FEL Cylinder gone flip floppy BX24

[ejnichol]

My FEL bucket single Hydraulic cylinder has lost its fix and has lots of play in it now. After 240 hrs and 7 yrs of back scrapping etc. it needs help.

Anyone know what I broke inside and what would be reasonable repair cost. I can rotate bucket up and down with the controller but it can be moved by hand away from its set point in opposite direction. The lift function of the whole FEL lift (dual cylinders) works fine.

I'm assuming I can remove and take to independent cyl repair shop. Hear Kubota shops are real high on cyl repair.

Thanks for you feedback/opinions.

Eric

 

[SPYDERLK]

Sounds like air in it. Is your fluid level good? ... Air might be in lift cyls too, but less easy to notice the effect. :confused3:

 

[ejnichol]

Fluid Levels good. I thought back scraping with fel bucket would break something inside cylinder. I'm to the point of removing it and having someone with correct tools look inside. Thought this was somewhat common issue. But guess not.

 

[Egon]

Check out the joystick control and the main control valve. You might als want to disconnect and redone the the Quick attach valves.

 

[LD1]

Does it still have curl power?

Leaking any fluid

Quick couplers seated tight

Is there play in the pins and bushings

Does it have regen dump? IE: two positions of the joystick for dump kinda like the float function?

I dont know on your loader if regen is the first position or second. But regen pressurizes both hoses to the cylinder cause with a heavy load it can dump faster than it can feed fluid and can suck air in around the gland and leave a floppy cylinder. Try cycling full dump and bake in regen mode and try again. (regen is also called fast dump and should be described in your manual.)

 

[SPYDERLK]

Fluid Levels good. I thought back scraping with fel bucket would break something inside cylinder. I'm to the point of removing it and having someone with correct tools look inside. Thought this was somewhat common issue. But guess not.

Backdragging with bucket tipped too far down can bend the rod. You see it. No break.

If its broken inside the cyl will want to extend. It is not likely you would have in/out control. ... You could be partially "broke" but the break happens from pushing or lifting -- situations that cause the rod to be pulled on.

How far does the rod move when you flop by hand?

If you load the bucket and curl, does it leak down or hold?

If you uncurl with the bucket pressed on the ground, does it lift/try to lift the tractor?

 

[ejnichol]

When its hot(fluid) the bucket moves 4-6 inches at the lip(rotates motion). I just went out and cranked it up and the bucket is solid in terms of curl motion position. The bucket will lift front end off ground using curl down movement with bucket resting on ground. Theres about two inches of curl rotation @ bucket lip due to built in pin slop wear. The rods not bent.

I was able to lift the entire fel about 6 + inches from a resting position 2 ft off ground elevation. After functioning fel through all range of motion, up and then down, I was not able to lift it any more than just due to pin slop inherent in fel assembly. Must be air in rams etcc..

I didn't change line placement as there are four and colored red, yellow, white, black. Not sure which two to change to isolate fel valve from ram issue.

The issue is bad after I've run it 10 - 15 minutes at near full tilt excavating lots of clay.

 

[Egon]

If'n you can flop the bucket back and forth by hand look at the control valve.

 

[ejnichol]

If'n you can flop the bucket back and forth by hand look at the control valve.

What do I look for

 

[SPYDERLK]

When its hot(fluid) the bucket moves 4-6 inches at the lip(rotates motion). I just went out and cranked it up and the bucket is solid in terms of curl motion position. The bucket will lift front end off ground using curl down movement with bucket resting on ground. Theres about two inches of curl rotation @ bucket lip due to built in pin slop wear. The rods not bent.

I was able to lift the entire fel about 6 + inches from a resting position 2 ft off ground elevation. After functioning fel through all range of motion, up and then down, I was not able to lift it any more than just due to pin slop inherent in fel assembly. Must be air in rams etcc..

I didn't change line placement as there are four and colored red, yellow, white, black. Not sure which two to change to isolate fel valve from ram issue.

The issue is bad after I've run it 10 - 15 minutes at near full tilt excavating lots of clay.

Youre right. Its gotta be air. - After the full cycling it seems to be still there. ... My guess is that its being pumped via a suction side air leak and actually affecting the lift cyls too but not immediately evident.

,,,Can you see the fluid? Bubbles? Foam? Check the hyd oil filter for leaks or obstruction. Have you done a fluid and filter change on the hyd system yet? If not it could use it and even if not the problem it wont be a waste.

I doubt theres a problem with the fel valve at this point in its young wear life, but check all external connections made to it.