Backhoe lever sticking

inveresk · Dec 3, 2010

One valve on my Kubota bh90 backhoe is sticking. It's the left lever, which is ok side to side but sticks when moved back or fore. As it's not self centering anymore, I'm disinclined to use it for safety reasons. I've cleaned the area, sprayed liberally with wd40 but it's still sticky. Is there likely to be a fix for this or is it a replacement issue? Backhoe is about five years old and gets maybe 50 hours of use a year.

AKKAMAAN · Dec 3, 2010

inveresk said:
One valve on my Kubota bh90 backhoe is sticking. It's the left lever, which is ok side to side but sticks when moved back or fore. As it's not self centering anymore, I'm disinclined to use it for safety reasons. I've cleaned the area, sprayed liberally with wd40 but it's still sticky. Is there likely to be a fix for this or is it a replacement issue? Backhoe is about five years old and gets maybe 50 hours of use a year.

There is a spring assembly at the opposite the lever end of the spool. Check that out.

J_J · Dec 3, 2010

Take the spool out and inspect and clean. There could be pieces of rubber/crud jamming the spool. The lever should glide smoothly fwd and reverse, and come to neutral, The spring helps to center the lever. Lube the ends of the spool on the bottom of the valve. Lube the spool with hyd fluid and reinstall, and check for proper operation.

wdchyd · Dec 3, 2010

AKKAMAAN said:
There is a spring assembly at the opposite the lever end of the spool. Check that out.

X 2........:thumbsup:

jinman · Dec 3, 2010

AKKAMAAN said:
There is a spring assembly at the opposite the lever end of the spool. Check that out.

x3 - see attachment. This is a spring for my hydraulic remote, but all return-to-center valves have a similar type spring, normally inside a cover with two screws. If that cover leaks and water gets inside, this is the result. Cleaning this spring, lubing with grease, and installing the cover with some silicon seal has eliminated having a repeat failure on my tractor.