How do you leave your tractor's hydraulics at the end of a day?

[part-time-Farmer-NC]

It seems I remember someone from my past who told me when you are done with the tractors hydraulics you should take the load off. Meaning drop them down to where they are not holding up pressures.

I almost always (rarely forgetting) to drop the FEL down to the float mode, lower the 3 pt down to its lowest level at the end of a day. Is this something ya'll do? It made sense to me...

I see a lot of folks talking about their hydraulics needing to be rebuilt, dropping after a period of time. Is that perhaps why they get that way?

Enquiring minds wanna know..

 

[WranglerX]

Always drop them to ground.....

 

[Bavarian]

You don't need to lower the three point arms if you have nothing attached to it.
Anything else, drop it to the ground. Putting the loader in float is a bonus.
It also helps the tires to stay round.

 

[bearthebruce]

Yep, always parked as you have described... even when taking lunch or stopping to get off the machine... and leave it for any time - the loads are dropped.

Now ask how many times I forget to lift the ballast box on the 3 point! I just love fixing gravel!

 

[oldnslo]

Leaving a load sitting on the FEL or 3 point should have little to no effect on seal failure causing drift down or requiring cylinders being rebuilt. The main reasons to lower a load is safety so doesn’t drop unexpectedly and like Bavarian states help reduce tire flat spots in cold weather

 

[akadave]

Lower. Even a newer tractor will bleed down with the engine off. Don't want anything damaged.

 

[Roadworthy]

I like to leave the loader with all cylinders retracted so bare cylinders are not exposed to air, dirt, water, or whatever. I will drop the three point, turn off the tractor, then move the lever back where it was. This way the load is off but I don't need to remember to raise it before moving the tractor.

 

[bearthebruce]

then move the lever back where it was. This way the load is off but I don't need to remember to raise it before moving the tractor.

I'm gonna have to train myself to do that! Old dog, new tricks...

 

[scootr]

I was taught to lower all implements cut the motor off and exercise all controls to ensure there was no pressure left on the cylinders.
Been doing that for nearly 50 yrs without a problem. I do it for everything including the forklift and SS.

 

[Beaver Cove Deere]

100% neutral pressure.
3pt if attached on the ground.

 

[Runner]

Loader and three-point lowered when off.

Another good reason to lower the three-point (if you have an attachment on it) is because if you have position control and it has leaked down, the implement will suddenly raise when you start the machine and scare the puddin out of you...

 

[Richard]

I lower mine. I sometimes see a backhoe bucket or hay spear or something and it's way up in the air. Machine is off and not a sole around. Cleary they parked it that way.

Drives me nuts seeing that.

Years ago, I was cleaning up some stuff on backside of farm. Place had been timbered (so I was cleaning up a lot of the crap laying on the ground)

Backed over essentially a branch. Might have been 6-10 inches diameter.... rear tire hit the end of it.....the other end rose and speared the hose holding the backhoe up.

That hoe dropped "right now". I presumed if the hose ever failed, the hoe (or loader) would bleed down.....that is NOT how this one went. It dropped scary fast. I gained new appreciation for how cautious (scared?) I am around these things and glad I tend to be OCD about being aware of as much as I can be.....

I see these implements raised in the air and just see a potential death trap.

 

[KennyG]

I always lower everything, but I sometimes go by construction sites and I see equipment like air compressors raised up on cranes, excavators or cherry pickers. I assume it's to discourage theft, but I always wonder about safety/liability in those cases.

 

[scootr]

I lower mine. I sometimes see a backhoe bucket or hay spear or something and it's way up in the air. Machine is off and not a sole around. Cleary they parked it that way.

Drives me nuts seeing that.

Years ago, I was cleaning up some stuff on backside of farm. Place had been timbered (so I was cleaning up a lot of the crap laying on the ground)

Backed over essentially a branch. Might have been 6-10 inches diameter.... rear tire hit the end of it.....the other end rose and speared the hose holding the backhoe up.

That hoe dropped "right now". I presumed if the hose ever failed, the hoe (or loader) would bleed down.....that is NOT how this one went. It dropped scary fast. I gained new appreciation for how cautious (scared?) I am around these things and glad I tend to be OCD about being aware of as much as I can be.....

I see these implements raised in the air and just see a potential death trap.

The backhoe should have a lock pin on it...Engage before moving the machine to reduce stress. Backhoes are typically set with the bucket on the ground and outriggers down when not in use.

 

[chim]

I leave the hydraulics like me - all relaxed.

 

[Tpondel]

My reason has nothing to do with loads. It’s my shins.

After walking into the FEL and screaming out creative four letter words, I now remember to lower it completely to the ground.

 

[Runner]

The backhoe should have a lock pin on it...Engage before moving the machine to reduce stress. Backhoes are typically set with the bucket on the ground and outriggers down when not in use.

I leave the outriggers up (both on and off the tractor) but secure them with tie-downs because they will leak down in about 5 minutes if I don't.

 

[DarkBlack]

Bucket down and curled to minimize rod exposure, unless there’s snow and ice to melt, then I leave bucket leading edge down resting on a 2x4 to melt out and drip in the garage
Control in float position.

3PH lowered if there’s an attachment. Leaving it raised with an attachment, loads the starter motor and engine, before there’s good oil pressure.
Pressure relief in hydraulics is marginally better than leaving loaded, but is better, so worth it

 

[Richard]

The backhoe should have a lock pin on it...Engage before moving the machine to reduce stress. Backhoes are typically set with the bucket on the ground and outriggers down when not in use.

.
Yep, should..... but doesn't. When I got the machine 20 years ago, the "flipper" that drops onto the pin to hold hoe upwright, had been broken and welded back. Also, the 'brake lever' used to actuate the flipper up/down didn't work. I literally had to reach out, lift then with other hand, move hoe.... until I forgot one day and it snapped again.

Was a horrific pain in the hiney so I just pinned the flipper out of the way. That woudn't have saved my day though..... just having the machine running was pushing fluid out the hole. Had it been pinned up tight or not, machine was dead and I had to walk home.

 

[Drstrangeglove]

On the equipment that has to have the key on to move the hydraulics, I will leave it however it is. I left the boom truck holding stuff overnight several times.