JCB 3C3 hydraulic hose blanks

[Wiggybum]

Hello folks,

I have recently acquired a 3C3 which is running pretty well apart from the screaming steering.

To start off, I'm going to take out the oil strainer to the steering pump and clean it. However, I think if I remover it, the hydraulic oil tank will empty itself out! Can anyone suggest a selection of hydraulic hose blanks that I should keep in the toolkit?

The supply to the strainer looks pretty big and I'm assuming all the hoses on this age machine are imperial?

Tom

[philwheelton]

The hose's on jcb's are bsp if you are going to clean out the strainer you will have to drain the tank, the hoses are 1/4 bsp slew and jack legs 5/8 most hoses going to the main rams and one or two 3/4 and 1" on the feed and return

[Wiggybum]

Thanks Phil. I guess I better find a big container to drain the hydraulics into then.I was hoping to get away with just taking the hoses off the steering pump strainer box and plugging them quick.Oh well.

I'll pick up a selection of bsp blanks this week in the sizes you suggest.

Tom

[Steelfab]

Let me know how you get on changing the filter as I was going to change mine but access is a little difficult and as you say it will draing the oil. Perhaps you can take some pictures of it when it is taken apart along with the filter?

thanks Julian

[martyn williams]

I keep a box of blanks that I made up years ago ranging from 1/4 to 11/2 inch BSP. I made them from old pipe ends with the holes brazed up. On 4 in ones I just join the pipes up in a loop from pipe to pipe so you can still use the hydraulics with the bucket removed and only loosing a very small amount on swap over.I cut one side of a 25 ltr drum to drain oil in, the rectangular drums are best for that.
Always destroy pressure in the system before removing pipes and used ramblocks when loader arms are up, I use 3 inch angle iron for that.Make sure that you have enough drums to hold all the fluids that you drain off a machine.
Martyn

[Wiggybum]

Thanks for the advice chaps. I have some experience of hydraulics and know how they can bite! I have bought a 35 gallon/160litre plastic drum from these guys up the road:

http://www.smithsofthedean.co.uk/recycled%20containers.html



£20 for a recycled cola drum so I can store the oil in while changing filters/strainers etc. I figured it will come in handy a few times so worth the investment. They can deliver nationwide too.

My plan is to drain out what I can to reduce the level down so I can take a look at the main suction strainer too. I measured the fittings running into the steering strainer box and they are 1.25". I will have to bite the bullet and buy a pair of blanks that size and then build up a collection as and when I need them.

Will take photos as I go. Roll on the weekend.

[Wiggybum]

What a lovely weekend that was. Perfect weather to try and fix this thing.

P6290523.JPG

Armed with my new 35 gallon drum, I set about draining the hydraulic tank. I found a gardening "trug" is idea as it lets you pick up a couple of gallons and then its flexibility allows you to pour easily out into your big drum.

P6290521.JPG

I must have caught about 20 gallons with this method and didn't spill very much so very pleased. Not so pleased with actual state of the oil though and especially annoyed at the condition of the main hydraulic filter element.

P6290520.JPG

Once drained down, I was able to remove the steering filter (RHS side of the engine) by using a 1 1/2" spanner to undo the big hoses. The element comes out once you remove the four 9/16" bolts and as you can see in the picture, it was covered in filter element fibres (ironically .....). Even worse was the main hydraulic strainer.

Both were washed in clean petrol and blown through with an air line. Both back in and......

P6290525.JPG

P6300531.JPG

P6300529.JPG

P6300527.JPG

P6300532.JPG

P6300526.JPG

....I didn't have enough hydraulic oil as I wasn't sure how much would come out - I bought 40 litres but in reality, need about 80.

My advice to anyone trying this is to get a big drum like i did, find a big trug bucket in B&Q and make sure you buy a new dowty seal for the hydraulic filer (there's one under the big upside down bolt holding the element bowl in situ). Other than that, a decent selection of imperial sockets and spanners plus lots of rags.

This is a messy job. I sincerely hope that once I have enough oil in it to run, my screeching steering will stop and my hydraulics will live a little longer. I'm guessing that the main filter will need to be replaced again in a year once all the rest of the gunge is filtered out.

Thanks for looking - comments welcome.

Tom

[agrimax]

A job well done. A handy method of draining for the future though--if you disconnect a convenient hose from a ram(pressure released first of course),lengthen it with another piece of hose and joining adapter and insert into your drum.Start the engine and pull the lever to that ram and pump the oil quickly and cleanly into the drum.Saves a lot of messing about but as soon as you see the flow drop,stop the engine.

[Wiggybum]

Two of my neighbours were watching me from afar and came over to say to do exactly that. The reason I didn't was to avoid pulling the rubbish out the tank when the level hits the bottom. When I saw the state of the filter, the last thing I wanted was to have fibres bunging up a control valve. Plus, I didn't have a suitable hose to run from a ram to the drum!

I'm probably being paranoid but once you've started down that road etc etc.

Well, another 50 litres of 30 weight oil in it and the steering doesn't squeal (much anyway) anymore. However, the oil level is near the bottom of the sight tube. How much more oil will this thing need???

[Steelfab]

Once the oil has appeared at the bottom of the sight gauge is doesn't need a great deal to get it up to the full level, I would say around 15 litres maximum.