Hey HEF, The tubing that goes to the lift arm is bent badley, the fitting looks like its welded on, or is it sodered on, its 5/8 d. Also i'am having trouble finding the Hyd. Tubing. I need to redo the tubing to the bucket also. everyone says to use rubber hose, I'am not sure about that, There must be a reason that Cat used metal tubing, And that rubber lines look like crap/snakeing up the tractor. Its a 931b, thanks, sam.
Yes,use flexible hose and just secure it well with HD wire ties every few feet.It will be fine.The difference in price alone will scare you away from using solid line.
I vote for the metal line. Yea it will be a little more pricey but will look better and probably be more robust. If you contact a GOOD hydraulic shop they will be able to reproduce the line cheaper than the dealer will sell you a OEM. JJ
Hey HEF, I went online and found a local Hyd. Shop, " Talladega Machinery" they had the 5/8 steel tubing in stock, so i got 4, 6' pieces, looks like good stuff, made in Germany. I will have to weld the fitings on or get an expert to do the work. The tubing cost $40.06, i did not think that was to bad, I went back and got them to make another line, rubber, about 3' long with new fittings, $ 53.65, before TAX. I think mabe that the metal will be better near the engine heat, if i can get the end fitting welded on. These old rubber lines look like they are dry rotted, i noticed some have cracks, i guess the heat and weather gets to them. sam.
Hi HEF, i have plenty Hyd. lines.
Hi H EF, i found a tubing bender, HF, looks like it will do the job.
Hi, Let us know how well the bender works. I've been looking for something like that for awhile to carry in the truck but didn't see anything that I liked. Let us know it's good and bad points and what kind of a job it does.
Hi BillG, well i had a little time today, Bolted down that tubing bender and got started, i wasn't to sure the table bench would work, but it did ok.
Hi HEF, today i had a few minutes to try another bend, the first one came out better than the second. I think i could done a little better job if i had a better bench. Maybe a metal table, with a larger hole to see the way the tubing is pointing. the 180 turn was started in the middle. sam.
That's neat, what kind of fittings are you going to put on the end? I used to buy standard threaded fittings, bore out the threads and weld them on the ends. They also make compression fittings that act like ferule locks that work OK as well. Nice work!
I believe the fittings will silver solder on not weld. and if the tubeing is german its good stuff. where did you find that bender at ?
Hi HEF, I found the bender at Harbor Freight, i have another ordered that will get here one of these days. I have some fitting that require a flaired end, and another that can be braised i think, it is brass. Kind of new at this fitting biz. sam.
Hi HEF, steel flairing, and ends, I hope it works....
Hello HEF, I have installed the Hyd. line that is shown above, i was please that no leaks, yee....haa..... Its always good when a plan works.
Sure alot cheaper than buying it made up uh ? Also how did you weld the ends on ?
Hi BCOWANWHEELS, The line is faired with a ban/nut, I cannot find the weld on fittings, but will try and get the old fittings off the couple old tubes to reuse. sam.
Thanks for posting the results. Looks like first time out of the gate is a winner, I think I will pick one up next time I am at HF.
Wosama, that clamp isnt straight in the last picture and thhe edge of it will cut into your new tube..........
Hi Bob, The old clip was bent like crazy, i hammered it a little, but it is still crooked, i did get a few clips for the line,, but will have to go to the Cat dealer to get the W shaped ones, the tube bender will also bend flat bar that is not to large, i will try to make a couple of brackets. That tube bender is not on the store site, it was next the large tube bender. sam.
Hello HEF, I finished the main lines on the bucket, i cut the line too long an had to put a couple bends to make it work, i will have to redo the supply lines, not happy with the snake look.
Just look at it this way, if someone asks, it's to put something in that area...... that's what the extra bends are for.
You can do tube work for hire locally i bet if you want to. Just a thought......
Hi HEF, To day i re-visited the lines and rebuilt them, i did not like the first way i installed them. What i have did this time was more like the orginal.
Hi HEF, I put the lines on and tested for leaks, so far so good, i have the guards painted to put back on.
A remake of the tube down the side of the lift arm.
Very nice work Sam.
Hi OldandWorn, Thanks, Iam not happy with the first lines i made, the bend that went under the lift arms was to big, the guard that goes over them at the bottom would not fit. They look ok and do not leak, but without the guard i don't they will last long. sam.
Still a good thread, gives me plenty of incentive to fire up the mill and lathe to build a tube bender to fix my old mess! The tubes to the 4 in 1 are pretty well beat up on this.
Well i did a redo on the first set on tubing that goes down the lift arm, the first set that i made, the bend under the liftarm was way to big and the tub turned up in the way of the saftey bar. and it would not fit under the tube guard. So this is now. The old one is a lot bigger.
And another photo.
Line under the trany, almost to long. sam.