Bucket not level from left to right

[putt_putt_green]

Whenever I put my bucket down, the left side hits the ground first (even in my pole barn, which is level). Is this normal and is there a way to adjust this?

Note this is for a Deere 3520 with a 300CX loader.

 

[SkunkWerX]

Adjust tire pressure in the front tires until it's level? OK, bad joke.

Take measurements from your frame, where it mounts to the tractor, to make sure they are equidistant from the ground.
Then work your way forward, on each side to see if you can detect where the difference begins.

OR, start at the front, with bucket about 12 inches off of the ground, measure from each mount point, where the bucket attaches, this will prove out whether the bucket is bent.

But start with proper tire pressure all the way around.

 

[daTeacha]

I don't know how normal it is, but mine sets the right side down about 1/2 inch before the left. Whether or not you can adjust or want to bother with it will depend on the type of loader and tractor you have.

In any case the first thing to check is tire pressure -- all four corners. Make sure the two sides are equal on both ends. The front should be different from the rear, but left/right should be the same on either axle. Next, if it's a QD loader, make sure it's mounted properly. Then check the loader frame for level when the tractor is sitting level -- use a level or tape measure, don't just eyeball it. If tire pressures are okay, the frame is straight and level, and the frame is square to the center line of the tractor, check the arms just behind the bucket and see if they are level -- again use a level or a tape from a level floor. Finally, check the bucket itself -- the mounting points may be off a little from one side to the other.

All it amounts to is a process of checking everything that might result in one side touching down first. Eliminate possible causes one by one until you find something that isn't square and level. Then you can go about figuring out how to fix it if it still bothers you.

I was pretty concerned about mine at first, but soon figured out that a difference of 1/2 inch over 5 feet of bucket width wasn't going matter one iota when I'm scraping manure out of the barn, hauling brush, moving firewood, moving mulch or whatever else I do with the thing. I don't plan to enter it in anything resembling a concours competition for compact tractors, nor to compete in making a perfectly level surface out of what used to be a pile of manure in the barnyard either, and so decided to just live with it.

I suspect there are very few tractor/loader combinations out there that are perfectly level.

 

[DavesTractor]

Whenever I put my bucket down, the left side hits the ground first (even in my pole barn, which is level). Is this normal and is there a way to adjust this?

Note this is for a Deere 3520 with a 300CX loader.

How far off level is it? 1/2" or less may be acceptible, 1/4" or less is probably good. Over a 1/2" doesn't cut it in my book. Check rear tire pressure, front pressure matters little as the front axle is on a pivot. If all is well there, do the measuring as advised and try to see if it has shifted some on the mounts, or if the mounts have shifted some on the tractor. Worse case scenario is a bent loader, but that generally isn't the case.

 

[SkunkWerX]

Putt Putt,

Dateacha has a point, how much difference are we talking?

1/2" or less, I wouldn't let it bother me. If it was 2 inches, and I'd start wondering why it off by that much.

 

[Z-Michigan]

Assuming you have a quick attach bucket, are both sides fully pushed into the attachment system?

Could the bucket itself be bent?

Look at the loader arms and the curl cylinders - are they equal or is one off? I haven't heard of it before, but I have to think it's possible for the curl cylinders to get out of sync.

 

[putt_putt_green]

I'm guessing 2 inches at most, but of course the tractor is not near me right now. I'll check out all the suggestions. It's been like this since day one. I was assuming there was some type of adjustment to make to the hydraulics, again over analyzing the situation. I'll check it everyone's suggestions out when I get home from work.

 

[MrJimi]

Have you lifted something heavy with the left side? if so, just lift something heavy with the right side and be very careful

 

[RoyJackson]

I'm guessing 2 inches at most, but of course the tractor is not near me right now. I'll check out all the suggestions. It's been like this since day one. I was assuming there was some type of adjustment to make to the hydraulics, again over analyzing the situation. I'll check it everyone's suggestions out when I get home from work.

Since it's been off since day one, this is a good question for your dealer.

I would suggest (as others have) checking all tire pressures (if your rear tires are filled, you'll want to jack the tractor up, rotate so the valve stem is at 12:00 and use an air/liquid tire gage)
When your bucket is down and level (preferably on concrete or other hard level surface), measure to the top of the bucket (to eliminate the bucket being twisted). If those measurements reflect the same twist as the bucket lip (cutting edge), measure to the top of the masts (the vertical members of the loader that fit into the receptacles on the tractor frame) and see what you get there. If those measurements are more then ½" (that's an arbitrary number on my part) different, I would definitely contact the dealer.

Also, Z_Michigan wrote about the bucket being fully seated on the loader frame. This is unlikely as there are spuds welded on the bucket that go into holes in the loader frame. However, one of those spuds could be welded in the wrong location. You can visually compare the spuds one side to the other. Also, when you measure to the top of the bucket, you should see this type discrepancy in the measurements.

I haven't read all the posts in this thread. Have you removed and re-installed the loader yet? If so, are both masts fully seated in the receptacles?

 

[BobG_in_VA]

Lots of good advice here...however, I don't think I've seen the major cause of "bucket droop" listed yet. Take a good 1/2" impact wrench with the correct size sockets and tighten the loader frame on the tractor!! I noticed about a year after I got my tractor/loader that the bucket seemed to "list" a tad one way. After thorough inspection, I couldn't find any problems with the bucket, et al....a friend of mine reached down and hand turned a couple of the bolts holding the loader frame on to the tractor!! Don't know if this will cure your ill, but it sure helped mine. I do a tighten up on the loader frame bolts now about every 6 months. Good luck....BobG in VA