# Snap-0n hydraulic coupling won't close **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [April 26, 2008, 9:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/snap-0n-hydraulic-coupling-wont-close/446996 "2008-04-26T21:25:35Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Scylla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a5b964/32.png) [@Scylla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scylla)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2008, 9:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/snap-0n-hydraulic-coupling-wont-close/446996/1 "2008-04-26T21:25:35Z")
The female end of a hydraulic coupling, the kind with a brass ring and bearings slides all the way up the male end, but the ring will not move forward pushing the bearings down and completing the seal. It snaps closed normally when not pushed onto the male end. Worked just fine up until today. Help? ---
**Author:** ![Deereman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Deereman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Deereman)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2008, 9:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/snap-0n-hydraulic-coupling-wont-close/446996/2 "2008-04-26T21:54:55Z")
It sounds like you are describing a Pioneer (or other similar design) hydraulic coupler used on farm tractors. What are you working on? First make sure it’s all clean. And try it a few more times, push hard. Sometimes they can be finicky, especially if you don’t get the angle right. If this fails, there is probably something keeping you from getting the female end COMPLETELY on the male end (it doesn’t take much and it won’t lock)…usually a buildup of pressure will do this. If you can, try to relieve any pressure on the male end. I’ve had to SMACK the male ends on a piece of steel to let some oil and pressure out (getting a bath in the process…watch your eyes). Brandon ---
**Author:** ![Projammer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/projammer/32/559_2.png) [@Projammer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Projammer)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2008, 10:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/snap-0n-hydraulic-coupling-wont-close/446996/3 "2008-04-26T22:29:11Z")
Seconding the possibility that crud is built up in the female connector keeping the male half from seating properly. Or possibly the male connector is damaged. Do you have another male fitting you could try in the connector? ---
**Author:** ![Fubaya](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/c2a13f/32.png) [@Fubaya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fubaya)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2008, 10:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/snap-0n-hydraulic-coupling-wont-close/446996/4 "2008-04-26T22:57:56Z")
That recently happened to me due to pressure build up. To avoid releasing the pressure, I just used a strong friend and the both of us were able to get it locked on ---
**Author:** ![Scylla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a5b964/32.png) [@Scylla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scylla)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2008, 2:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/snap-0n-hydraulic-coupling-wont-close/446996/5 "2008-04-27T14:33:19Z")
There’s no pressure any more. That female end won’t slide onto any male. Other female ends will fit (it’s the bucket on a tractor.) ---
**Author:** ![beowulff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beowulff/32/542_2.png) [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2008, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/snap-0n-hydraulic-coupling-wont-close/446996/6 "2008-04-27T14:41:21Z")
When all else fails, there’s always WD-40. ---
**Author:** ![Fubaya](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/c2a13f/32.png) [@Fubaya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fubaya)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2008, 3:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/snap-0n-hydraulic-coupling-wont-close/446996/7 "2008-04-27T15:25:17Z")
[QUOTE=beowulff] When all else fails, there’s always WD-40. [/QUOTE] Yes, or PB Blaster. Get a small container, maybe a cap from a can of spray paint or something, and spray enough in it so you can put the female end in to soak for a few minutes. Then see if it connects. ---
**Author:** ![Scylla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a5b964/32.png) [@Scylla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scylla)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2008, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/snap-0n-hydraulic-coupling-wont-close/446996/8 "2008-04-27T16:33:07Z")
The whole hydraulic coupling is basically saturated in hydraulic oil, so I doubt that wd40 would do anything. Anyway, the stupid thing went on, first try today. I literally spent a couple of hours yesterday, and there was no way it would go. Today it just clicked on. Thanks for the help. ---
**Author:** ![Fubaya](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/c2a13f/32.png) [@Fubaya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fubaya)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2008, 5:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/snap-0n-hydraulic-coupling-wont-close/446996/9 "2008-04-27T17:47:01Z")
They call that a “reverse-sabbath” fitting. It only works on Sunday. ---
**Author:** ![Fir\_na\_tine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/a587f6/32.png) [@Fir\_na\_tine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fir_na_tine)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2008, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/snap-0n-hydraulic-coupling-wont-close/446996/10 "2008-04-28T16:13:18Z")
The tolerances in these fittings are so tight that even a grain of sand will stop them from mating. The hours you spent before must have finally dislodged the grit. ---
**Author:** ![Rick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9f8e36/32.png) [@Rick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2008, 5:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/snap-0n-hydraulic-coupling-wont-close/446996/11 "2008-04-28T17:34:30Z")
Also the angle of the dangle has a lot to do with it. If the connectors are not 100% straight with each other, they can be a cast iron bitch to mate.