400cx loader seems loose

rhomium · Jun 9, 2007

Have a little over 20 hours on my 4520, and now my 400cx FEL seems like a very loose fit. Going over bumps and what not, the whole thing seems to move around side to side. When I get off and try to push it around by hand, it seems nice and solid. But hit a bump or hole, and it makes all kinds of movement and noise rattling around.

Any else's like this?

Thanks.

RoyJackson · Jun 9, 2007

rhomium said:
Have a little over 20 hours on my 4520, and now my 400cx FEL seems like a very loose fit. Going over bumps and what not, the whole thing seems to move around side to side. When I get off and try to push it around by hand, it seems nice and solid. But hit a bump or hole, and it makes all kinds of movement and noise rattling around.

Any else's like this?

Thanks.

First, check the torque on the bracket mounts. This should be described in your loader manual. Then check any other bolts called out in the manual.
I'd do this before using the loader again.

If all is well there...

If you have a Quick Attach bucket, drop it off (takes less then a minute to detach) and drive around a bit.
The QA bucket can rattle quite a bit. This may be part of the problem.

Cidertom · Jun 10, 2007

My 400cx is rock solid. I would first suspect the latch mechanism. I have to re tighten the bolts every other month or so. Since I don't dismount my FEL I tighten them fully per the manual. So far it's been one tough FEL.

Superduper · Jun 10, 2007

rhomium said:
When I get off and try to push it around by hand, it seems nice and solid. But hit a bump or hole, and it makes all kinds of movement and noise rattling around.

QUOTE]

Don't forget, your loader probably weighs somewhere around 1,000 pounds. Pushing on it by hand is like pushing two chevy small blocks by hand, it won't move much, even if on wheels. My chev small block barely budges even through it is sitting on a wheeled engine stand. As others have suggested, I suggest you check the bolt torques. They are likely going to need a large 3/4" socket set to generate the 250 ft/lbs of torque, or whatever it happens to be.

Tact · Jun 10, 2007

Do all the above, but also grease all those fittings on the loader.

boatermark · Jun 11, 2007

rhomium said:
Have a little over 20 hours on my 4520, and now my 400cx FEL seems like a very loose fit. Going over bumps and what not, the whole thing seems to move around side to side. When I get off and try to push it around by hand, it seems nice and solid. But hit a bump or hole, and it makes all kinds of movement and noise rattling around.

Any else's like this?

Thanks.

Rhomium, take a look at your loader manual under service. I believe in this section, they discribe maintenance intervals for the loader. The break-in period is a particularly important interval. I believe in the first 10 hours, you have to torque all the mounting hardware and pivot pins. The manual will list all the torque values for these.

Also, and I believe this is the problem in your case, you have to adjust the parking latch adjustment (I think this is what they call it). The parking latch is the swinging latch at the top of each tower on your loader. These latches get flipped open during the proceedure for removing the loader. There is a large adjustment screw on these latches. As the loader is going through the break-in period, these large screws will need to be re-adjusted. The manual will describe how to check these large screws, and what to set them at.

My dealer went over this proceedure when they delivered my tractor and explicity said that if I didn't check the parking latch adjustment, the loader would become loose.

If this doesn't make any sense, let me know and I'll check my manual this evening and re-word my description.

johndcooper · Apr 25, 2012

I have a JD 4320 with a 400CX loader that has fallen off the tractor while being used to move gravel. Not the bucket but the whole loader assembly!!!
I have reviewed the comments about the quick attachment 400CX loader appearing to be loose but mine came off of the trunions on the frame. The local repersenitive has not been able to determine a cause as of this time. The unit was already installed at time of purchase and this happened at 39 hrs on the tractor.
JDC