So, I had a hydraulic line to the steering cylinders (old straight frame, rear steer machine) rupture. Short hose, that connects to a hard line that is tucked up inside the channel of the frame, right beside the engine. Had to remove the starter to get to it. Got the end loose that runs to the cylinders, but the other end is recessed under the engine cradle, and held solidly right next to another hard line, leaving too little room to get a wrench on it. I am thinking that I will try an air chisel on it. It will be at an angle, as there is no way to get straight on to the side of it. Other than that, I may try to amputate the line right by the fitting, and drive a large socket onto the end and use an air impact to try to get it loose. Any ideas, or suggestions? It is the upper line in this photo. I can't even get my head in there to see it. Just stuck my camera in there to get a picture.
Hard line is gonna wanna twist. Anyway to get a grab on it? Heat would help as well. I think your impact idea may work. Could you just replace the whole thing with a hose ?
I don't think that the hard line will twist, as it's welded to the frame. A torch is out of the question for fire danger. Replacing the whole thing with a hose would be a "last resort" that I am really trying to avoid.
Have a look at crows foot wrenches ,maybe the flare nut crows foot . then use a long extension a long extension. Snap On or Proto might fit better in a tight spot like that . Barring that some creative modifications on a box ennd might get it done.
I've not had a chance to work on it yet today, but one other thought I had was to try to cut the hose off of the fitting, then see if I can get an ez-out to fit in there.
Well, so far I have managed to mangle it a little. No progress though. Kind of hard to explain just how difficult it is to even get to it. Can't see it at all. Don't want to get my phone covered in grease and grime, so it's put gloves on and work a little. Take gloves off and take a picture to see no progress. Repeat ad nauseum. Lol Haven't had any luck severing the hose completely next to the fitting, as the air chisel is too long to get at it well. Didn't really accomplish anything with it today, but at least I wasted a lot of time!
Looks like fun what size michigan is it. My old boss bought one to resale to a guy then he didnt want it. I think it mayed the boss mad because it was scraped.
It's a 280 that I have owned for almost 20 years. I just use it around my property. It runs great, and will push or pull about anything you need it to. The old thing doesn't get used much though, since I bought a backhoe a couple of years ago.
Honestly the hose beside it looks questionable if it would be easier to remove it first. Lots of time all that stuff was routed before the larger components were placed with no regard to having to service them later. I’d be looking at replacing the whole thing with a hose. My concern would be the steel line failing after all that twisting. Just my opinion though.
Have you put any thought onto how you are going to get the new one put on and torqued down properly? At the very least, you are going to need to remove the lower hose in order to do that... Also as others have said, if you are running an impact wrench on a long steel line like that, it will tend to twist and possibly crack.
Really appreciate the replies, and suggestions. Like I said earlier, this is an old obsolete machine that is rarely used any more. It is difficult to justify to the boss (the little woman) spending much money on it. I agree that the hose just below this one doesn't look too good either, but the machine is about 60 years old, and I suspect that most of the hoses are the ones it left the factory with. In other words, a guy could spend a LOT of time and money trying to replace all of the questionable hoses and hard lines. Right now, I am looking into getting a 12 point crows foot, as that will probably work best for removing this hose and installing the new one. As for the hard line, I did have one of those fail on it recently, but it was out where it was exposed to the weather. This one is very well tucked up in the frame, and I suspect is in good shape.
Can you just run a longer hose and bypass the hard to get at connections?
Yeah, that is my "last resort" option. The factory setup keeps that line pretty well tucked up out of the way, and if I bypass it with a long hose it will likely be out in the open, and much more vulnerable to damage.
The hexagonal part of the fitting sits right under this bolt.
Maybe it's time to get the plasma torch out and make yourself an access panel.
You could just rip the rest of the hose off of that fitting , then put a 6-point deep socket over it for removal. I've done this 1000 times in the past.
Yeah, I even bought a new deep well socket just for that. However, I haven't managed to get the hose completely severed, and that option doesn't really help with the installation of the new hose.
I see how tight that is they do make ratching crows foot but may not fit
"I am looking into getting a 12 point crows foot, as that will probably work best for removing this hose and installing the new one." What about an open end crows foot? I not sure a 12 point crows foot will have a gap wide enough to slip over the hose. Another idea, not sure if anyone has already come up with, would be to get a wrench from someplace like Harbor Fright and cut and weld as needed to let you do the job, might even need two and switch between them. One more that came to mind for the removal. Could you have enough access to tack something to the old fitting to let you get a better angle with the air chisel? What ever you do be wary of the possibility of fire when welding cutting or grinding around oil soaked parts!
Good points. It looks like the 12 point crows foot is a little smaller overall than a two sided open end one, so would probably work better with the very limited clearance. I had thought of getting a standard combination wrench and modifying it. Even called HF, but they don't sell individual wrenches that big (1&7/16). I don't have a welder, and yeah, fire is a big concern. I, also was wondering about the 12 point crows foot sliding past everything to get to the hexagonal part of the fitting. If it would, I was going to slide it from the other end of the hose.
FINALLY got the fitting out of the end of the hard line! Used the backhoe to rip the rest of the hose off of the fitting, then put a deep well socket on it, cranked up the air to the impact wrench to 120psi, and it FINALLY broke loose. Looks like they used Loctite on the threads. BTW, that wimpy looking little 1/2" drive impact swivel from Harbor Freight took an incredible pounding without failing.
That red stuff is a thread sealant Looks like pipe thread fittings also. Glad you got that dude out!
Second the pipe sealant, and that generation of red pipe sealants dried to something like concrete. The male thread in the photo certainly looks like pipe thread.
Used to be a pipe sealant made by an outfit called John Crane and it did harden like locktite. Glad you got apart. Better do the other hose.
Yes, for what it costs to buy another hose I would think that would save headaches down the road. Besides a bit more room to work with one out of the way!
Wonder if you could make a wrench similar to basin wrench used on sinks. A crowsfoot with an extension may work fine. I'd do the other hose to. .
Case (now CNH) used to sell crowsfoot wrenches that work really well on thos bas##d places. I have have every size they sold. I think they were about $35.00 @. Stupid expensive but they made my life a lot easier. The slot in the drawing is deceiving. It is wide enough slip over the hose. It can't be used on hoses that have a crimped sleeve bigger than the fitting hex.
That definitely looks like the perfect tool for the job!
New problem. The end of the hose that connects to the hard line is tapered pipe threads, which went together easily. However, the other end is of the angled mating surface type, and the threads are seemingly getting tight before the mating surfaces come together. The fitting on the end of the hose seems to have the proper angled mating surface, but I am wondering if the hydraulic shop put the wrong end on the hose. No, I don't have the old hose end. I left it at the hydraulic shop when they made the new hose for me, and of course they are closed today. Ideas?
Is there another hose like it next to it ? If there is take it off and see what it has on it.