures for the boom and stick circuits, usually they are different.