Quick Coupler Material Important for Various Environments

Quick Coupler Material Important for Various Environments 

Quick couplers are important to many hydraulic circuits in a wide range of applications such as oil and gas, earth moving, construction, demolition and many others. The choice if quick couplers and the material they are made of are vital in holding up to the applicable environment.  Many factors must be taken into consideration when selecting quick couplers for your application. 

One of the most important considerations in choosing quick couplers is the level of exposure they have to corrosion.  Some environments will quickly damage quick couplers if the material is not ideal for the environment, this could happen rapidly or slowly over time and extended use. 

Corrosive environments may be considered low to highly corrosive:

Low exposure to corrosion: these environments do not promote damage to couplers or circuits if maintained free from contamination

Medium exposure: these applications may be used in cooling systems and water based solutions, relating mostly to the type of fluid used

High exposure:  highly corrosive environments must utilize quick couplings designed to withstand hostile environments such as in off-shore oil and gas platforms

Stucchi Solution for Corrosion Resistance

Stucchi offers a wide selection of quick couplings designed for any level of corrosion from low to high.  Our quick couplers are available in various materials to meet different conditions.  These materials include:

●       Carbon steel:  quick couplers in carbon steel provide a decent balance between commercial and technical characteristics and are popular in low corrosion environments

●       Brass: couplers made of brass provide good resistance to medium-level corrosion and fluids

●       Stainless steel: this material is the most resistant to corrosion and suitable in highly corrosive environments. 

Stucchi offers many options for quick couplings in these materials with various port options and sizes.  We provide additional protection with treatment coatings such as:

●       QPQ: quench polish quench protective heat treatments provide good resistance to corrosion

●       Zinc Nickel: a surface galvanizing treatment which employs a special zinc alloy to improve corrosion resistance

●       Chrome III: this treatment is applied to carbon steel and is a popular form of treating for corrosion resistance. 

No matter your application, it is beneficial to contact your Stucchi hydraulic specialist for guidance in choosing the right quick coupler material and treatment to withstand your environment. 

Stucchi is dedicated to providing high quality quick connect solutions for any application and environment.  We offer custom designed hydraulic solutions from experienced technical experts.  Contact us with any questions on selecting the best quick couplings for your environment and application.

Upgrading Your Tractor from Standard to High Flow?

Here’s What You Need to Know about Upgrading Tractor Hydraulics

We are often asked about upgrading your tractor hydraulic system from standard flow to high flow.  This is done to beef up the infrastructure when wanting to use a tractor for heavier duty use like in construction.  Many people ask us they have to also swap out the quick couplers when upgrading from standard to high flow.  The answer is yes, absolutely you must upgrade your hydraulic quick couplers when upgrading the hydraulic circuit.

Beefed Up Hydraulics Require Heavier Duty Quick Couplers

It requires quite a lot more power to raise the blade with hydraulics when moving heavy materials as opposed to pulling an agricultural implement. The increase in force and weight requirements puts added stress on the circuit which includes the quick couplings.  Using quick coupler fittings that are not designed for this added stress could allow quick connect failure, leaks and require continually replacing them.  This will get costly and create unnecessary downtime, contamination and safety risks. 

High Flow Tractor Hydraulic Solutions 

Stucchi offers a solution for high flow tractor hydraulic circuits with a heavy duty flat face coupler featuring a thread to connect design.  This provides failsafe connections with leak free performance. We offer a wide selection of flat face and threaded flat face couplers ideal in many pressurized, demanding applications.

VEP threaded flat face series – the VEP series features a heavy duty and locking version to meet the most demanding applications.  The Stucchi VEP series is ideal in heavy duty construction and demolition applications with increased pressure requirements. 

VP Series – Stucchi’s VP series features an auto-locking sleeve and thread to connect design for failsafe connections. The VEP and VP can be found in heavy machinery and equipment such as excavators, cranes, tractors and many others. 

The Tractor Hydraulic Solution from Stucchi

Stucchi has been known for providing hydraulic solutions to a wide range of industries for over 60 years.  Our hydraulic specialists partner with you to learn your process and suggest the best quick connect solution to improve your productivity and safety.  We offer custom designed, innovative hydraulic solutions based on our expertise in analyzing your process and equipment. 

Stucchi provides a constant flow of solutions with high quality, durable and reliable hydraulic quick couplers.  We deliver leak-free hydraulic solutions which improve your overall business operations.  Contact us with any questions and to learn more about our hydraulic solutions for tractors.

Leaking Bobcat Quick Couplers? What NOT to Do

Leaking hydraulic fluid in any type of hydraulic application poses serious risks for operators and the environment. Hydraulic quick couplers on skid steer machines like a Bobcat can pose challenges when connecting under residual or thermal pressure and can leak upon quick disconnect.  If you are experiencing leaking hydraulic couplers on your skid steer machine, here are some tips on what NOT to do: 

1)  Do not over tighten thinking that’s all you need to do – you may overtighten the coupler thinking the tighter the better, although this can ruin the integrity of the seal and is one of the most common culprits of leaking couplers.  Examine the connection of the fitting prior to over torqueing. 

2)  Do not use your hands to check for leaks – leaking hydraulic fluid may reach temperatures exceeding 300° F causing serious burns if exposed to skin.  Even a small pinhole leak can quickly penetrate gloves when exerted under high pressure and velocity. 

3)  Do not re-use O-rings – we always recommend replacing the coupler rather than replacing O-rings as re-using an O-ring can make it susceptible to cracking and jeopardize the integrity of the connection. 

4) Do not forget to relieve pressure – it’s very important to depressurize the hydraulic system before inspecting connections.  Most Bobcats have a pressure disconnect to relieve pressure prior to disconnection.  

5)  Do not forget about flammability – even a pinhole leak can create a flammable vapor.  Keep all sources of flame far away from any hydraulic fluid leak. 

6)  Do no assume it’s the fitting that is leaking – drips occur at the lowest point of gravity, the leak point may be different from the drip point.  Examine the entire circuit for leaks. 

7)  Never ignore a hydraulic fluid leak – even what appears to be a minor leak could be indicative of a more serious problem which could affect performance.  

Contact a hydraulic quick connect specialist for more tips on identifying and replacing leaking quick couplers on skid steer or any hydraulic equipment.

Stucchi Offers Leak Free Skid Steer Hydraulic Solutions

Stucchi offers hydraulic solutions for leaking skid steer couplers and many other applications.  We offer a wide selection of couplers ideal on skid steer machines such as the APM which easily connects under residual or thermal pressure and features a flat face, leak free design.  Our Saturn block features a user-friendly relief system and is a direct field replacement for skid steer couplings. 

Stucchi offers hydraulic solutions to improve performance and safety while preventing downtime and hydraulic fluid leaks.  We offer personalized service to assist you with solving any hydraulic leak issue to improve your overall business operations.  Contact us with any questions and to learn more about our leak-free hydraulic solutions.