D14 traction booster gauge and lineset

[onetotaltoolman]

Original T.B gauge was completely shot. In the rebuild it was replaced. The steel line from the fitting leading to the hydo pump was steel.
The fitting that attaches to the T.B. gauge is a little unusual but works. looks like the rear of the T.B. gauge is made to accept a flare fitting, but the original pipe work was a ferrule and compression-shaped nut. Ok then. New gauge, and the steel line would not go in the back entry hole of the new gauge. So, changed the line set to copper. Other end of the original was flared, which was difficult to do to 1/8 copper. I added a ferrule behind the flare, which did seal this up nicely . Run up, no leaks. With that, i am concerned that the hydo pressure, which i have read can hit over 900 psi, may in fact split the seam of the copper line. Has anyone had to replace this line with copper? If this holds, great. If not, back to searching for 1/8 steel brake or hydraulic line. This has not been the biggest challenge on this re-build, but i've already had one bad experience starting this tractor and realizing, by the 30' stream flying across the shop, that the traction booster line had not been capped off. thanks for any feedback.

 

[Jim.ME]

I think your 900 psi is a bit off the mark. I may be wrong on this, and Dr Allis can correct me, but I believe the D14 Hydraulic pump relief is about 3500 psi. I have seen recommendations of using a 5000 psi gauge to replace the Traction Booster gauge, if one can't find a true Traction Booster gauge. There was a reason they used the steel line. A small diameter, 2 wire braid hydraulic hose would work. A 1/4'', two wire hose should have a working pressure of 5000 psi (+).

 

[Bob Bancroft]

Maybe grease gun hoses?

 

[DrAllis]

3400-3700 psi is spec. There's a reason A-C used a steel line.

 

[onetotaltoolman]

yes, cause for concern and know why ac used steel. problem is getting new parts to work together.
i have not explored or read in my manual where to hook up a hydraulic gauge to to the pump to actually see what pressure these things produce. only
thing i've seen are the printed comments which range from 1000 psi up to 3,500. Either way, burst strength of this small diameter copper is less than that.
Search continues for steel pipe. Probably will have to slightly enlarge the opening in the back of the new gauge to accept the steel pipe as was in the original.

 

[DrAllis]

Those of us who work on this stuff always have a 5,000 psi gauge with a Pioneer tip on it and plug into the remote coupler behind the seat. Raise the Lift/Lower lever clear to the top and let it hammer away. That reason that line is so small is for strength AND to dampen pulsations of the pump when the Traction Booster is being used so the needle is more steady.

 

[onetotaltoolman]

Passing along for anyone else that runs in to this issue. I contacted A-thruZ and could not find ANYONE that had 1/8 steel brake/hydraulic line to
replace the original . I even went to my local hydraulic dealer who has everything related to hydraulic hose/fittings/you name it and came up empty.
I finally found stainless steel 1/8 brake line at McMaster Carr . It is rated at 8500 psi so obviously will handle the pumps pressure. Supposed to be here tomorrow, so hopefully that will solve this problem.

 

[onetotaltoolman]

Trying to help anyone else that has trouble finding line from the hydro to the traction booster gauge. Original is 1/8 steel, next to impossible to get
today. My original was damaged, and so was the gauge. Replacing turned in to an adventure. Found 1/8 stainless at McMaster Carr. Only place i could find anything in 1/8. Stainless does not like to be flared. To make this work on the torque tube side, you must put a ferrule on the tube first, flare the piece as much as possible, then when the nut gets tightened down the ferrule will squish in to the original flare. Ok then, it works. Posting because i spent about two hours trying to find typical alloy or aluminum brake line. Good luck with that! This will work. See pic below gas tank.

 

[Bob Bancroft]

So, did you get another gauge?

 

[DrAllis]

Paint and color looks very nice !!!!!

 

[onetotaltoolman]

Yup - got a new gauge, working fine now.