JD 550 hydraulic hoses to radiator

[354d]

I have a Johnd Deere 550 that is leaking hydraulic fluid near the front on the engine compartment. I guessed that it was the two 1" hydraulic hoses going to the bottom of the radiator. Turns out, I was right because the hoses were charred and cracked from burning twigs and bark from a fire about two years ago. So, I guess it took a couple of years for the hoses to finally fail. It was impossible for me to get the old hoses off with out cutting them near the nipples going into the radiator. I am buying some new hoses, and I wanted to see if anyone had any ideas to make installing the new hoses easier. The hoses are very stiff, and just plain tough to work with. Thanks, Carr

[digitup2]

My bigest problem with those hoses was that they rubbed together till they rubbed through .Keep them spaced or cover them with an old hose that is just larger than there o/d where they tuch on each other .Deere never had much of a fix and it was a set of hoses that went after a lot of shaking around .Digitup.

[354d]

Thanks for the reply Digitup. We managed to get the new hoses installed. Lots of sweat and grunting. Attaching some cord about 3 inches from the end of the hose to help pull the new hose over the nipple worked well. It is a two person job. Mine ruptured because they got hot in a fire two years ago. They finally started leaking. The hose ran about $.53/inch from the John Deere store.

[digitup2]

It is a good idea to keep the engine compartment clean we try to cleam up as much as possible when the unit is in for surviceing some machines get no time off from spring to fall but a bit of dirt can build up and quickly become a fire hazard My compatition had a Cat D8H catch fire and it even lit the peat bog on fire under it three years ago the peat is still burning [Smoldering ]and 60 acres is dropped several feet becouse of a fuel injecter leak Dust and oil or dust and fuel can do a lot of dammage add a few fuel saturated twigs and a poor electrical colector or a twig droping from the manifold and that is all it takes. Digitup.