Frozen hydraulics

[uphere]

It has been minus 20 degrees here in the great white north ... and I am finding that my loader joy stick on my 2740 gets hung up (leaves me with no bucket - only able to tip it down not bring it back up?) - it has the newer boom loader that works great (althought I am a bit at a loss for the levelling part?). I have been pouring lock de-icer into the rubber boot to try and thaw it out ... and while it works it seems to take a while. Once the tractor warms up (30 minutes) I can use the loader. Is there any secret to keeping this stick from freezing up?

 

[Tig]

It the joystick physically stuck or is it just that nothing happens when you move it in certain directions?

 

[uphere]

It moves freely back and forth and to the right but there is no movement to the left at all ... that is until it warms up.

The quick solution would be move to a warmer climate!

 

[Tig]

Lock deicer will remove any lubrication and won't be very good for the rubber boot either. I'd try some silicone spray under the boot when it is already warmed up. Then operate the joystick to work the silicone in. That will lube any sticking parts. If you can remove the boot you may see what is stuck.
Other than sticking mechanism the fluid should be checked. Is it in good condition? ie; no moisture. If flow or internal sticking is a problem then perhaps a premium quality fluid would work better.
Just a few thoughts.

 

[sandman2234]

I also agree that the de-icer probably won't be helping the boot! Make sure there is no water in the oil, and keep your baby in a heated garage is all I can suggest. Not familar with very many ice problems on this end.
David from jax

 

[uphere]

Thanks gents for the hints ... I'll try them and let you know how they turn out (minus 20 tonight and we just got 4 inches of snow!)

Is there anything that can be added to the hydraulic fluid to keep it from freezing (or at least keep it "thinner"?) ... something that would act like antifreeze?

 

[dry_creek_farm]

Could be either the cable freezing up or the hydraulic valve sticking due to high pressure at cold startup.

It's just the nature of the beast when it's cold out. You could switch to a thinner weight trans/hydraulic fluid for the winter but come summer time you'd probably want to switch back to a heavier weight or your hydraulics will run slower when it gets hot out and the fluid thins a little too much. Also, a good warm up will help thin out the fluid a bit as it gets warmer.

It was -10F at my place the other morning and when I started up the tractor it was a little slow to get going. All the hydraulics were a little stiff and I could hear the hydraulic relief whining until the fluid warmed up a bit. The oil flowing through that relief will actually help the system warm up a little faster.

I think a good rule of thumb would be to let the tractor warm up for at least 10 minutes before you start moving it around.

 

[citytransplant]

(minus 20 tonight and we just got 4 inches of snow!)

Just curious, do you use a magnetic block, frost plug, dipsick, or any other type of heating device(s)? Does she rest in a garage/barn/shed when not in use and if yes, when it's 20 below outside, how cold would you estimate the storage area to be?

I ask because I believe I have basically the same Daedong 27 HP setup only my gal wears a blue dress. She too is asked to venture out on occasion when the temperature falls into single digits. I slap a magnetic heater on her oil pan a few hours before I ask her to dance.

A shot of my tractor through our barn window one frosty morning earlier this year is attached.

 

[Maka]

OK, sounds like you have some water in the plunger. Your loader control has two black or aluminum covers on the back side of it. What seems to be happening is that one has some water in it and it is freezing not allowing the joystick to move left and right.

So on the back side of the valve see which one has the water in it by taking them off. Remove the water out of the one. One way to make sure it does not happen again is to drill a very small hole in the cap so any condensation or water build up does not occur. Pack it with grease and your problem should be solved.

If it is frozen a lighter to the bottom will help for a short term fix.

Try this and let me know if this solves the problem.

Maka

It has been minus 20 degrees here in the great white north ... and I am finding that my loader joy stick on my 2740 gets hung up (leaves me with no bucket - only able to tip it down not bring it back up?) - it has the newer boom loader that works great (althought I am a bit at a loss for the levelling part?). I have been pouring lock de-icer into the rubber boot to try and thaw it out ... and while it works it seems to take a while. Once the tractor warms up (30 minutes) I can use the loader. Is there any secret to keeping this stick from freezing up?

 

[MikePA]

Is there anything that can be added to the hydraulic fluid to keep it from freezing (or at least keep it "thinner"?) ... something that would act like antifreeze?

You live where synthetic hydraulic fluid makes a lot of sense.