Loader FEL drifts up

[Captainchaos66]

Hmmmm,,, So pushing the handle all the way down is float? Maybe, just maybe I'm working it wrong... Should the handle STAY all the way down so the bucket doesn't move when driving? All this time I thought that when the handle was pushed all the way down, and it stopped moving, something was wrong.. maybe it was me who was wrong,, lol.. I'm going to take a video to show exactly what I'm doing and what it's doing. Will be much more clearer than me explaining it,, lol.
Again, thanks all for the replies, much appreciated!


UPDATE: Tractor Issues - YouTube here is a short video I made of what the tractor is doing, and how the handle operates. I wanted to make it short and simple, but if more is needed I can easily accommodate.
Thanks everyone!

 

[quicksandfarmer]

Just so we're clear, on my tractor you push the handle down to make the bucket go up and vice versa. From the video it looks like yours is the same way. On mine, to put it into float I push the handle all the way up -- making the bucket go down -- and it clicks and stays there. The bucket will now slowly fall to ground, and will follow the contours of the ground as I drive, going up and down with the terrain.

Watching the video, what's going on is not normal. I noticed the curl is working normally. If you don't apply any up-down force, but use the curl, does the bucket keep rising? Also, does using the steering or the 3 point lift affect the bucket rising? I'm just trying to see if using the hydraulic system elsewhere makes any difference.

In addition to switching the hoses around, one thing to try is getting a hydraulic gauge and taking some readings. There should be a quick-connect on each side of the loader valve so you can take the loader off and still run the tractor. If you get a gauge with quick-connects on it you can put it inline either upstream or downstream of the valve. In this hydraulic system there should be negligible pressure when no work is being done, and there should be negligible pressure downstream of the valve even if the valve is doing work. Take readings upstream and downstream, when the bucket is lifting and when you're holding the lever to keep it from listing. Also take a reading with the FEL disconnected and the fluid going straight through. That may tell us where the issue is.

 

[Captainchaos66]

Its tough to really asses if using the curl actually affects the rise/lower because the handle is so twitchy just a millimeter up and the bucket starts rising. I'd have to lean towards no, it doesn't affect the bucket because if I hold the handle just right I can curl in and out without going up or down. Working the steering also does not SEEM to affect the bucket issues. As for the 3ph, I honestly don't even know if that works.. if moved the levers that are SUPPOSED to control it, however nothing really seems to happen. While this may seem like an issue, I did notice some of the linkage running to the 3ph don't seem to be adjusted or even hooked up.
I am going to dig into more like this weekend, haven't had much time recently, and I've only had it a few days. Since it's basically a " loaner" i'm not sure how much money I want to put in to it. First thing I want to do is swap the hoses around, if that even HELPS the issue, I can live with it until the boss decides if he wants to buy parts/tools for it.
"On mine, to put it into float I push the handle all the way up -- making the bucket go down -- and it clicks and stays there. The bucket will now slowly fall to ground, and will follow the contours of the ground as I drive, going up and down with the terrain." Well now, this is definitely interesting. Perhaps I've been thinking wrongly about how the controls should work. I thought " float" was the bucket stays where is it, IE: half way up or 4 inches off the ground, etc. Also, on yours you say " it clicks and stays there", there is a spot on my controls where it seems to " click" and the bucket drops pretty quickly. I'm going to work it soon, and actually pay attention to what ITs doing as opposed to what I THINK it should be doing,, maybe it's partly use error.... I'm sure THAT never happens,,, lol
Thanks for the tips/info, much appreciated

 

[quicksandfarmer]

The other thing I noticed in the video is that the handle linkage just seemed sloppy. It almost seemed like the weight of the handle was pulling down on the valve when it was unsupported. Is it possible that the handle was put on wrong or is missing a spring?

 

[quicksandfarmer]

Its tough to really asses if using the curl actually affects the rise/lower because the handle is so twitchy just a millimeter up and the bucket starts rising. I'd have to lean towards no, it doesn't affect the bucket because if I hold the handle just right I can curl in and out without going up or down. Working the steering also does not SEEM to affect the bucket issues. As for the 3ph, I honestly don't even know if that works.. if moved the levers that are SUPPOSED to control it, however nothing really seems to happen. While this may seem like an issue, I did notice some of the linkage running to the 3ph don't seem to be adjusted or even hooked up.
I am going to dig into more like this weekend, haven't had much time recently, and I've only had it a few days. Since it's basically a " loaner" i'm not sure how much money I want to put in to it. First thing I want to do is swap the hoses around, if that even HELPS the issue, I can live with it until the boss decides if he wants to buy parts/tools for it.
"On mine, to put it into float I push the handle all the way up -- making the bucket go down -- and it clicks and stays there. The bucket will now slowly fall to ground, and will follow the contours of the ground as I drive, going up and down with the terrain." Well now, this is definitely interesting. Perhaps I've been thinking wrongly about how the controls should work. I thought " float" was the bucket stays where is it, IE: half way up or 4 inches off the ground, etc. Also, on yours you say " it clicks and stays there", there is a spot on my controls where it seems to " click" and the bucket drops pretty quickly. I'm going to work it soon, and actually pay attention to what ITs doing as opposed to what I THINK it should be doing,, maybe it's partly use error.... I'm sure THAT never happens,,, lol
Thanks for the tips/info, much appreciated

You can check out the action of the lever with the engine off. Both lift and curl should want to spring back to the center when you let go of the handle, there should be a slight "notch" at the center where the handle wants to stay there. On the lift control there should be another notch where if you push it all the way down it stays there, that's float.

 

[Captainchaos66]

I finally got the chance to take the valve apart, and found something puzzling. The spring for the Curl valve is adjustable, but the spring for up and down isn't... now i'm definitely not an expert, but this doesn't seem to make any sense. Why would curl need an adjustment? So with that being said, i'm going to throw caution out the window and switch the adjuster to the up/down valve and see what happens. I don't really see anything complicated about the control assembly, so worst case scenario,, it doesn't change anything.
I spoke with the person who installed the assembly, he said it was new and already assembled. He also said it worked perfectly the after it was installed. The tractor sat for about 2 years before it was used again, and that is when the problem was noticed.. my guess is when the spring was new there was enough tension to make everything work,, but as it sat, the spring lost some tension, hence causing the drift, which would be why the adjuster should be on the up/down.
I'll update when I get it all put back together. Once the bucket situation is fixed, i'll be moving on to the PTO and 3ph setup.. joy of joys,, lol..

 

[Captainchaos66]

SUCCESS


Long story short, after studying the valve for a while, putting it together, taking it apart, cleaning it,, etc.. I reinstalled it in the machine and BOOOOOO YAAAAA!!!! Float works as it should, no more drift, no more bucket dropping so fast it shakes the tractor.. everything works as it should,, AND,, nothing exploded, nothing leaks!!!!

Thanks to everyone who responded, and especially Quicksandfarmer for the great suggestions, and helpful hints!!! I have more questions/issues I will definitely be returning here to you great folks!!

 

[quicksandfarmer]

SUCCESS


Long story short, after studying the valve for a while, putting it together, taking it apart, cleaning it,, etc.. I reinstalled it in the machine and BOOOOOO YAAAAA!!!! Float works as it should, no more drift, no more bucket dropping so fast it shakes the tractor.. everything works as it should,, AND,, nothing exploded, nothing leaks!!!!

Thanks to everyone who responded, and especially Quicksandfarmer for the great suggestions, and helpful hints!!! I have more questions/issues I will definitely be returning here to you great folks!!

Awesome! Congratulations.

So did you end up switching the spring, or was it just cleaning and reassembling?

You may want to consider a fluid and filter change.

 

[Captainchaos66]

I left the springs the originally way. I to the spring assembly completely apart, and found the ball bearings that make the float work to be gunked up. I also believe the float " sleeve" was backwards, but that could be my imagination.
Judging from the amount of dirt that was in the spring assemblies I am definitely going to change the filter at the very least, they don't look like they've ever been changed, which is troubling. On the plus side if it starts acting up again, I now know I don't really have to pull the whole valve to take the springs off, which is pretty cool.
Of course, just after that problem got fixed, another popped up oughta nowhere: The electrical system randomly shuts down! If the tractors running its no big deal, diesel and all, but it's done it a few times while I'm trying to start it!
*sigh* The joys of owning an old machine... love it one day,, hate it the next... such is life I guess...

 

[quicksandfarmer]

I left the springs the originally way. I to the spring assembly completely apart, and found the ball bearings that make the float work to be gunked up. I also believe the float " sleeve" was backwards, but that could be my imagination.
Judging from the amount of dirt that was in the spring assemblies I am definitely going to change the filter at the very least, they don't look like they've ever been changed, which is troubling. On the plus side if it starts acting up again, I now know I don't really have to pull the whole valve to take the springs off, which is pretty cool.
Of course, just after that problem got fixed, another popped up oughta nowhere: The electrical system randomly shuts down! If the tractors running its no big deal, diesel and all, but it's done it a few times while I'm trying to start it!
*sigh* The joys of owning an old machine... love it one day,, hate it the next... such is life I guess...

The keyswitches are known to fail. That's where I'd look first. Also make sure all the fuses are seated firmly.

The electrical system is dead simple. Really not many parts.