Just bought a tractor have questions

[techwrtr2]

Certainly cannot hurt.

[z28clone]

It helped a little. FEL still not as powerful as I had hoped when i bought it.

[skylarkguy]

Looks like a pretty nice machine.

[284 International]

It helped a little. FEL still not as powerful as I had hoped when i bought it.

Powerful is different than fast acting. What does it mean when you say it is slow, and not as powerful as you hoped?

[techwrtr2]

I don't have the manual for my loader handy, but I believe it's supposed to have a 500lb capacity. Fairly sure I've done more than that, but I don't carry a scale to weigh my loads.

[z28clone]

When i take a stab at a pile of dirt and try to pick up as I push in further into the dirt, the loader barely goes up. Sometimes i have to go in reverse to pick up. If i do get a scoop of dirt, it goes up fairly slowly. Looks like a few hoses were replaced before i bought it. Could there be air in the lines? How do i get the air out? What is the pressure in the FEL hydraulic system? maybe i could get a pressure gauge on it.

[Ilikeurtractor]

Air should show up as "springiness" in the rams. You may need to break some connections a few turns and try bleeding it at the high spots. Hydraulic pressure should run around 1900 psi before the relief valve opens on the tractor although you won't see that kind of pressure normally unless a ram is at the end of it's stroke or the system is loaded to that point.

[z28clone]

I completely changed the fluid a few weeks ago. and I Just completed the installation of a glycerin filled hydraulic gauge. I installed it right next to the "in" on the FEL control valve. Pressure reads 0 when the tractor is running and no load on the FEL. When I try to raise the loader or lift up the tractor with the bucket, the gauge does not exceed 500psi. Is it a coincidence that the loader capacity is 500lbs, or should it be reading over 2000psi? Ok, does that mean the pump is shot? Any suggestions/advice? Thanks.

[Ilikeurtractor]

Once the loader reaches its maximum hydraulic cylinder extension (the cylinders will "dead-head") then the pressure gauge should go to the relief valve setting which could be as high as 1900 psi (tractor relief valve setting). Sounds like one of (if there is more than one I don't know) the relief valves is set at 500 psi. Remember that on a loader you don't necessarily want full tractor pressure going to the loader cylinders. At 1900 psi a 1.5" diameter cylinder can generate around 3300 lbs. of force. So double that for two cylinders. Depending on the geometry of the loader assembly, that would likely end up being too much force on it, much more than the arms and other components are designed for. You really want a relief valve that will prevent these forces from developing to keep it from breaking something. If the control valve going to the loader hydraulics has its own relief valve, that seems like a reasonable set point for it. Ultimately you'll want it set so it doesn't exceed the rated capacity of the loader (maybe 500 lbs. in this case). Note that 500 psi hydraulic pressure and 500 lbs. of lifting capacity would be purely coincidental (in my opinion, but it wouldn't be impossible that it was engineered this way) and the two values are related by the geometry of the design and will typically be a lot different.

[z28clone]

I deadheaded the loader. The gauge maxed out at 600psi. I am going to find some objects weighing nearly 500lbs. I assume if the loader lifts it, this will answer my question if the pump is working or not. Would moving the gauge to the outlet side of the pump confirm the pump pressure?