I bought a 1997 JCB 214E and would like to switch the controls to be like my Cat 426. Is there more to it than just moving hoses around? i noticed the ends of the hoses are 2 different sizes.
Hi Dusty, I'm not familiar with that machine but usually changing the control pattern is not that simple. On new machines with pilot control joysticks, you can just swap around the small pilot hoses. But your machine will be manual lever controls and swapping the hoses from one spool to another is not really the end of it. Each circuit can/will have different circuit relief pressures. Some may have different shaped spool valves and some have restrictors as well. If you just swap the hoses you might find the action and speed of the functions a bit weird. Also, on open center hydraulics, certain functions will have priority over others. Those with spools closer to the pump connection will have priority over those at the tank end of the bank. I'm pretty certain the correct way to change patterns is to mechanically change the lever linkage (crossing over a couple) so the same spool continues to work the same cylinder. I think Case and other companies supply the appropriate linkages to switch between SAE (backhoe) and ISO (excavator) patterns. So you could maybe give JCB a call and ask them. Chris.
Are you sure the hoses are different sizes, on mine, they were all the same size and it was a matter of just swapping them.