Adding Auxiliary Hydraulics To An Excavator

by

Keywords: excavator auxiliary hydraulic kits, excavator hydraulics, auxiliary hydraulics

excavator auxiliary hydraulic kits excavator hydraulics auxiliary hydraulics

Excavator auxiliary hydraulic kits

Excavators are extensively utilized in a wide range of applications. They find use on construction sites, where they are employed for tasks such as material removal, trenching, hole digging, and foundation work. They are also utilized in demolition projects to dismantle buildings and structures. Furthermore, excavators play a crucial role in mining operations by excavating, lifting, and moving materials. In forestry work, they are utilized to transport felled trees, while in the Oil & Gas industry, they serve various purposes.

At the core of an excavator lies its hydraulic system, which is interconnected with almost every component of the machine. The hydraulic pump, connected to the excavator’s diesel engine, supplies flow and pressure to power the machine’s various functions. As the pump operates, hydraulic oil circulates throughout the system, enabling the tracks, boom, arm, and bucket to function.

The versatility of excavators stems from their ability to accommodate a wide array of hydraulic attachments. Consequently, it is not uncommon for operators to add additional auxiliary hydraulics to the machine’s arm to operate various hydraulic implements like thumbs, grapples, breakers, or buckets with tilt functionality. This article offers valuable tips for carrying out such operations.

Preparing for the Installation of Auxiliary Hydraulics

To plumb in additional auxiliary hydraulics it’s often necessary to operate on both sides of the excavator stick, where high pressure lines are used to power specific attachments (like hammers or compactors) while the function of medium pressure lines is to rotate or tilt them. 

Here’s a list of suggested precautions and recommended safety measures:

  • before taking any fitting yet installed off the stick, the hydraulic attachment must be lowered first, to prevent it from suddenly dropping down.
  • A basin will be helpful to collect oil spilled out.
  • It’s better to think in advance of a proper route for the hoses to avoid damaging  them when the excavator is at work: an incorrect route could in fact lead to hose-bucket mutual rubbing or to hoses pinched or ripped off by tree limbs. 
  • Before starting the installation, operators should care to collect all the necessary hydraulic parts (ball valves, elbows, fittings) and to verify that each one has the right thread.
  • Size of hoses and fittings installed must suit the attachment flow rate (be it high-flow or standard-flow, depending on the excavator model) to avoid unnecessary losses of pressure and energy caused by overheating or turbulent flow.

Guide to Installing Auxiliary Hydraulics

The typical process of installation involves temporarily disconnecting one or more lines from the hydraulic circuit and incorporating 3-way valves with auxiliary hydraulics. This allows for the connection of hydraulic attachments to the excavator when needed. By manipulating the ball valve in different directions, it becomes possible to activate one attachment at a time. For example, depending on the position of the ball valve, pushing the joystick will apply pressure to either a thumb or tilt a bucket.

How Many Kind of Hydraulic Attachment do Excavator Have?