Need Ideas

[ToadHill]

Last weekend I was using my DK35 to run around the property. I started it and let it run until the hear gage came into the normal range. I lifted the bucket and the 3Pt hitch and with the 75" blower on the back, the hitch started bouncing about 3" up and down. I set the blower down and lifted it again and it continued to bounce. I repeated this a couple more times and suddenly the bouncing stopped. Temperature was about 15 degrees but the tractor had warmed up. Fluid lever was right where it should be. It hasn't happened before and I've run the tractor with the blower on in a lot colder weather than 15 degrees.

Any Ideas?

[ShilohAcresSupporter]

I'm not the expert on tractors and hydraulics. But, other mechanical systems experience would have me say three things.... A) check your fluid level, make sure it isn't low just in case, B) your water temp might have been fine, but the fluid temp will be below operating temp until you actually start using the tractor or let it pump the fluid through a warm radiator for a surprisingly long time.... c) do you have 'draft' control, and where was that set?

I suspect you had cold fluid and possibly the draft control set on minimum, which created a mechanical oscillation in whatever hydraulic circuits couple between those two controls. Such oscillations can be very 'peaky', they won't necessarily happen if things are warmer or colder.

If you don't have a draft control, then I have no idea what would cause the oscillation. Just a guess, really I'll check back to see what the pro's suggest.... interesting problem.

[rimshot]

Originally Posted by ToadHill

I lifted the bucket and the 3Pt hitch and with the 75" blower on the back, the hitch started bouncing about 3" up and down. I set the blower down and lifted it again and it continued to bounce. I repeated this a couple more times and suddenly the bouncing stopped.

Any Ideas?

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Hi ToadHill,

You stated you you raised the blower. Was the PTO engaged? If so you may have bound up the drive shaft for the blower momentarily or possibly a u-joint in the PTO drive line is wearing out.

rimshot

[ToadHill]

The PTO was never engaged. I do have draft control and as far as I know it was in the lowest position, but with the Ice on the tractor, it could have been set a little higher.

[Highbeam]

I think I have I have a good idea of your problem.

You have the bouncing MLS valve. I've got it too. It comes and goes with no apparent reason. Really really irritating and the dealers have tried to fix mine twice without success. It might not be the MLS valve's fault but the dealers blamed it.

In my mind I believe that the position control is trying to maintain a particular 3ph height as set by your lever and then as the hydraulics leak down the position control brings it up, then it leaks down and then up again. bounce bounce bounce you go. The bounce really stinks when trying to get off the trailer. It will bounce even when the hydraulic drop speed selector under the seat is all the way closed, just slower.

I have found that unhitching the 3ph weight, then opertating the 3ph hydraulics, and then rehitching makes it go away until the next time.

Maybe it is a chunk of dirt in the hydraulic seal?