Grapple Grapple "jaws" won't close

gnawbone · Jul 21, 2015

I don't know if I made any progress today or not ...... I took the solenoid apart - just like the video Eric posted (thanks, Eric, it was very helpful) showed, cleaned it, blew it out with compressed air, put it back together and it doesn't work any worse than it did before I took it apart!

It doesn't work any better, either.

I video'd it half-assed working - it opens fine and, even though it closes, there is not enough force to pick up a limb or anything. I'm leaning toward it being a cylinder but then again WTH do I know .... :laughing:

MinnesotaEric · Jul 21, 2015

Wait: did you switch hydraulic couplers to see if the problem follows the coupler or the hydraulics around to the function it got hooked up to? By doing this step, we're attempting to find out if there is something in the line restricting the hydraulic flow.

Did you confirm by jamming open the quick disconnects at various places, that you have hydraulic fluid flow? Again we're trying to determine if you have hydraulic flow.

Did you switch the electrical connectors around at the solenoid? And then switch solenoid windings from side to side? This step we're using the none-good electrical stuff on the side with the problem to determine if the problem is electrical in nature.

All of these things are asked in order to slowly eliminate possibilities and zero in on the fault. If you did these things, report your findings.

gnawbone · Jul 22, 2015

I did some of what you mentioned. In the video you can see the T connectors where the hoses come from the 3rd function - I switched those 2 and when I pushed the button to open the jaws, they opened - which I thought was odd - but when I pushed the 'close' button the jaws stayed open. I had to unhook the hoses at the QD and manually relieve pressure in the hoses to get to close. When I switched the hoses back then it operated like it does in the video.

I did not switch any electrical connections.

EverythingAttachments · Jul 22, 2015

gnawbone said:
I don't know if I made any progress today or not ...... I took the solenoid apart - just like the video Eric posted (thanks, Eric, it was very helpful) showed, cleaned it, blew it out with compressed air, put it back together and it doesn't work any worse than it did before I took it apart! It doesn't work any better, either.

I video'd it half-assed working - it opens fine and, even though it closes, there is not enough force to pick up a limb or anything. I'm leaning toward it being a cylinder but then again WTH do I know .... :laughing:

I could see it being a cylinder if only one was acting funny, but it's very unlikely to have 2 bad cylinders.

Have you tried picking up anything with it? Just watching, the cycling appears normal at idle.
Travis

hunt4570 · Jul 22, 2015

EricTheOracle said:
Wait: did you switch hydraulic couplers to see if the problem follows the coupler or the hydraulics around to the function it got hooked up to? By doing this step, we're attempting to find out if there is something in the line restricting the hydraulic flow.

Did you confirm by jamming open the quick disconnects at various places, that you have hydraulic fluid flow? Again we're trying to determine if you have hydraulic flow.

Did you switch the electrical connectors around at the solenoid? And then switch solenoid windings from side to side? This step we're using the none-good electrical stuff on the side with the problem to determine if the problem is electrical in nature.

All of these things are asked in order to slowly eliminate possibilities and zero in on the fault. If you did these things, report your findings.

Eric.. how the heck do you "jam open" the quick disconnects?

EverythingAttachments · Jul 22, 2015

Ted explains how the lids work in this video just after the 17min mark.

gnawbone · Jul 22, 2015

Travis,

I did not have the engine running fast but it was not at idle, either. Yes, I have tried to pick up some limbs from a white pine tree but once the lids encounter any resistance the stop closing. I couldn't even get them to close on a load that would have been 1/2 the amount that would 'fit' in the grapple.

Also, the behavior you see in the video is the same - doesn't matter what the RPM is and I've tried them all!

gnawbone · Jul 22, 2015

I used a punch - but I could only do it one time and then the pressure was to high for me to push in the pin/ball. So, I'd shut it town, hit both buttons on the joystick, start it up, the try the other one. Both were getting enough pressure that I couldn't 'bleed' them twice without shutting down.

EverythingAttachments · Jul 22, 2015

Ok, we're just trying to help you troubleshoot.
The valve could possibly be plumbed incorrectly. Is your 3pt lift working as it should?

The grapple is opening and closing as it should in the video. We just need to figure out why it's not getting enough pressure from your valve.
Travis