detent or float

[OrangeToys]

Ok I am about to order a set of rear remotes and apparently theres 2 differents styles and options to pick. I know nothing about them. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

[kuboman]

Ok I am about to order a set of rear remotes and apparently theres 2 differents styles and options to pick. I know nothing about them. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Detent means it will lock in the position you put the lever until the implement reaches the top/bottom of stroke.
Float will allow the implement to move up or down on it's own. It all depends on what you are going to do with it. I would get float no matter what. Detent is up to you. Without detent you will have to hold the lever to move the implement up or down.

[J_J]

Just about all float position on valves have detent. I sure would not want to hold that lever in float.

If you are going to use the a two spool valve for T-N-T, you don't want detent. Float on one spool is good for grading. A third spool with detent would be good to have for log splitter or BH.

[grsthegreat]

agree 100% with JJ.

The only thing i do like about my detente valve is i can lock it when using the rear 3 point mounted log splitter.

Otherwise the detente is a PITA.

My 2nd valve doesnt have a detente and i use that for most everything i do cept the logsplitter.

[OrangeToys]

Just saw that in the manual that the top and bottom set is detent and the second set is a float.

[gaproperty]

Man I wish I had JJ's knowledge. I would save a bundle in my small business. As a matter of fact he already saved me money. Thanks JJ.

[crazyal]

It's my understanding that detent and float are two different things. Detent is a way of holding the lever in position while float allows fluid to travel in both directions from the cylinder lines.

For example if you wanted to run a hydraulic motor you would want a detent to hold the lever in the correct position so fluid can power the motor otherwise you would have to hold it by hand or by wrapping a rope to hold it. Another example would be a log splitter (if you've ever used one). When extending the cylinder to split the log you don't have a detent. If you let go of the lever it will spring back to the neutral position and the cylinder stops moving. However when retracting the cylinder the valve has a detent. Once you push the lever to retract the cylinder you can let go of it and reach for a new log while the cylinder will continue to retract on it's own.

Float just allows a cylinder to extend and retract if the attachment pulls or pushes on it. Your FEL most likely has a float setting. If you were strong enough when the lift motion is in float you could lift the loader up or if it was up it would fall to the ground. Most (maybe all) valves that have a float option will have a detent to hold the lever in float mode.

I'm not positive but it sounds like what you are calling detent is actually a position for the lever that will keep hydraulic fluid flowing (so you could run a hydraulic motor) without having to hold the lever.

[SSdoxie]

Detent is just a term for the spring loaded mechanisim in the valve centering spring that holds the valve spool in a fully stoked position. Depending on the valve spool type and valve casting if it is constant power supply out or if it holds the spool in a float poistion. Both types of valve will allow pressure out in both directions without going into "detent". A 3rd option (on constant power) is to have auto-return to neutral, when pressure reachs a set value the detent releases and spool returns to neutral - commonly used on log splitter valve for cylinder retract.
If both choices were available on my tractor, I would have one of each.

[grsthegreat]

Ya, ive always just refereed to it as detente and non detente. When you lock the valve in the detente position, the hydraulics then are free to float (like the front loader)

[tshep]

Not being an expert in this field, I would have expected there to be:

detent - some extra resistance for some extra stroke to operating lever, that may or may not lock (BX23 bucket dump, old cars push down 'reverse')

and then locking or holding detent - like bucket (lift arms) float

I found both types when I serviced my late BX23 FEL lever system - balls up a ramp, and also balls up a ramp and then in a groove.

How are locking detent and non-locking detent ('special position') differentiated?
Is a detent something you go through (the resistant ramp) or something that holds (the groove)?
I can see a case for both...