Changing Simplicity Prestige Hydraulic Steering Cylinder

Some time ago I discovered my 2013 Prestige steering cylinder was leaking. I purchase a replacement (Simplicity Snapper Cylinder - Hydr Steer 1737057YP) and am now trying to do the change. Getting the cylinder off the frame was easy, but I was astounded at how difficult it was to get the hydraulic fittings out of the cylinder! The only way I could do it was to crack the fittings loose with a wrench, then rotate the cylinder around 360 degrees several times, passing the hoses over and under each other, then untwisting them to get the threads undone. It took me over an hour to get it disconnected, which should have been a 10 minute job. Apparently, there is no swivel feature on Simplicity hydraulic hoses? The fittings are 90* connectors with male threads going into the cylinder body. There is a threaded nut that connects the hose to the cylinder but it is threaded inside and out, and will not turn (loosen) enough to allow the threads to exit the cylinder casting before jamming.

Someone please tell me I am missing something here and it really won't be a 2 hour contortion fest trying to get this back on? Has anyone ever done this before? At my wits end, methinks....

Sounds like rust got into the nuts on the hose fittings. Usually one end is crimped solid, but the other should be able to turn on the short tube end with a wrench. They may take a little bit of "love tapping" with 2 hammers (use one hammer as an anvil) Soak with PB blaster or WD-40 And gently work the fittings until they turn.

If this is the setup I think it is Snapper has a very similar mower and the swivel fitting for the hydraulic hose going to the cylinder is on the hydraulic steering box in the lower console area. This is not a hose you want to be experimenting on. That ORB fitting on the steering box is something like $60 by itself not including the cost of the hose and the other fitting.

Auto Doc's said:

Sounds like rust got into the nuts on the hose fittings. Usually one end is crimped solid, but the other should be able to turn on the short tube end with a wrench. They may take a little bit of "love tapping" with 2 hammers (use one hammer as an anvil) Soak with PB blaster or WD-40 And gently work the fittings until they turn.

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Autodoc, many thanks for taking the time to respond and for the advice. I can abaolutely guarantee you there is not one speck of rust on any of those fittings. I was amazed at how easily the cracked when I put the wrences on them. No hammering necessary! The problem lay in the fact that the threaded insert that goes into the cylinder casting does not turn free as 99% of all hydraulic connectors do. It has threads on the inside too, which will only permit it to travel about 1/8" in either direction before locking up. I do not understand that, but I feel safe in saying that is why mechanics hate engineers. Thanks again.

ILENGINE said:

If this is the setup I think it is Snapper has a very similar mower and the swivel fitting for the hydraulic hose going to the cylinder is on the hydraulic steering box in the lower console area. This is not a hose you want to be experimenting on. That ORB fitting on the steering box is something like $60 by itself not including the cost of the hose and the other fitting.

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So I'm going to conclude that you are telling me I need to detach the whole hydraulic hose from the steering box so that it will turn to get it back on the cylinder, correct? I had not traced the lines back to that point, hoping I wouldn't have to do a full rebuild on the tractor just to change the cylinder. Again - why mechanics hate engineers. Thanks again!