yellow ptfe tape for hydraulic hose

[NEPA Guy]

Hookin up my snowblower today and I couldn't get one coupler back on so I loosened it up to let the fluid out. All I had lying around was the yellow tape for gas lines.

It looks like the guys who put the tractor together used just white tape on all the couplers from what I can see.

I googled it and some say yes, some say no, some say use both tape and dope.

What gives?

 

[bucktail]

No tape on hydraulic lines; pipe dope only. Tape can produce particles big enough to cause problems.

 

[NEPA Guy]

If the guys at the shop where I first bought the implements installed it that way, it becomes a Kubota warranty issue if something breaks, no?

I can see white tape at the couplers for the FEL, the quickhitch, the Snowblower, and the Snowplow. I havent looked close enough at the Backhoe yet.

Does anyone know if all the hoses for the attachments are usually assembled at the dealership?

I'm not familiar with how the lines are run and if I would need to take them all apart and on both ends? I'll take a closer look tomorrow. At that point I'd just as soon drop it off at the dealership and let them deal with it.

 

[OldeEnglish]

They may have used a white colored permatex or lock tight dope, at least hopefully they did. There are other dopes out there that are white. Go to a auto parts place and pick up some permatex thread sealant without ptfe in it. Don't get it on your skin or clothes you want to keep clean because it doesn't come off, gasoline works to get it off the skin.

 

[NEPA Guy]

Thanks for the recommendation. I'll pick up some of the permatex. I saw on tractorbynet that some guys recommended using loctite, but I didn't want to use that in case I need to loosen the coupler again to relieve pressure. I remember a post a ways back about alternative couplers that could be used that would relieve pressure by way of a valve or button of sorts? I'll poke around.

They definitly used some type of white tape. I can see it peeling off at the edges. Not unlike my showerhead. I'll shoot a pic tomorrow if that helps with identification.

 

[North Idaho Wolfman]

Ya using PTFE tape is really frowned upon!
If you don't have any leaks or issues don't mess with them, but if you take any of them off in the future, remove all traces of the tape and only use pipe dope.
Pipe dope with PTFE is fine, it's just the solid stuff that gets stuck everywhere in the system and cause all sorts of issues!

And ya loctite is not a good thread sealer!

 

[bucktail]

In the future, if you need to bleed a little oil out, you can just grab the hose and push the ball against a hard surface depressing it to let the oil out. You don't need to pull the whole fitting off.

 

[NEPA Guy]

Thanks NIW. You da man.

I tried pressing the inside of the coupler with a blunt edge. It didn't work for me. I had a bota mechanic at my house once and he reattached my FEL (from winter storage) to my new 2650 to torque some bolts. He had a similar issue and just undid the coupler a little bit to let some fluid leak out, retightened it, and he was able to pop it in.

I tried that at first, but I guess I didn't let enough fluid out and it wouldnt go in. So my second attempt at loosening really tore up the tape so I thought best to replace it. Funny the mechanic at the time didn't seem to pay any mind to the tape. I guess he thought it a non issue. Or just didn't give a rats @ss.

 

[Daren Todd]

Loctite has a bunch of products besides the usual more known thread locker They also have pipe dope, anti seize, silicone, RTV silicone, ect.....

Permatex has pretty much the same product line from thread locker, to pipe dope and anti sieze, and silicone sealant's. Works just as well as the loctite brand, but a big difference in price.

Just for clarification

 

[NEPA Guy]

Thanks DT, I noticed the permatex brand was way cheaper too when I was messing with the pto gear case back when. I guess I'm a sucker sometimes and think that because somethings more $ its better quality. (I bought the red stuff)

I didn't know about the loctite product diversity. Maybe I read the other forum post wrong when they suggested the loctite.

Cheers!

 

[Daren Todd]

When you purchase pipe dope, they have two styles. Smooth or chunky

Both have Teflon in it. The smooth will actually dry after a day or so, and is more user friendly.

The chunky stuff doesn't dry. You'll be cussing the product when you go to remove your hydraulic lines and end up covered in the stuff.

My boss bought a case of the chunky for the shop. I used half a bottle of the stuff and then the case disappeared


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[torch]

If you have to use tape, make sure you apply it such that it does not extend past the threads.

The yellow stuff is usually heavier. Suitable for 1" pipe threads and larger. The white stuff is thinner. Best for small diameter threads 1/8" to 3/8". 1/2" and 3/4" threads are a toss-up. Either white or yellow will work.

 

[BAP]

One thing that will help hooking up your hoses if they don't want to go on easily, is to put your control lever into the float position. This allows the fluid a place to flow to as you hook up the hoses.

 

[NEPA Guy]

I think I went right to the edge of the threads. I'm going to redo it this afternoon before I operate it. Thx

Go to know BAP. I'll keep that in mind when I hook up the blade I have thats been sitting for year in my garage.

 

[scdeerslayer]

Both Locktite and Permatex make a product specifically for sealing threads on hydraulics.

 

[NEPA Guy]

My local hardware and auto stores didn't care it, i just ordered it on amazon. The Loctite was actually cheaper than permatex.

https://www.amazon.com/Loctite-37482-Pneumatic-Hydraulic-36-milliliter/dp/B003XZB54O

 

[Daren Todd]

You can get the loctite brand at fastenal. Permatex is actually carried at Walmart. Can get small bottles of it at most autoparts stores as well.

 

[NEPA Guy]

I tried autozone, walmart, napa, and ace hardware. Nada. Amazon prime, 2 days. I would have saved 2 hours and 20 bucks in gas

 

[Daren Todd]

I tried autozone, walmart, napa, and ace hardware. Nada. Amazon prime, 2 days. I would have saved 2 hours and 20 bucks in gas

That's a good point I need to sign up for prime. The amount of money I would save on books for my tablet would pay for the subscription

 

[NEPA Guy]

That's a good point I need to sign up for prime. The amount of money I would save on books for my tablet would pay for the subscription

I live by my iPad these days. Great for reading PDF's, News, Weather. I couldn't see being without it. I have my old iPad with all my manuals in PDF format in the garage. Makes it easy and great for travel.

I'm 15 miles from the nearest shopping plaza, and deals are hard to find here since I live in a tourist/resort area. I use amazon constantly. It justifies itself with the time, gas, and wear and tear of my vehicles. Mainly my time.

The prime membership comes with the video service that my kid watches a lot being that I'm a "cord cutter." I just can't justify $200 a month and being forced to watch commercials while most of the movie channels just repeat. I did this about 8 years ago when I was cutting corners. So far I saved $19K!