Portable filtration Carts

<big>[b:654c4848f0]These portable filtration units look like a nice toy to have to really clean oil on all our hydraulic and engine oil applications. [u:654c4848f0]BUT[/u:654c4848f0], they're about $1000 at least. Has anybody ever rented one, or made one that's more reasonable for those with less equipment?[/b:654c4848f0]</big>

If it were me I would just run the tractor with new oil and a new filter and then drain it, refill and put on a new filter and be done with it. I dont think that a tractor would need oil cleaner then what a 10 micron filter supplies.

re:If it were me I would just run the tractor with new oil and a new filter and then drain it, refill and put on a new filter and be done with it. I dont think that a tractor would need oil cleaner then what a 10 micron filter supplies.

If it's a 6 quart engine that's fine, but a 13 gallon hydraulic tank like mine would be $200 of oil and $25 filter.

One recomendation was:
(From :http://www.insidersecretstohydraulics.com/hydraulic-oil.html)

[i:654c4848f0]To add hydraulic oil, and not the dirt, always filter new oil prior to use in a hydraulic system.

This can be accomplished by pumping the oil into the hydraulic reservoir through the system's return filter. [b:654c4848f0]The easiest way to do this is to install a tee in the return line and attach a quick-connector to the branch of this tee. Attach the other half of the quick-connector to the discharge hose of a drum pump.[/b:654c4848f0]

When hydraulic oil needs to be added to the reservoir, the drum pump is coupled to the return line and the oil is pumped into the reservoir through the return filter. As well as filtering the oil, spills are avoided and the ingress of external contamination is prevented.

The benefits of carrying out this simple modification are well worth the minor cost involved.[/i:654c4848f0]

Hydraulic systems and fluid transfer/filtration are not cheap. My hydraulic system on my Deere tractor holds 4 gallons. New filter with fluid is about $80.
You can buy a small 1/2HP motor with a cheap 1 gpm pump for $200 or less plus a spin on filter block on it with a filter cartridge. Plus hoses and fittings.
Look up the Mcmaster catalog or ww grainger to see if they have filter carts to sell.
What I also suggest is to change the filter every 6 months or whatever the manual says, if the manual doesnt give a filter change out interval then do it every 300 hours or something.

I made my own: A 1/2 horse motor, a used oil
burner pump, but any small hydraulic pump will
work. 2 woodsplitter type filter heads,one before
the pump, to protect it, one after the pump, to
further clean the oil, some tubing, hose fittings
The pre-pump filter is going to pick up the most
dirt, so change it twice as often. I used ZINGA
filter heads, that have an adjustable bypass
spring, and set it to the highest setting, as you
don't want anything to bypass. I put a 60 psi
pressure gauge in the system...when pressure
starts to rise it's time to change filter cans.
REMEMBER !, borrowing anything from a neighbor,
and plugging it into your tractor quick couplers
means you've transfered the contamination from
his system...water, dirt, metallic particles,into
your system