FEL stopped lowering

[idaguide]

I have a B7800 with just under 100 hours on it. Have been doing lots of plowing/snowmoving with rear blade and loader. Also moving firewood around with loader.
Yesterday after doing a bit of work (20 minutes?) I went to park it and all of a sudden the FEL wouldn't lower. It would raise, curl, dump AND float, but when I just pushed forward to lower it it wouldn't move. Kinda freaked me out as I've only had it for about 7 mos. but have become VERY dependent on it. (Gotta love it...even my wife 'gets it!')
Tried to get it to work for about five minutes...kept dropping it (by floating it) from about 2/3 full height, then raising, working everything else, etc. Finally turned it off, checked the fluid--which appeared OK. Sat there for a few minutes feeling bummed, then figured I had to park it in the shed, so turned it on. Loader worked fine. Happy camper, but hmmm.... Slight loss of confidence here.
Anyone had this happen before, or know what I should do?
Thanks,
grae

 

[SPYDERLK]

Sounds like a hyd coupler is unseated. Maybe a piece of brush knocked against one of them. Try unplugging and replugging all of them.
larry

 

[kennyd]

Sounds like a hyd coupler is unseated.

I would generally tend to agree with this advive, BUT he said he was able to use the float position to lower the FEL.

kept dropping it (by floating it) from about 2/3 full height,

If the QD was unseated, this would not work, but I guess it's still worth a try.

 

[idaguide]

Thanks for the replies, but I got this answer from my local Service Manager...who is unbelievably helpful, btw.

He said (and this is my wording of his explanation) that because of the way Kubotas are built, sometimes the rear 3PH valve remains slightly open when the implement is raised to the top, and because the fluid keeps flowing to the rear it doesn't get enough pressure to the FEL in the front. The solution when this happens is to lower the rear implement an inch or so, effectively cutting off the flow to the rear.

He said he gets about ten of these questions a year, and this always solves the problem.
grae