12LA loader not lifting

[OkeeDon]

At 204 hours I just had my first "real" problem with my TC18. The FEL will not lift more than about 2' (about 6"-8" of shaft showing on the hydraulic culinders). It goes back down and lifts back to that point at normal speeds and will still lift a load to that point, but then it just stops. It still curls back and forth at full speed and range of motion. The 3ph still has full lift. Therefore, I don't think it's a pump or fluid-related problem (the fluid is full). It just seems like something is jamming it at that point. I went over it pretty good, and I don't see any obvious jams (sticks or anything), and nothing seems to be bent. I've kept all the fittings well greased.

It was working normally yesterday, and today it just wouldn't lift above that point. The last thing I did with it yesterday was to stretch some pasture fence; I had a chain around the bucket, attached to the fence puller, and backed up until the fence was tight, then set the brake until I got the staples in. I didn't jerk it or pull excessively hard; about the same force as smoothing with the back of the bucket.

I haven't talked to the dealer yet; I'll do that in the morning, but I thought I'd throw it out here and see if anyone has any ideas I can check before I haul it into the dealer or they come out and get it.

 

[spencer200]

Sounds like one of your cylinder rods may be bent for some reason or the nut came of the end internally on one of them.

 

[jinman]

Don, what you should try is to disconnect your quick-connects going to your lift cylinders. I had the same thing happen on my TC45D and found one of the quick connects was not seated properly and had come loose. Since it automatically seals, there is no leak to draw your attention and the connector just sits there in slightly different postion than if it was seated. This may not be your problem, but your symtoms sound awfully familiar. /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif

 

[OkeeDon]

Just got back from the dealer, and the service manager said exactly the same thing. A Q/D is probably not completely connected; probably the return hose for the lift. What happens is that the pump will push fluid in until no more can be held because there is no return, and then it stops. Not only does this fit my symptom, but I noticed that when the lift gets to that point, the hose going to the lift cylinder actually stiffens a little (you can see it "jump"), probably from the excess pressure. The salesman at the dealer added that if the Q/D pops out again, they would replace it under warranty, leading me to believe that they may have had similar problems with Q/D's becoming spontaneously disconnected.

I'm 45 miles away from the tractor at the moment, and wasn't planning on going out to Okeechobee today, and don't want to make a 90 mile round trip just to try to plug in the hose, so it may be a day or two before I can check it, but I'll update this thread when I do. Hopefully that's all it is, and your message confirms it almost to a certainty.

 

[Phred]

Don,

I have had a similar thing happen one time when I routed one of the loader hoses in a way that when the top link went all the way up it put pressure on the hose and caused it to just barely pop out. I was scratching my head on that one for a few minuites until I noticed it was not fully seated. Easy fix re-route hose and push it back in. But the loader did basically the same thing until I re-routed the hose.

Fred

 

[OkeeDon]

Well, that was it. I haven't had a chance to get out there, but my son-in-law checked it this afternoon, and a Q/D coupler was loose. He plugged it back in and everything worked fine. He said there was some residue of hydraulic fluid in the vicinity which may have spurted out while it was partially disconnected, so I'll have to check the fluid level when I get out there tomorrow. I sure am glad it was this easy, this time. Thanks for the help and reassurance, everyone!