Flat Face couplings (affordably)

[WI_Hedgehog]

Talked with the owner of Valparaiso Hydraulic Services the other day (great guy, great prices, awesome service, FAST delivery) about a flat-face coupler back-order, which he looked up and found the dust caps were holding it up, offered likely better dust caps, and shipped the order like "then." Got the box almost immediately and am set for upgrades this weekend....if I didn't mess up on figuring out what is needed.

 

[TheOldHokie]

Talked with the owner of Valparaiso Hydraulic Services the other day (great guy, great prices, awesome service, FAST delivery) about a flat-face coupler back-order, which he looked up and found the dust caps were holding it up, offered likely better dust caps, and shipped the order like "then." Got the box almost immediately and am set for upgrades this weekend....if I didn't mess up on figuring out what is needed.

Valpariso's prices cant be beat. Website is a total disaster

Dan

 

[WI_Hedgehog]

Valpariso's prices cant be beat. Website is a total disaster

It, ah, took a bit to figure out, but then works well, or "pretty well." Or at least "reasonably well."

I made a spreadsheet to help keep track of hydraulic plumbing plans, I do not know how people keep that all straight otherwise...SPAM In A Can if there's a plan, otherwise pray it don't spray!

 

[Papalote]

I tried their website and couldn’t find anything I wanted to see. They need to upgrade it or something. Nightmare!

 

[Old Machinist]

I recently bought 4 sets of 3/8" flat face couplers off Amazon for $30 a set. They came with two sets of dust covers each. Maybe that is why they are short over there? LOL

So far I hate em. These were pipe thread and I am on my third attempt to get them to seal. I re-sealed all but two the other day with some Blue Crazy thread sealer and so far that has worked. I didn't reseal the ones on the grapple hoses and I'm about to go out and reseal those now.

On the ones I bought, the spring tension is at least double what I'm used to with regular poppet style connectors even without pressure on them. They are a pain in the ass to line up straight and get connected and take much more force to disconnect.

 

[WI_Hedgehog]

Faster & Stucchi Quick Disconnect Coupler, Flat-Face no-leak, 3 GPM FFH Female SAE ORB 9/16_-18 UNF

I put a plan in a spreadsheet ordered by part number. For me, I added (1) to the cart as adding multiples didn't hold qty, then I adjusted all quantities in the cart at the same time.

So far the NPT threads sealed fine when using Permatex 56521 High Performance Thread Sealant. I've been converting NPT to SAE-ORB because they're easy to change if a coupler fails or needs to be changed out for any other reason.

 

[Old Machinist]

Faster & Stucchi Quick Disconnect Coupler, Flat-Face no-leak, 3 GPM FFH Female SAE ORB 9/16_-18 UNF

I put a plan in a spreadsheet ordered by part number. For me, I added (1) to the cart as adding multiples didn't hold qty, then I adjusted all quantities in the cart at the same time.

So far the NPT threads sealed fine when using Permatex 56521 High Performance Thread Sealant. I've been converting NPT to SAE-ORB because they're easy to change if a coupler fails or needs to be changed out for any other reason.

View attachment 165799

That Permatex 56521 says it's only good to 1000 PSI. Maybe they left off a zero?

I have used Aviation Permatex on pipe threads for years if I was working with fuel or oil. My recent third function project almost whooped me on pipe thread leaks. I finally chased all the threads with a USA made tap and die I bought at ACE Hardware and used some Blue Monster 76009 thread sealant. So far so good on that. I DID tighten the fittings as tight as I could get them but I had already done that on my second attempt using the Permatex. Chasing the threads on the furrin fittings. some bottomed out tight and some took a half to full turn past bottom.

I thought those Stuuchi couplers were supposed to be top quality but my grapple came with that brand but in a ball type ag coupler. The ball had rust pits in it and the installer hadn't capped them to keep dirt out. That last part isn't a reflection on the brand. I was replacing them anyways so it didn't matter.

 

[TheOldHokie]

That Permatex 56521 says it's only good to 1000 PSI. Maybe they left off a zero?

From the 56521 description on the Henkle website:

Product Description

Permatex’s High Performance Thread Sealant is formulated specifically for metal, tapered pipe thread fittings. Thread Sealant replaces Teflon® tape and pipe dopes and cures rapidly to withstand up to 10,000 PSI. Prevents galling and protects mated threaded areas from rust and corrosion. Contains PTFE.

I use this - an anerobic thread sealant without PTFE.

 

[JonM]

I recently bought 4 sets of 3/8" flat face couplers off Amazon for $30 a set. They came with two sets of dust covers each. Maybe that is why they are short over there? LOL

So far I hate em. These were pipe thread and I am on my third attempt to get them to seal. I re-sealed all but two the other day with some Blue Crazy thread sealer and so far that has worked. I didn't reseal the ones on the grapple hoses and I'm about to go out and reseal those now.

On the ones I bought, the spring tension is at least double what I'm used to with regular poppet style connectors even without pressure on them. They are a pain in the ass to line up straight and get connected and take much more force to disconnect.

thats likely to have more to do with sourcing off amazon than anything. ive got flat face on my third function attachments for the front. keeps dirt out better. i have a qc mate from skid steer solutions for help with putting on difficult connectors when attaching implements.

i use loctite 545 fir attaching the fittings to hoses

amazon is fine for the wifes tampons not for tractor stuff

 

[WI_Hedgehog]

That Permatex 56521 says it's only good to 1000 PSI. Maybe they left off a zero?

I have used Aviation Permatex on pipe threads for years if I was working with fuel or oil. My recent third function project almost whooped me on pipe thread leaks. I finally chased all the threads with a USA made tap and die I bought at ACE Hardware and used some Blue Monster 76009 thread sealant. So far so good on that. I DID tighten the fittings as tight as I could get them but I had already done that on my second attempt using the Permatex. Chasing the threads on the furrin fittings. some bottomed out tight and some took a half to full turn past bottom.

I thought those Stuuchi couplers were supposed to be top quality but my grapple came with that brand but in a ball type ag coupler. The ball had rust pits in it and the installer hadn't capped them to keep dirt out. That last part isn't a reflection on the brand. I was replacing them anyways so it didn't matter.

Nah nah nah--I got the tip for that stuff from you guys, it's good to 10,000 PSI (after 24 hours curing), and impervious to hydraulic fluid, oil, gas, baked bean farts, water, freon, xenon, krypton, plutonium--this stuff resists everything, especially when trying to wash it off your hands.

I don't know about Blue Monster goop or Purple Dinasaur poop, never seen that in the wild, but WHO KNOWS??? (I don't eat Kashi granola bars either, so there's that...)

I bought Faster & Stucchi after researching the snot out of couplers, another manufacturer makes a safer coupler, but Faster are supposed to be the most durable...I don't know, they do have a locking function so they can't come apart and they seem really solid.

The ones I bought are steel, brass won't take the pressure and stainless is 2x the price, and my inherited AG and Pioneer couplers are steel and held up pretty good all this time--but they do like to leak hydraulic fluid whereas the Flat Face do not, so I don't know on that, maybe I should spray them with WD40 (got it in a SureShot--great for oiling stuff down). Yah, I'm going to do that.