Hydraulic Oil Filter - Removal - on super tight

[AlphaBob]

My Thomas T133 looks like it has never had the hydraulic oil filter changed (1,700 hours). It is 3.75" in diameter and about 14" long (5 micron filter). The filter is mounted on a standard bulkhead filter mount - i.e. the hoses come into the top of a bracket / manifold assembly and the filter screws on from the bottom; the mount bolts onto the sidewall inside the engine compartment. The sidewall happens to be the inside of the 8 gallon hydraulic oil tank (actually 10W-30 SJ motor oil). At any rate ... I purchased the correct replacement filter, but can't get the original filter to unscrew. Naturally, looking down from the top it needs to turn clockwise because the filter actually screws on from the bottom - long-winded way of saying, I'm turning it in the right direction. Tried on of the rubber strap wrenches that I use for my automotive oil filters - no movement at all. Purchased one of those nylon strap wrenches that has a 2" nylon web that rolls up on a hollow piece of square tube which accepts a 1/2" breaker bar - inserted a long 24" breaker bar, still no luck. Weeks ago I put some penetrating oil on the top of the filter (Kroil brand) which I was hoping would soak into the top of the filter. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Tazza]

That sounds rather tight! anti-clockwise is the way to get it off, just look at the threads of your new filter. Clockwise from looking at the top of the housing is the correct way like you said. Penetrating oil on the top won't do anything, you have a rubber seal on the outside, none will touch the threads but they should be running in oil anyway. The only thing i can think to try is a chisel and hammer. Use the outer rolled edge of the filter for somewhere to strike. The impacts may help to crack it loose. Even if you used your filter wrench to hold pressure with someone holding it there and you use the chisel and hammer on the filter housing and see if that will shake it loose!
Good luck with it!

 

[AlphaBob]

That sounds rather tight! anti-clockwise is the way to get it off, just look at the threads of your new filter. Clockwise from looking at the top of the housing is the correct way like you said. Penetrating oil on the top won't do anything, you have a rubber seal on the outside, none will touch the threads but they should be running in oil anyway. The only thing i can think to try is a chisel and hammer. Use the outer rolled edge of the filter for somewhere to strike. The impacts may help to crack it loose. Even if you used your filter wrench to hold pressure with someone holding it there and you use the chisel and hammer on the filter housing and see if that will shake it loose!
Good luck with it!

Tazza - you were right on point - I used a punch and a hammer to loosen it up - being careful not to hit it too hard because I didn't want to crack the mounting assembly. Finally got it loose with the type of oil filter wrench that looks like a giant pair of channel lock adjustable pliers. The rubber strap wrench was a joke, the nylon strap wrench was a joke, the metal band wrench didn't move it, but I was able to smack the handle of the metal band wrench until I bent it beyond recognition. Finally, after loosening it with the blows as you suggested I was able to get it to budge with the giant adjustable pliers / oil filter wrench. My guess is that when it was originally installed there was no oil put on the rubber o-ring and between that and the corrosion on the top of the filter from sitting outside in the rain, it was really stuck on there. Having never been changed in 13 years (1,700 hours) probably didn't help either. At any rate I finally got it off and everything cleaned up well. Thanks for the tip and the quick response.

 

[Tazza]

Tazza - you were right on point - I used a punch and a hammer to loosen it up - being careful not to hit it too hard because I didn't want to crack the mounting assembly. Finally got it loose with the type of oil filter wrench that looks like a giant pair of channel lock adjustable pliers. The rubber strap wrench was a joke, the nylon strap wrench was a joke, the metal band wrench didn't move it, but I was able to smack the handle of the metal band wrench until I bent it beyond recognition. Finally, after loosening it with the blows as you suggested I was able to get it to budge with the giant adjustable pliers / oil filter wrench. My guess is that when it was originally installed there was no oil put on the rubber o-ring and between that and the corrosion on the top of the filter from sitting outside in the rain, it was really stuck on there. Having never been changed in 13 years (1,700 hours) probably didn't help either. At any rate I finally got it off and everything cleaned up well. Thanks for the tip and the quick response.

Glad you got it removed!
We have all been there with things that just refuse to move, it was probably over tight when first installed too. They should only ever be hand tight and oil should be put on the O ring, I'm sure some people don't bother doing this.

 

[skidsteer.ca]

Glad you got it removed!
We have all been there with things that just refuse to move, it was probably over tight when first installed too. They should only ever be hand tight and oil should be put on the O ring, I'm sure some people don't bother doing this.

And I'm certain someone sneaks out there every night and keeps tightening the d*#m things!
Ken