How to Replace Bobcat Hydraulic Quick Couplers

Understanding the Hydraulic Coupler System

The hydraulic coupling systems on skid steer utility vehicles are very similar on varying makes and models, making it easy to understand how Bobcat hydraulic quick couplers work and how to best replace them. While many hydraulic quick couplers may be compatible with various skid steer and Bobcat equipment, they are not all made the same. Choosing the right Bobcat quick coupler will provide effective, efficient and leak free hydraulic fluid control.

Power Many Attachments with Quick Couplers

Many attachments are available for the Bobcat making it one of the most versatile skid steer machines available. The right hydraulic system will easily power many attachments such as:

• Buckets – all types of buckets are available for utility vehicles, loaders for dirt, grain, fertilizer, rocks, heavy-duty construction material and low-profile buckets.
• Wood chipper – easily grind branches, trees, and tree limbs with continuous chipping.
• Excavator – easily pick up and move tree stumps, rocks, broken concrete or odd shaped objects. Use with a trenching bucket or three tine grapple as well as with a backhoe attachment.
• Concrete mixer – control the concrete mixer from inside or outside the cab to mix, transport and dump concrete faster than using a stand-alone mixer.
• Digger – easily dig trenches and holes up to 48 inches in depth, remove large rocks, tree stumps and transplant trees and shrubbery.
• Grapple – use a grapple attachment to clear debris, rocks, overgrowth, brush and roots while the dirt is allowed to fall between the teeth for fewer and lighter loads.
• Forestry cutter – cut down shrubbery and trees and grind them into mulch, available in various sizes from 50, 60 and 70 inches.
• Mowers – quickly mow large areas with the mower attachment in cutting widths of 71.5 or 89.5 inches.
• Pallet fork – one of the most common Bobcat attachments, the pallet fork allows for easy lifting and carrying of heavy materials.
• Snow blade – used to remove light to moderate snow on driveways, sidewalks and parking lots.
• Snow pusher – removes the snow on uneven surfaces such as decorative concrete, sloped sidewalks or paving stones.

All of these Bobcat attachments have one thing in common, they require the right Bobcat hydraulic quick couplers to operate effectively and efficiently. No matter what the purpose of your Bobcat vehicle is or the attachments that you use, understanding your hydraulic system and knowing how to maintain and replace Bobcat quick couplers is critical to equipment performance.

Many people want to know what to do with their hydraulic couplers, how to connect them and what they are for. It is important to know how to connect your skid steer attachments, how quick couplers are set up on your machine and the function of the quick coupling options on the outside of your machine. You should see quick connect coupling options lined up vertically on the outside of your machine.

The first coupler at the bottom, is typically a flat faced female quick coupler which is the pressurized coupler on a Bobcat. The trigger switch from inside the cab sends flow to this pressurized coupler to power your attachment such as a mower, a bucket or another motorized attachment. When the hydraulic flow returns it comes back through the male coupler which is the third one up from the bottom. The male coupler then takes the pressure back into the Bobcat, through the filter system to get re-pumped back through this female pressure coupler.

So, the bottom coupler is the female pressurized coupler which powers all attachments, the third coupler up from the bottom is the male return coupler, and the coupler in between the two is the case drain, which is a 3/8 male flat face coupler. This very important quick coupler takes any excess pressure back to the return line and into the reservoir. This case drain coupler will protect the motor on your attachments from bursting any seals due to built-up pressure.  The connection attachments at the top are 14 pin or 8 pin electrical connectors which allow the operator to control additional functions on attachments.

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