Bruce's Journal

[greybeard]

Ya try turning it the other way?.....may have a left handed thread on it.....sometimes a glaze can form on those things and there can be a vacuum created.....just some of the things that I've faced a few times.....

Left threads..on a hydraulic filter?
No.

On modern filters, it's not the threads that are tight.
The 'o'ring or rubber-like (usually neoprene) gaskets swell up due to the heat from the hydraulic fluid and makes filters difficult to get off. The swollen membrane acts like a brake pad between the metal face of the filter and the metal base the filter seals against. Once the 'o'ring/gasket material swells, it never goes back down to origninal thickness, thereby ensuring a good seal.

 

[Bruce]

The tractor is back in service. Bought a new band wrench, a strap wrench (the only kind I think I can use to get the fuel filter off due to tight access), a pliers style wrench and a 93mm end cap type wrench.
Started with the end cap, it didn't want to go on more than minimally and slipped so I tried the band wrench. Clearly this one was starting to flex in a bad way so I tried the pliers style. No good, not enough room. The strap wrench slipped and I'm not surprised by that.

So I went back to the end cap wrench and persuaded it to go on with the use of a hammer. Couldn't use an extension on the ratchet, 3 point connector in the way thus no way to use the ratchet from up above behind the rear tire. Couldn't get it to move with the 12" ratchet so made a 12" cheater from a piece of pipe. Comfortably (NOT!) situated under the tractor I managed to get it to loosen up. Now I'm FAR from the strongest guy in the world and laying under a tractor without much "swinging" room isn't the best for torque but the amount of force needed to get the filter to free up was ridiculous. Then I figured out I had to thread it most of the way back on to get the ratchet off the cap, it was forced into part of the frame as the filter backed out. I guess it is good that those filters are (intentionally or not) pretty well protected with all the frame parts in the way but I had to use the pliers style from the back to loosen it up again before I could turn it by hand. And then I had to use the hammer to get the cap wrench off the old filter. I used the band wrench for final tightening. Yeah I know, "hand tight". I don't have that much grip especially when there is no way to get your hand wrapped around the filter, I went about 1/2 to 3/4 turn after the gasket was causing friction on the housing.

Oh yeah, and I replaced my bit of wire on the brake rod pin with a new cotter pin.

 

[Rammy]

Yeeeaaaaahhhhhh!!!!

 

[greybeard]

The filters are installed OEM on the transmission and engine prior to the 'big pieces' being fitted together. They don't intentionally make the frame as a protectant, they just worry whether there is clearance or not. Most tractors, there is no 'frame' as the driveline components' cases ARE the frame.

 

[Bruce]

Too bad the people at the factories don't have torque wrenches.

 

[RollingAcres]

Yay! Now Bruce can get back to work! lol

 

[greybeard]

Too bad the people at the factories don't have torque wrenches.

Torque wrenches do not help when a rubber type gasket or 'o' ring is involved.
Ambient temperature on any given day cn and does change how much compression the material sees as well as how long the threaded nipple actually is in length due to expansion. It's why all filters are installed '.X' amount of turns after contact. Anyone that has ever had a filter begin to leak after that threaded nipple got hot from the oil flowing thru it, and expanded in length will tell you it is far better to have it too tight than too loose. As the nipple expands in length, it's threads push the filter out away from it's mating face a few thousandths and lessen the compression of the neoprene sealing material=leak.

There are lots of things that are fastened with other than a simple torque value because of expansion and/or stretching. Many head and exhaust studs for instance are initially installed to a specified torque, then "tighten 'X' degrees" more, usually 90 degrees. It's called TTY--torque to yield.

 

[Rammy]

Yay! Now Bruce can get back to work! lol

Lookout, tadpoles, here comes @Bruce!

 

[Bruce]

Nope, pond work is done. Occasional rains are putting water in it. Plenty for the tadpoles .... unless they have already become frogs. Then NO tadpoles. Supposed to get something over .5 inch tomorrow. Maybe I'll remember to take a picture on Friday.

 

[Latestarter]

Well, from the sounds of it, it seems it's holding water... That's a really good thing.