2615: Adjust pressure relief

[MichiganBilly]

I've got an '03 2615 and want to tweak the pressure relief for the loader/power beyond to get a little more lift out of my FEL. I'm not going to push it into the danger zone, but current pressures are well below the rating of the hyd components.

I understand that the tractor is rated for a 1k lb loader, but I have ballast in my tires, and if I'm picking something heavy I'll throw counter weight on the 3pt hitch. I've owned smaller tractors that lifted more, and know that one has to be smart/careful about loading the front end.

Has anyone out there dialed up the pressure relief valve on a 2615? Valve body of the loader joystick? Or down on the valve body where the power beyond is plumbed in (near the engine block).

My manual says there could be 3 different joystick control valves for the FEL.

Anybody been down this road and have some advice?

 

[AchingBack]

I haven't been down that road, but you are asking some of the same questions I've been wondering about. Recently I was told by a Mahindra dealer I could increase lift with larger diameter cylinders. With the proper equipment, the 2615 should easily be able to lift as much as a Max28.

I look forward to your progress. Please keep us updated.

 

[Texan4Life]

I was maxing out the 3pt hitch on our 2810 and noticed it was the loader valve that was bypassing instead of the 3pt bypass. I put a pressure gauge on one of the loader valve outputs and it was only putting out 1850psi before bypassing. The manual says it is suppose to be 2000psi so I dialed it up it it 2000psi.

I can defiantly notice more power in the FEL and the 3pt can pick up a round bale all the way now.

So I would check your pressure, it may be to low from the factory.

And yes you can increase lift with larger diameter cylinders. But with larger diameter, means more hydraulic flow to move the same distance, so a slight reduction in speed is to be expected.

I have heard that it is common to replace the 1.75" lift cylinders on the 2810 (ML108) to 2" for better capacity and so far no one has had problems with it over powering the frame (that I have heard about)

 

[poorotis]

I have a 2615 tractor that runs and starts fine. I can run a 6 foot mower, but it looses power under a load if the grass is thick. Just started happening last year How can I check the pressure, What should the pressure be and how do I adjust the pressure if low?

 

[George2615]

I had a 2615HST I purchased new in 2004. My loader valve was replaced under warranty during the first year. After that it didn't seem to lift right and and scooping into a pile of dirt or gravel would max out the relief. You'll need to check your system pressure to see if you're close to spec.
Increasing the system relief pressure requires adding shims. If you have the service manual the relief and shims are shown. If I remember correctly the shims are one thousandths of an inch thick. I think the factory manual showed 6 shims. When I took my relief off it had no shims so I added the equivalent of 6 shims. (I used a couple small washers that fit on a 10-32 screw) Its been about ten years since I did mine and I don't have the tractor or manuals to look up relief pressure but I do remember the pressure was within 100#s of what was called for. After I shimmed mine I lifted a 1295# crate off the back of a truck. I had an 900# counterweight on the 3 pt. I had no problems with mine over the next nine years and sold it last year. The relief is under the right side behind the step.

Note to poorotis that losing power / bogging down under load has nothing to do with the system hydraulic pressure (unless you're running a hydraulic mower). You need more HP or need to mow in a lower gear to avoid bogging down.

 

[poorotis]

George appreciate the quick response, but here is my situation. I have had the tractor almost 10 years or so and purchased brand new. 6 foot blower, 6 foot mower, 4 foot tiller , post hole digger and backhoe. I have 10 acres and have always mowed in (finish mower) in 3rd low and never until the end of last season had an issue. This winter I had to go slower then normal blowing snow and just seem to blow has hare or far as before. This spring I used the backhoe and again up until last year I could just about pull the tractor over backwards with the backhoe. It had some power. I changed the fluid and filters to factory spec. It runs and starts perfectly and no smoke. I can run it in 3rd high down the road up a hill no problem, but the moment I engage the PTO it will it the RPM s but just does not have the power and I am not talking a little it seems to have lost a lot.

 

[AchingBack]

What filters have you changed poorotis? It sounds as if your fuel delivery system isn't up to snuff.

 

[poorotis]

I have changed the air filter and fuel filter. Completely drained tank and flush the line going to front of tractor. Did not clean return line or anything else. Did I miss anything. Should I pull the block that the line goes into?

 

[DavesTractor]

I've got an '03 2615 and want to tweak the pressure relief for the loader/power beyond to get a little more lift out of my FEL. I'm not going to push it into the danger zone, but current pressures are well below the rating of the hyd components.

I understand that the tractor is rated for a 1k lb loader, but I have ballast in my tires, and if I'm picking something heavy I'll throw counter weight on the 3pt hitch. I've owned smaller tractors that lifted more, and know that one has to be smart/careful about loading the front end.

Has anyone out there dialed up the pressure relief valve on a 2615? Valve body of the loader joystick? Or down on the valve body where the power beyond is plumbed in (near the engine block).

My manual says there could be 3 different joystick control valves for the FEL.

Anybody been down this road and have some advice?

In 2003, the 2615 had a big brother called a 3015. It lifted 1350. It was essentially the same loader but with slightly bigger lift cylinders. Remember that the cross sectional area of a circle involves the square of the radius, so a little increase makes a big difference. But enough math. The 3015 took a ML110 loader, and it had additional bracing along the engine rails. It would bolt right on the 2615 and we even sold a couple that way. But since the designers felt the need for that additional bracing, you might be concerned as well.

When you go over spec design wise, you need to also consider the connection between the engine and bell housing. There is an adapter plate that is maybe 5/16" thick that bolts to the back of the engine and the transmission bolts to and through it. The bolts on this plate have been known to loosen on tractors that were abused or at least used very hard. The plate then bends or cracks and must be replaced, requiring the tractor to be split. Pretty rare, but when it happens it is always to a guy that has been lifting heavy with a lot of counter balance like a backhoe on the back.

It's not hard to make the tractor lift more, but you just have to understand the potential consequences, and of course think of safety issues as well.