Recently purchased a '73 or '74 vintage Deere 450c based on lurking here and determining the correct machine for my needs (thanks for that!). It came with 18" and 36" backhoe buckets, and a Drott 4-in-1 and GP front buckets. For its age the machine is in exceptional condition: no leaks, good u/c, good steering and transmission. But I have a minor conundrum. I want to put the GP bucket on for my current projects involving mostly soft dirt and grading. The local Deere dealership let me borrow a JIC fitting kit to plug and cap the hydraulics, but none of them fit. I showed the photo below to the parts guy and he felt they looked like 3/4" NPT fittings. No joy. I'm wondering if because it is a Drott bucket it's some bizarre Euro thread. Any help would be appreciated!
Looks like NPT.... any way you could measure the fitting? like OD of the threads and pitch... Any stampings on the fitting?
That's a tidy looking 450 C ! look like 1/2 inch NTP to me . I cant see the entire plumbing but looks like the two steel lines run down the loader frame to feed the 4 in 1 function . Try unhooking the line down on the bucket ( green arrow ) and assuming it is male thread see if it will thread in to the steel line you already have broke loose . It would just loop the two steel lines together .
Thanks for the replies guys. Ronsii: I didn't see any stampings on the fittings, but wasn't looking too closely for them either. I'll measure the OD when I get up there this weekend (it's 50 miles away), but I don't have a way of measuring the thread pitch.
Thanks for the replies guys. Ronsii: I didn't see any stampings on the fittings, but wasn't looking too closely for them either. I'll measure the OD when I get up there this weekend (it's 50 miles away), but I don't have a way of measuring the thread pitch. td25c: I hope you are correct as to the 1/2" NPT. It would be nice to just thread in the caps and plugs. I don't think I can undo the line and loop it back as it would still leave a fitting exposed, but I'll look at it when I get back up there.
They look like BSP fittings to me but I've been known to be w***g before.
Tones, Not familiar at all with the BSP fittings...is that a euro style?
Could be BSP, I have seen them on some case ex's and a bunch of other stuff but my 450b had a bunch of NPT on it... so I just guessed as mine is a dozer not a loader
@yasherka, BSP British Standard Pipe thread, most hydraulic supply houses will have this and also most hose shops... at least around here
BSP is used more internationally than NPT. NPT cannot screw into a BSP fitting but a BSP fitting can screw into a NPT fitting if has a tapered tread. The NPT are slightly different thread, just enough to a bitch but the bevelled ends are the same. All this comes from my hose doctor. Hope this helps
That would be handy if it is 1/2 " NPT . You could stop in a farm supply store & make up new flex hose to the bucket with quick couplers . When I remove the blade from my dozers I "loop" the lines back at the machine and blade side for the tilt cylinder , no need for caps or line plugs . You might be able to do the same with the 4 in one . Look close at it when you get back to the site .
I think you are looking at male NPT on the hose end and female NPT swivel on the tube, most were set up like said to just loop the hose when you removed the 4x1 like td25c said. you should be able to get two m NPT to 37* JIC and two JIC female caps about anywhere and solve your issue. Nice looking unit!.
Unfortunately the JIC's didn't fit. I tried a 3/4" NPT plug on the female side but it was too large. I may be going up to the land both days this weekend so I'll be able to measure it. Didn't think it would end up being this big a PITA. Thanks for the compliment. Yes it has turned out to be quite a fortunate purchase even given having to pay $3.5k to have it shipped down here. Decent smaller loaders are hell to find in this neck of the woods. I'd have been in fat city if I lived on the east coast, but it is what it is. As it warms up and I start working it more I'd like to start a thread much like Boone did with his. He was a lot of the inspiration for my going with a loader.
For the nut or female side, will need to adapt a short section of pipe to a pipe cap to make a plug for it. These should be straight forward NPT as I have worked on quite a few, the taper seat in the female side will prevent a common plug from fitting. Use a standard pipe cap on the hose end. By the looks of the tubes time to consider a revamp of the bucket hydraulic lines anyway so can replace with anything you can find locally readily.
THANKS! Sounds like the voice of experience and you may have saved me a vast amount of frustration Absolutely. Once the shed is complete I will spend next winter replacing the lines. They'll do for now, but some are looking too ratty for my liking.
SUCCESS!!! They are in fact NPT threads! I already had the plugs available, but had as per DMiller short sections of pipe just in case. But everything went in as one would hope. So the answer to the Thread thread is: 1/2" NPT. I hope this will save someone some frustration in the future.