TC55DA & 18LA Loader problem. Bucket Won't Curl.

[Osconda]

I was out sighting in my deer rifle last Saturday when my son-in-law calls me on the phone. He was borrowing my tractor to get some sight prep work done for a home my daughter and SIL will be building soon.

He says, "Ever had the loader not want to curl back up? I was pushing on this tree with the grapple and I heard a loud pop! Then when I backed away from the tree the grapple just went limp but I didn't "dump" it."

I drove over and checked it out. There were no busted hoses. We unhooked the root grapple and although the loader would lift fine it would not curl or dump. It would only dump due to the weight of the quick attach assembly pulling it down. The hydr. pistons extend further (several inches) than normal so something must be very wrong.

I can tell it tries to do something when I actuate the joystick but it seems like the fluid can't do it's thing. Maybe a seal or stop valve broke. I dropped it by the dealer this morning. Tractor and loader are 17 months old. Hope it's still in warranty!

 

[jinman]

Try reseating the curl quick-connect fittings. That sounds exactly like what your problem is, one hose "popped" out. It may not be obvious since the hose fittings normally just pop out maybe 1/4". You have to look close to see it. My guess is that when the grapple was bumped, it caused a pressure spike and caused the fitting to unseat.

 

[Osconda]

I disconnected and reconnected the quick coupling hoses several times. I held the bump on the fitting depressed while my son-in-law curled in the bucket by hand. This caused a lof of fluid to be pushed out but the pistons at least were retracted into the cylinders. As soon as he let go of the bucket, it started dumping out again due to the weight.

Think a quick coupler unseating would make a loud pop?

 

[Redneck_Randy]

I'm a newbie here so this only a thought.

The loud pop could have been internal damage done to the curl hydro rams since you stated they are extended further then they should be.

 

[jinman]

I disconnected and reconnected the quick coupling hoses several times. I held the bump on the fitting depressed while my son-in-law curled in the bucket by hand. This caused a lof of fluid to be pushed out but the pistons at least were retracted into the cylinders. As soon as he let go of the bucket, it started dumping out again due to the weight.

Think a quick coupler unseating would make a loud pop?

With that additional info and the circumstances, I'd expect to find one or both internal seals blown on the curl cylinders. To prove it's in the loader cylinders, just swap your curl and lift quick connects (the control will be interchanged, of course). If the problem remains the same, it's the cylinders. If it changes, it's in the joystick control valve or ???

 

[Bob_Skurka]

I'd expect to find one or both internal seals blown on the curl cylinders. To prove it's in the loader cylinders, just swap your curl and lift quick connects (the control will be interchanged, of course). If the problem remains the same, it's the cylinders. If it changes, it's in the joystick control valve or ???

Osconda, I have to agree with jinman here, try swapping around the hoses but I suspect you have broken your internal seals. Doesn't happen very often, but it does happen. Might want to mention to your son-in-law that tractors are not bulldozers?

 

[jinman]

Bob, I just re-read his original post and I guess it's a little late to be suggesting tests for him to do since he already dropped it off at his dealer. I suspect the dealer will be calling to say he will be replacing one or both seals. I'm sure Osconda will let us know the outcome.


I've popped several hoses, but never an internal seal. Although, I did have an old Ford 4000 that had the "sagging bucket syndrome" until I got the seals replaced. I bought it that way and I think it was just suffering from old age.

 

[Osconda]

Well I guess it probably is the seals on one or both cylinders. I didn't see exactly what my son-in-law did but it sure sounded like the same thing I've done over and over again. Cedar trees in these parts are not too hard to pull out with a rootgrapple, if you have enough tractor for the job. I have pulled out a lot of trees and not had a problem. I wonder what might have been different this time.

Anybody done this kind of repair before?

Can the cylinders just be removed and taken to a hydraulic shop for repair?

 

[Dirthog]

If the rod is out more normal it most likely popped the nut off the rod for the piston blowing the packing would not let the rod come out to far

 

[Bob_Skurka]

Can the cylinders just be removed and taken to a hydraulic shop for repair?

Yes.