Rust on hydraulic lines

[awesome]

My tractor has 146h on it and less than 2yo (so still under warranty). I noticed that the hydro line on the FEL are getting rusty. This is probably due to salt on roads last winter.

Is this considered "normal" ? Should I be worried? I will obviously need to replace those at some point, but should this be covered by the warranty?

What can I do to protect the tractor against this in the future? That salt has completely destroyed the wiring for my work lights. Seems like I should be spraying some kind of rust protection everywhere

 

[awesome]

 

[mcfarmall]

Are you trailering your tractor all winter? That things a hot mess!

 

[awesome]

Are you trailering your tractor all winter? That things a hot mess!

I've just been plowing my driveway, and therenis not salt on my street. But I then plow a trail that I use for my morning runs. I have to use a salted road to get there. I've done this no more than 5 times last winter.

Aren't those lines supposed to be stainless steel?

 

[imnukensc]

Stainless steel is not rustless steel. It can still rust as evidenced by your lines. I doubt your warranty will cover replacement of them, but you can give it a try. Salt is sodium chloride. Stainless steel and chloride do not play well together and chloride will win every time.

 

[troverman]

Unfortunately, I highly doubt warranty will cover rust, as they will blame the rust on the conditions you used your tractor in.

The best defense is frequently washing the tractor anytime it comes into contact with salt. That's obviously hard to do in the winter.

Some guys coat parts of their tractor with an undercoating like Fluid Film or similar.

 

[woodman55]

Your probably good for another year, but I would get the new ones ordered. Yo might get aftermarket ones made at a hyd shop ?, but they would probably want the old ones for a pattern. Blasting them with fluid film, will help, but those lines are doomed.

 

[fried1765]

View attachment 83522 View attachment 83523

You could remove the lines, clean them up a bit with a light sanding, and then coat them with OSPHO.
Several days later you could coat them with a two part epoxy paint.
They will last for many years if you do this.

I think you will be unpleasanly surprised at the cost, if you replace them, and the problem will only reoccur.

 

[PoTreeBoy]

Aren't those lines supposed to be stainless steel?

Not stainless, probably zinc-plated steel.

 

[awesome]

Alright. I sent those pictures to the dealer and they said itcs nothing to be concerned with. He suggested spraying with krown oil. Hard to find around here. I guess any rustproofing spray would work.

@fried1765: good idea about cleaning them. I'll.do that. I need to rustproof my wiring too. So I'll just spray that oil on there too I guess

 

[Mark_BX25D]

The best defense is frequently washing the tractor anytime it comes into contact with salt. That's obviously hard to do in the winter.

Some guys coat parts of their tractor with an undercoating like Fluid Film or similar.

Yep. Clean it up and don't let it sit next time. Fluid Film is not expensive, it's easy to use, and it's very effective.

Bonus points - it's not toxic.

 

[Elliott in GA]

You can clean and protect them with The Must For Rust. It will remove the rust, and then it leaves a protective film. It is cheap, easy to use (spray and leave - might take a couple of treatments), sold at big box stores and will not harm other surfaces.

 

[Henro]

... good idea about cleaning them. I'll.do that. I need to rustproof my wiring too. So I'll just spray that oil on there too I guess
[/QUOTE]

Not to make light of your situation, but rust proofing electrical wiring is a new one on me...BUT my background is electrical. LOL

NOW if it were a Chinese tractor, where they might use steel wire rather than copper, I could understand. Only saying that because I have heard of cheap extension cords from China being magnetic...LOL

Might not be a good idea to spray oil on electrical wires. Just in case the oil could cause degrading of the wiring insulation over the long term.

 

[Tughill Tom]

Clean them with water, wire brush and spray with Wools Wax.

 

[RBsingl]

Listen to Tom about the electrical wiring. The insulation used for automotive applications is designed to be petroleum products robust but that doesn't mean it was designed to be living inside a coating of oil. It doesn't need any treatment and anything you do to it will be worse than leaving it alone.

Not so fun fact: peanut and other vegetable oils came into use for making insulation by some manufacturers due to the increasing cost of petroleum over the years. Unfortunately it makes wiring even more desirable for rats and mice.

 

[lynnmor]

If you ever had a snowmobile trailer that was dragged thousands of miles thru salty slush, you would understand the need to protect the wiring. That salt will find any tiny breach of insulation and then creep along the copper inside the insulation for a foot or more, corroding the metal to the point that it can't even be soldered. Fluid Film or WoolWax won't damage much of anything and will offer considerable protection. Salted roads is the work of the devil.

 

[awesome]

Bought these:

The 2 yellow cans are safe for electrical and for anything else. Apparently, it's not the oil that does the protection. The oil only helps to apply the chemical that does the rust proofing

Btw: the tractor did ship with some kind of petroleum stuff on every electrical connection. It only makes sense that I put some on the connections I did myself.

The purple can is for the snowblower chain lubrication. The guy said "here, try this also. This one's free because I guarantee you'll be back for more". Nice.

 

[awesome]

That salt will find any tiny breach of insulation and then creep along the copper inside the insulation for a foot or more,

Exactly. When I saw the the worklight connections were destroyed, I cut 1" off and to my aurprise, the copper was green there too. Even after 1ft! I had to change the whole wiring.

 

[Mark_BX25D]

Exactly. When I saw the the worklight connections were destroyed, I cut 1" off and to my aurprise, the copper was green there too. Even after 1ft! I had to change the whole wiring.

Yep. Doesn't hurt copper at all to have some oil on it, and a bit in the connector can prevent that wicking that destroys whole wiring harnesses.