Dessicant Breathers

[Nicksacco]

I found an interesting product idea and wondered if anyone in the tractor arena ever used/built one.
Is it a gimmick or would it really work to make hydraulic fluid last longer and keep it free from moisture?
What about as a fuel cap?
It certainly wouldn't be difficult to fabricate one. Dessicant is readily available - For example, I've already made a dryer for my air compressor system using dessicant. When the dessicant turns color (absorbed moisture), you simply bake it in the oven to "recharge".
On my L35, I've got a front axle breather tube and on the rear transmission/differential, also a tube breather.
Picture of rear for example:

There are a lot of videos about this...enjoy.

PICTURE

 

[mikester]

If you are storing your tractor in an air tight container it's a great idea. Leaving the desiccant exposed to the air all the time means you will be changing filters constantly if you want it to keep it working.

Run your machine hot and change fluids per the maintenance schedule to help minimize moisture build up.

 

[mcfarmall]

I think the most bang for the buck would be to locate one on the tractor fuel tank vent and on a bulk fuel storage tank vent.

We use desiccant breathers on freeze dryer hydraulic cylinder rod bellows at my workplace. Keeps the bellows from icing up.

 

[GreensvilleJay]

curious....
how do these things allow the air to escape from whatever they're screwed into ?

 

[Nicksacco]

Some of the breather models have valves that let air in (to be directed thru the filtering/drying medium) and valves that let air out.

 

[Runs With Scissors]

Kind of looks to me like a solution, that needs a problem.

 

[RBsingl]

In an open environment where a desiccant is needed, that sort of device will be quickly saturated when it is most needed so it becomes a maintenance item or it quickly becomes useless. And it doesn't replace normal fluid changes.

I restore a lot of vintage radio gear and desiccant is used in some of that gear BUT it is installed in an environment that has a near perfect seal. A standard desiccant product isn't the best choice where there is an open high moisture environment, at the least it should be proceeded by a good mechanical moisture reduction system and serves only as a backup.

From a marketing point of view, that differential breather should be sold as a 2 for 1 deal along with a "gas line magnet" to properly align the hydrocarbon molecules to improve fuel efficiency

Rodger

 

[Nicksacco]

Thanks for your replies.
It seemed as @Runs With Scissors pointed out "a solution looking for a problem".

Some sort of filter though does make sense to me since the breather is indeed an opening to the hydraulic pool. Which kinda makes me wonder why all tractors don't have a filter.

I am however, not losing sleep over this matter....

 

[GreensvilleJay]

My D-14s have sintered bronze filter plugs on both the front axle 'bolster' as well as the tranny.