FEL Doesn't, Well, Go Up

boustany · Jul 8, 2002

FEL Doesn\'t, Well, Go Up

While putting another 8 hours on the clock of my 3010HST , I noticed that my LA482 FEL doesn't go up properly. In the 'Up' position is just creaps up very slowly. In the Up and Dump position, it shoots up the way its supposed to, but, of course, it dumps all the stuff out.
I have mostly used the FEL for dozing and backdragging till now, so I may have had this problem for some time.
Soon after getting the machine, I noticed all the bolts holding the FEL valve cluster were loose - in fact I even lost one. So I tightened them up, but I may have moved an adjustment by accident.
The fact the FEL will go up correctly in the Up and Dump position tells me there is no hydraulic problem. The lever mechanism suggests an adjustment is in order. I'd like to try fix it myself - any suggestions?

Hawkflyer · Jul 8, 2002

Re: FEL Doesn\'t, Well, Go Up

While I am not certian about this, someone told me that some models have a 2 speed lift on the loader. Try pulling the lever over a little harder (as if you haven't already) and see if there is not a second position. If there is, it should require about twice the force as the slow speed position. Also you may be right about something being out of adjustment. Sometimes the piston inside the control valve can bind up a bit, or the linkage can bind causeing a simular problem.As a last thought, is it still under warrenty?Good luck!

EdKing · Jul 8, 2002

Re: FEL Doesn\'t, Well, Go Up

<font color=blue>someone told me that some models have a 2 speed lift on the loader</font color=blue>

I think they might have meant a 2 speed dump, my loader has this feature. Push the lever so far it dumps slow, push it to the second posistion, it dumps faster.

Hawkflyer · Jul 8, 2002

Re: FEL Doesn\'t, Well, Go Up

You are probably right, I must have heard it wrong. As I said my loader does not have this feature, so I am not up on it. Thanks for the correction.

cisco · Jul 8, 2002

Re: FEL Doesn\'t, Well, Go Up

The LA 482 valve arrangement seems to be a work in progress. On mine, the bolt into the top of the metal rectangle that the joystick connects to - unscrewed (about 70 hours on unit). So, I reseated it, and the same thing happened after a few more hours of use. Such was then fixed by the dealer's mechanic, who also "readjusted the piston" on that cylinder. Seems this is a common problem (there is a slight mechanical "twist" applied to that part when you operate the control lever) - so, within 4-5 hours of use, the same thing happened. Hmm - the answer, at least for the last 10 hours, that I have used successfully was medium strength Locktite on the threads. Note that as the bolt loosens, you lose pure Up motion, with Down motion only lost when the bolt falls out. Good luck - and don't use the highest strength Locktite on any small bolt that you might ever wish to remove.

boustany · Jul 9, 2002

Re: FEL Doesn\'t, Well, Go Up

I am glad to see I'm not the only one with a lossening problem on my control. Of course it would be easy to fix, and I'll get the Loctite this weekend. My machine is still under warranty, but that means the machine takes a round trip to the nearest dealer, and all told I would probably lose the machine for a week. I'd rather try and fix it myself, especially because it almost certainly seems to be an adjustment. Besdies, it sounds like a problem which may occur.
Cisco: Do you know how to make the adjustment, or is the fix a natural effect of tighening up the bolt? The reason I ask is that my bolts are tight (I think). Plus, it wasn't the joystick bolt that came loose, it was the ones which hold on the valve assembly.
Maybe I should lossen everything off, push the valve assembly away from (or towards) the joystick, and see what happens (?).
Thanks

cisco · Jul 9, 2002

Re: FEL Doesn\'t, Well, Go Up

Oh thanks - now I can anticipate valve assembly problems, when I just got my joystick situation sorted out.
My dealer's mechanic, who does not mind me hanging around while he works on things, did play with the adjustment on the bolt that connects to the center piston (the one the bolt on top of the joystick eventually connects to). He screwed it a 1/2 turn one way, checked the raise/lower speed, and then rotated the other way, doing the same check. By such, he located the optimal setting. Seems the valves are not fine tuned prior to shipment - if the bucket just goes up and down - it's shipped - you can have a very visible effect on the raise/lower rate if you get the adjustment just right.

boustany · Jul 10, 2002

Re: FEL Doesn\'t, Well, Go Up

Thanks
I took the lever cover off last night and fiddled with the adjustment. It was pretty much bottomed, so I loosened it off and now the FEL goes up promptly without dumping. Oddly enough, if I keep pulling the stick down, the FEL slows down. So I'm going to have to think on this a bit....
Nonetheless, your advice worked, and I am sure I can adapt to the slightly strange behaviour of the control.
I though it odd how the control was put together. The cotter pin they used was the smallest I've ever seen and way too flimsy for my liking. So I'll replace the pin/cotter pin with a suitable metric bolt with a nyloc nut.
Thanks