M62 FEL Bucket Cylinders

btreglia · Dec 21, 2021

I'm looking for a little advice on what to replace first. The front bucket on my M62 starts creeping/rotating-down in a matter of minutes at idle. Should I do cylinder overhaul first or is it more common for the spool valve seals to start letting fluid by? I have no visible system leaks.
Thanks for any tips or experience you may have with this.

5030 · Dec 21, 2021

You most likely have a speck of dirt on the spool valve seat. Both my M9's do the same thing. I just ignore it and of course set the bucket or whatever I have on the front down on Terra Firma when I park them.

Harry in Ky · Dec 21, 2021

Your problem is far more likely to be a piston seal leaking than anything in the valve. When it gets to be too annoying to tolerate then plan on replacing the seals. It's not that big of a job. There are ways to determine if it's just one or both cylinders. Different people have different ideas about repairing only the one with the problem vs doing both sides. It's a judgement call. Don't believe everything you read.

4570Man · Dec 21, 2021

Note that cylinders CANNOT retract into themselves without pushing oil back through the valve or some other leak. A leaking cylinder plunger seal could make this problem worse. But since the cylinder is extending this rule doesn’t apply in this scenario. Also note that since the cylinders are plumbed together with no flow dividers only one side would have to leak to make both sides drop. Usually the go to test to isolate a leaky cylinder vs leaking valve would be to reverse the quick connections between the curl and lift and see if the problem stops or if it switches to the lift leaking down. Since the M59 is a permanent plumbed loader this isn’t probably is possible

btreglia · Dec 22, 2021

Thanks for the responses guys, I really appreciate the advice.

JWR · Jan 4, 2022

The service people at a dealer I always trusted carried a test set of gauges and connectors/lines. They have rigged a test setup of lines, valves and gauges so they can plumb in rather quickly between your loader valve and the lines headed to/from the cylinders. That rig is used to diagnose what is/is not holding pressure, etc. I don't know where you are located relative to an hydraulics service shop or good tractor dealer but it should be very inexpensive just to do the diagnosis. Then figure out what to replace or repair.

Smokeydog · Jan 5, 2022

Maybe a different problem. Noted this year on my M59 in below freezing weather the loader controls are stiffer and joy stick not wanting to return to center reliably. Will continue to lift slowly after lifting with hand off the joystick. 2013, 1450 hours.

The loader control valve is cable operated from the joystick. So got a motorcycle cable lube clamp to let you use a nozzle straw from your favorite lube can to force lubricant thru the cable shroud. May require some modifications or maybe others have figured how to do this?!? Haven’t decided on what lube to best use. CorrosionX is my favorite or buy some special Teflon fortified motorcycle cable lube? Also make sure some critter hasn’t homesteaded on top of the control valve. Access via a right side metal shield well below the joystick.

Waiting on better weather. Problem may go away with better weather but still on my maintenance list.

Sometimes it’s better to check or fix the easy stuff first.

Bavarian · Jan 6, 2022

Disconnect the curl/dump function at the bracket while the bucket is on the ground. After you've disconnected the lines,(I assume you have quick connectors) lift the loader up and watch the bucket. If it still dumps, it's one of your cylinders. If it doesn't, the problem is your loader valve.

Smokeydog · Jan 7, 2022

No quick disconnects as the loader is not made to be detachable. But the test you described could possibly be done with some fitting plugs/caps to maybe isolate the problem or cause. Maybe a temporary inline valve(s)? Breaking connections and a possibility of air introduced may skew results.

JWR · Jan 7, 2022

Smokeydog said:
No quick disconnects as the loader is not made to be detachable. But the test you described could possibly be done with some fitting plugs/caps to maybe isolate the problem or cause. Maybe a temporary inline valve(s)? Breaking connections and a possibility of air introduced may skew results.

Holy cow ! Is this a third party loader not a Kubota and not installed by your dealer? I did not know anyone even made a loader not designed to be removable (even if not a quick removal type.) Even so I cannot imagine putting on a loader without disconnects. Maybe it is worth having a set of quick disconnects put into the 4 lines for the loader near the loader valve and while that is being done they can debug your original issue.