Loader FEL joystick function broken

severtki · May 12, 2012

Kubota B3300 -- suddenly can't curl bucket. Other three functions of FEL joystick (raise/lower arm, uncurl bucket) work normally, but when I move the joystick to the left, it goes over easily w/out engaging anything.

No hydraulic leaks that I can see, hoses seem to be OK.

I'm guessing there's a linkage broken somewhere in the hydraulic valve, but any advice for where to look and how to fix?

Thanks!

Tollster · May 12, 2012

Shut her off, move the joystick around, and reconnect all fittings, maybe thet'll help.

Eyeshade · May 12, 2012

Make sure the 3 point hitch lever is in the neutral position.

severtki · May 13, 2012

Thanks for the suggestions. The 3PH lever is in the neutral position (and the valve to rear hydraulics is shut off anyway).

I reseated the quick connect hose fittings to the FEL and started up from cold - no difference.

It feels like the joystick is not mechanically actuating anything when I press it over (vs. the other three directions, where I can feel it engaging and it takes a little pressure to move it).

Any additional advice is welcome. Thanks!

kcender · May 13, 2012

Are you able to see the linkage,if so get someone to move the joystick while you look at the linkage.If something is unhooked it should be visible.

bunchgrass · May 14, 2012

Uh-oh Severtki,

You can often see the hydraulic lines up on the loader frame "jump" when you try to activate cylinders they feed. IMHO - that's showing you've got pressure headed to the cylinders in question. Also you can sometimes see and often feel (if you're standing on the bucket/forks) the attachment try to respond to the action of the joystick. That's why we did the following -

I just had the same issue today on my M8540. Curl stopped working yesterday while I was trying to spread out some hay and straw that was still smoldering after our barn/shop fire from Wed night (that's another story and a total loss). It appears that in my urgency (sort of comes with fire) I was dragging the tips of my forks along and seem to have bent the rams on both of the bucket curl cylinders - pretty sorry performance by this loader I have to say. No way that should bend so easily.

To find out what was going on we took a hi-lift jack and used it to push the top of the fork frame forward while another person was operating the joystick in a roll forward (extend cylinder). That got it to move some so we had 1 guy on each fork bounce up and down while using same op on joystick and finally got things loose. With cylinders extended you can see the bow in the ram shaft(s). ****. And I need that booger to clean up this fire debris. Good luck. .....

Just saw this thread here so guess what I'm up to tomorrow? I'll give it a try.
http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/hydraulics/140583-bent-hydraulic-cylinders-now-what-2.html

Gary Fowler · May 14, 2012

I had the same thing happen on my tractor. The nuts on the linkage under the joystick had loosened off. One was just about to fall off and other one was laying on the hoses. Lucky to have found them all. Tightened them all back up and back to work.

kiotiken · May 14, 2012

Gary Fowler said:
I had the same thing happen on my tractor. The nuts on the linkage under the joystick had loosened off. One was just about to fall off and other one was laying on the hoses. Lucky to have found them all. Tightened them all back up and back to work.

Exact same thing just happened to me, I lost the dump function, and this was the issue in my case as well.

blueriver · May 14, 2012

May not be your situation ... mine failed (not Kubota) and it turned out that on the unit itself where all the loader hoses connect, there are those little covers usually takes two allen screws to remove them. The vent hole allows for moisture and my springs where stuck.

I removed the caps, put some PB blaster on the spring then greased them ... kinda like packing a wheel bearing and all was well ... may want to check that.

severtki · May 14, 2012

Thanks for all the help. Good news: it was the linkage. It was a small pin and cotter pin in a tiny corner of the housing -- not very accessible or visible!

Managed to get it back on and all is working again. Glad it wasn't some of the more serious hydraulic issues that some mentioned!

Thanks,
Kirk