Planter Oil Leaks: Common Causes and Fixes
Folding planters often use a big, hydraulic mono-block outfitted with lots of solenoids to control hydraulic functions. Oil dripping or spurting from the vicinity of that block looks disastrous, and may be. But before panicking, clean up the oily mess so you can see what’s going on, then check for:
A leaky o-ring on a hex plug. These flush-fitting round plugs with a hex opening for an Allen wrench are used to plug ports where tool and die equipment had to drill into or through the block. It’s not unusual for the high-frequency vibration of pressurized oil to loosen those plugs enough so their o-ring fails. After de-pressurizing the hydraulic system and hydraulic block, repair requires nothing more than removing the hex plug and installing a new o-ring.
A loose fitting on a hydraulic hose. The same vibrations that loosen hex plugs on the main valve block can also loosen 90- and 45-degree flared fittings where hydraulic hoses attach to that block. All they need is to be snugged tight.
The hoses routed to and from that mono-block are often crammed into a small area and sometimes come in contact with the sharp edges of that block. Over time, hydraulic vibrations can wear through hoses if they rest against that edge.
To PREVENT the need to replace a 40-foot-long hose routed under, over, around and through frame or hitch tubes, be sure to check for and reroute or protect/sheath any hoses that make contact with the edges of the main hydraulic block.
Read More from Dan:
Do Pretty Corn Fields Actually Translate Into Higher Yields?
In The Shop: Your High-Tech Planter Might Need these Tweaks
Dan Anderson: Planter Maintenance Made Easy(er)
