Bucket not level from left to right

[SkunkWerX]

Everyone has added excellent points, but I'll give Roy the #1 spot for this single sentence:

Since it's been off since day one, this is a good question for your dealer.

It's still nice to take th measurements and be informed about what might be the problem, but, if nothing simple shows itself, I'd ask the dealer.

 

[sandman2234]

This may be a little off the wall, but if your tire pressures match and it didn't help, take a few seconds to look at each tire and make sure it matches the one across from it. If you bought it used, someone could have ruined a tire and just put the closest thing they could find on it. My Steiner has had the tires replaced and when I started doing that, the replacement size tires don't match the originals. Same size, same ply rating, they just don't have the same sidewall constuction which makes a tiny bit of difference so I started replacing them two at a time.
David from jax

 

[Ford850]

Check your bucket for twist too. Mine came that way new, off by approximately an inch from left to right. I checked all the measurments and tire pressure as suggested, and then noticed I could see the twist in the bucket while sitting in the tractor seat. Raise/lower the cutting edge of the bucket until you can line it up with the top/back edge of the bucket through line of sight. That's when I can see the twist the twist in mine. I searched this sight for bucket twist and found it to be a common problem for all brands.

 

[putt_putt_green]

Well, all, I looked at it further this morning before coming into work.

The tractor is 3 months old, so all tires should be be new.

Before doing anything, The bucket was 2 inches higher on the right than the left. Measuring from the floor to the grease nipples on the loader arms indicated that the right side of the loader arms were higher than the left side from many nipple locations.

I then checked the tire pressures. The left rear tire was low, so I put air in that tire to match the right tire. This doesn't seem like it would make any difference for this problem. The front tires were identical in tire pressure.

I took the bucket off, and the quick attach points on the loader arms were still offset by 2 inches. So the bucket is straight. The heaviest thing I've lifted is buckets of dry clay. It's a HD bucket with a tooth bar.

When the salesman arrived with the brand new tractor on day one, we took the loader arms off the tractor and put them back on. We had some problems since we weren't on level ground. So I took the loader arms off this morning. With the loader arms off, the mounts hubs for the loader are the same height. I put the arms back on, and now the bucket is 1 1/8 inch higher on the right then the left, which is much better than the 2 inches.

It also looks like the left hydraulic cylinder and right hydraulic cylinder are not extended the same amount. I think there is about 1/2 inch of difference (if I remember correctly). I may be the real problem.

I'll check to make sure the mounts are tight on the tractor. I'll take another look tonight, or tomorrow morning. If it's still off, I'll contact my dealer.

 

[gabby]

A twisted bucket is easily corrected.

Pull the pin from the tilt cylinder on the high side, then put a load on that corner of the bucket until the twist is pulled out. Been there done that.

 

[sandman2234]

With a 3 month old tractor, I agree on you making the call to the dealer.
David from jax

 

[daTeacha]

If the cylinders look to be unequally extended, it might indicate that a cylinder mounting point is a little off. Measure the distance from the pivot point to either end of both cylinders. If these are not even, any difference would be multiplied through the length of the arms.

Regarding the rear tires affecting things -- the tractor has no springs. A low tire in the rear would act like one short leg on a table and have the effect of raising the diagonally opposite front corner. You wouldn't see it in the front tires since the front axle pivots, but the chassis of the tractor will be different. The loader is hanging pretty far out in front and the length of the loader arms would increase the amount of difference it would cause, just as the end of yardstick extended from the corner of that table would be raised more than the table itself.

 

[SPYDERLK]

You have cause for complaint to the dealer. Here is something fairly simple to try before kicking it back.

• 
  Park the tractor on a level flat surface with the low point of bucket just touching.
  Loosen ALL mount bolts to the tractor about 1/2 turn.
  Lower the bucket til it sits flat all across. At most just a little hyd pressure.
  Retighten bolts.

Sometimes, just a little twist at the bolted points will show up big @ the front.
larry

 

[putt_putt_green]

A low tire in the rear would act like one short leg on a table and have the effect of raising the diagonally opposite front corner.

OK this makes sense.

Park the tractor on a level flat surface with the low point of bucket just touching. Loosen ALL mount bolts to the tractor about 1/2 turn.
Lower the bucket til it sits flat all across. At most just a little hyd pressure.
Retighten bolts.

I'll try this, but probably not until Friday.

Further investigation reveals the following. Where the loader arms mount on the tractor, one arm is leaning forward at least an inch more than the other loader arm (measurements taking using a level sitting on the floorboard and measuring using a ruler to the top of the rear part of the loader armsa). I don't have the angle measurement since I currently don't have a way to measure the angle. There is about 1/8 inch difference in the height of the mount posts. Looking at the design, it looks like the arms just float on the mount posts, so it doesn't seem like this would change the angle. Looks like a call to the dealer in is order.

Again, thanks for the suggestions everyone.

 

[SkunkWerX]

You have cause for complaint to the dealer. Here is something fairly simple to try before kicking it back.

• 
  Park the tractor on a level flat surface with the low point of bucket just touching.
  Loosen ALL mount bolts to the tractor about 1/2 turn.
  Lower the bucket til it sits flat all across. At most just a little hyd pressure.
  Retighten bolts.

Sometimes, just a little twist at the bolted points will show up big @ the front.
larry

I'm liking this suggestion from Spyderlk, after checking tires pressure, of course.
Spyderlk's process won't mess anything up, and could easily be the remedy.
When they assemble tractors and FELs at the dealer, I'm guessing they've done it so often, that they may skip some of the finer tuning steps.

i would add, fdepending on how tight the lockwashers are, and the size of the bolts, you may need to loosen a little bit more than 1/2 turn, but, it's certainly the right idea!

Good Luck.