Pop in FEL Curl Cylinder in my BX25D - Bucket uncurls on own weight

[analog]

I was using my tractor's FEL today and I heard a loud pop up by the FEL while having the bucket about half way curled against the ground pulling backward. Immediately afterward, I can curl the bucket all the way but it starts uncurling without any weight in it, it will uncurl within probably 30 seconds. Curling it back up occasionally makes another popping sound in the cylinder, so there seems to be something broken in there. I can hold weight with it as long as I keep the bucket curled, although I haven't tested it with any large amount of weight.

Any suggestions? How hard is it to service yourself?

Thanks for any advice in advance.

 

[Fallon]

I was using my tractor's FEL today and I heard a loud pop up by the FEL while having the bucket about half way curled against the ground pulling backward. Immediately afterward, I can curl the bucket all the way but it starts uncurling without any weight in it, it will uncurl within probably 30 seconds. Curling it back up occasionally makes another popping sound in the cylinder, so there seems to be something broken in there. I can hold weight with it as long as I keep the bucket curled, although I haven't tested it with any large amount of weight.

Any suggestions? How hard is it to service yourself?

Thanks for any advice in advance.

Backdragging with the bucket at a steep or negative ang puts A LOT of pressure on the curl cylinders if you lift the front end. It's also pushing on the cylinders in compression where they are unsupported on the sides rather than pulling on them in tension where they are intrinsically pulled straight. This kind of stress would pretty much be considered abuse.

You likely have 2 options.

Option 1: You bent a rod & either need to replace the road or the whole cylinder.
Option 2: you blew the cylinder packing & need new packing seals (either DIY for $100ish have a hydraulic shop do it)

 

[analog]

Thanks. If I buy a gland and nut wrench, I should be able to take it apart and see if the rod is bent, right? By the way, what I was actually doing was along the lines of this:

Homemade trencher digging trench for cables - YouTube

I feel like I put more pressure on it doing other things, but maybe not

 

[Spanner]

Your machine so you use it how you like - not for me to preach but... Painful to watch and sheer abuse of the machine imho.
Damage possibly done/initiated in earlier misuse events?
Good luck with your repair and potential future issues.

 

[analog]

No, I appreciate the advice. This is the first tractor I have ever owned. I feel like I have done more to it in the past, using the bucket to scrape, so yeah, maybe it was worse. I could have also been digging at a bad angle that just put way too much pressure on the bucket this go round. I do appreciate the advice and I'll be seeking out the hydraulic shop on Tuesday. Of course this stuff always happens when everyone is closed.

 

[Deere Dude]

I had a drooping curl cylinder and it ended up being the packing glands. But I did notice that the rod ends were loose in both cylinders. That didn't cause the dropping but for a new tractor they should have tight. Stuff happens.

 

[Fallon]

No, I appreciate the advice. This is the first tractor I have ever owned. I feel like I have done more to it in the past, using the bucket to scrape, so yeah, maybe it was worse. I could have also been digging at a bad angle that just put way too much pressure on the bucket this go round. I do appreciate the advice and I'll be seeking out the hydraulic shop on Tuesday. Of course this stuff always happens when everyone is closed.

Nice to hear & everybody hast to learn somehow. Hopefully it doesn't cost to much for the education. I'm just lucky I didn't break anything before I learned that particular weakness.

You should most likely be able to check the rods for straightness by extending them & checking with a straight edge.

Having a pro do if you aren't familiar with hydraulics isn't a bad idea at all.

 

[analog]

Nice to hear & everybody hast to learn somehow. Hopefully it doesn't cost to much for the education. I'm just lucky I didn't break anything before I learned that particular weakness.

You should most likely be able to check the rods for straightness by extending them & checking with a straight edge.

Having a pro do if you aren't familiar with hydraulics isn't a bad idea at all.

I'm not familiar, but I like to learn. I'd always rather be able to repair and get things moving myself, if possible.

So to that end, what angle is a safe for tilting and dragging the bucket? Or maybe better is what at what angle does it become dangerous?

Thanks

 

[diesel85]

I'm not familiar, but I like to learn. I'd always rather be able to repair and get things moving myself, if possible.

So to that end, what angle is a safe for tilting and dragging the bucket? Or maybe better is what at what angle does it become dangerous?

Thanks

Watch this: The Basics: Back Dragging with Loader Bucket - YouTube

 

[LD1]

Yes it sounds like you damaged a curl cylinder. Some good videos I this thread on what to do and what not to do.

The guy with the steel chained to the bucket trenching....yea that's abuse. If you were doing that, don't do it again. The stresses put on from backdragging with the bucket too steep, are magnified when you put a 2' lever on there.

No offense intended, but the phrase "this is my first tractor" seems to come up all the time when someone does something wrong and damages the tractor or loader. And most all of this stuff is spelled out in the manual. Does not one read them anymore? My manual has SEVERAL of those pictures showing incorrect and correct ways of doing things