hydraulics hose coupling issue - pressure on ball

How do you properly relieve pressure on the round ball in the male end of a hydraulic hose?
I couldn't get the couplers together. I beat on the ball with a hammer. Puffs of hydraulic oil came out and after a time - the ball was loose. Then I could push the coupling together.
I'm wondering if there's a better way?

I've had that problem too recently. I had
to release pressure in the line by
loosening a fitting on a hose. Just
cracked it enough for a few drops to
escape and then the coupler was fine.

I think you just have to be sure the pressure is off before disconnecting them. Make sure the cylinder has traveled as far it its going to go. It doesn't take much to not be able to connect the ends.

Most of the time I resort to beating the tip against the
implement.



There are a couple better solutions. Connect under
pressure tips are available. My preferred solution is to
install female couplers that can connect under pressure
on either side. Insert the hose into the coupler, then cycle
the control both directions and the hydraulic pressure will
open the checks.
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Wrap a rag around it and bump it against the tractor probably is not the correct answer. Saw a gizmo once that slid over the hyd fitting and
then you screwed in against the ball, still needed a wrap around rag. I'm looking for a cleaner better way also. gobble

Never beat on the ball, you will ruin the coupler, the slightest hammer
mark will make it so it will leak all the time. What you did was unhook
the pine with a load on it or heat expanded the oil. Like the other poster
said loosen the coupler and let a bit of oil out. That tells me you have
the old style Pioner coupling femal tips. and they are not designed for
coupling under pressure, There is a version designed for coupling under
pressure like you had but expnsive and scarce.If you forget to put the
implement lock on or leave the implement set on ground you would have to
take jacks to lift the implement enough to release the pressure in the
hose. If you cannot do that and try to unscrew the coupler if you unscrew
that coupler too far the hose end will take of like a rifle shot and you
will be badly hurt. So make sure there is no pressure on the hoses when
you unhook the cylinder but if you do have to release a lot of oil to get
them hooked up be very carefull in loosing that coupler and only do it
just enough to get an oil drip. If you have left the cylinder under load
when unhooked it make take quit a while for enough oil to drip out without
blowing that coupler a thousand feet. Always make sure all pressure is
released and that means shut the tractor off and move the control to
release all pressure before pulling the hose. They can be very dangerous
if you do not handle them correctly. If it is on a double acting cylinder
2 hoses you may be able to release head build up pressure by hooking up
the other line first and with tractor shut off you MAY think mabey will be
able to release enough temperature expanded oil to get the coupler to
work. But always be sure to with engine off move controll lever in both
directions to release all pressure.

Drawbar, tongue of the implement, whatever's handy.

Have the same problem from time to time



Just bump it against the implement or tractor and
some hyd fluid will shoot out then it hooks up . Its
messy when your in the field away from the shop (and
dont have a rag)



The new style IH couplers (came out on the 66 series
tractors) with the lever allow you to connect the hoses
under pressure.



Only recommendation is to let down the implement &
release the pressure as best as you can before
unhooking.

I do what the people below said, bump it against the implement. It also helps to take the load off the cylinder when you park the implement.

This is one of the reasons for the "float" position on your hydraulic controls. Selecting float will relieve the pressure in both hoses. Most modern tractors will have one. It's an extra "click" past the lower position on your control lever.

Lacking a float position, shutting off the tractor and relieving the pressure by working the hydraulic controls back and forth a few times is the other way to do it.

If you don't want the implement down on the ground, engage the transport lock before relieving the pressure.

-Turkeyfoot
Good idea, thanks.

-Charlie M
That's what I thought too, i struggled with it for 15minutes before I resorted to hitting the ball.
I was able to cycle the tractor side (female connector) to relieve the pressure in there. But i couldn't get the pressure out of the ram.

-Leroy
The problem was: the female end sliding sleeve cracked and opened up. This allowed the coupling to rapidly disconnect, leaving pressure in the ram. I don't normally do it this way!
To further make matters complicated: the ram was completely retracted, so I couldn't relieve the pressure by cycling it the other direction.

-BarnyardEngineering
That's interesting. I'll check into it. This is on a John Deere 6410. The hoses are for a pincher grabber on the front loader (for handling round bales)

My problem was - the hose came disconnected suddenly when the female connector sleeve retainer failed and the joint suddenly failed. Pressure remained in the line when it separated. That's what I couldn't get relieved.

WI Dan - It's to be expected when something like that happens. You're not going to be able to properly float the valve before disconnecting if the coupler fails or the hose is pulled out because the implement came disconnected.

In those cases what you did is the "farmer" way to resolve the problem. Those balls are hardened so if you push it against the mild steel of an implement you're not going to ding it. Just watch for spraying fluid.

Maybe shield the coupler with a rag if you have one, but sometimes you just don't have a rag, and you gotta do what you gotta do to get the job done, and you'll get hydraulic fluid on your pants...

This post was edited by BarnyardEngineering on 05/26/2023 at 06:51 am.

It happens occasionally on my 3-point wood splitter, I put a clean rag over the end and bang it on a block
of wood. I would never hit it with a hammer.

I'm in the rag and tap camp too. If I'm near the toolbox, it will be a hard plastic hammer face that hits it. Otherwise, whatever is handy.

Happens in the summer every time I go to install my little loader. Seems sitting in the hot sun builds pressure even though it was relieved before removing.

-Russ from MN
Good point - I wish I had thought of that.

I will inspect the ball end/male coupler for its condition. If it leaks just a little bit, it will only leak when disconnected from the ram. And, it won't be under enough pressure to drain the entire thing.
I can always store that end of the hose pointed up high, so there's no air getting in through the leak (if any).

-BarnyardEngineering
Haha, you described the situation exactly!
I was looking around, scratching my head, trying to decide "The Right Way" to do it.
Then, after 15minutes of the un-done work laughing at me, I grabbed a hammer, smacked the ball, and planned an apology to my wife for the oily jeans.

Just hold an ice pack on hose for five minutes and oil will contract. keep hoses out of direct sunlight when not in use, wrap with towel or whatever.