Help me diagnose loader hydraulic issue

DOCatRU · Oct 1, 2021

Hi folks:

2008 Kioti CK 30 with 900 hours. I have put 500 hours on it since purchasing it in 2016.

I use the loader pretty hard, most frequently for lifting pallets of fire wood. Today, as I was moving my first pallet of the season to the house porch I noticed this issue:

I am able to easily lift the pallet to height. With a pallet on the forks, and the engine running I got off the tractor to open my field gate the bucket. At that time the pallet started to slowly tilt forward. The engine was idling when this occurred.

I suspect this may be leaky hydraulic cylinders on the loader. Bypass due to worn seals? What say ye?

I'm a pretty good mechanic. Is this something I could repair myself?

Thanks in advance.

DOC

Leejohn · Oct 1, 2021

Unhook the rod end of cyl from loader. Unhook base end hose then plug the cyl and hose. Put hyd pressure on rod end and if rod end moves out the piston seals are bad. Do both cyls.

JimRB · Oct 1, 2021

I replaced the tilt cylinder seals on my John Deere. Not a big deal to do. Just take pictures when you take one apart so you know the order and direction of all the parts. I did get a seal twister from some seal shop in Florida. There is a seal on the cap that is a bit of a bear to install without the twister tool.

I have a 35 year old Japanese Sears floor jack mocking me now. It is staying up in the air with no load, while before replacing a few seals the return spring would pull the jack back back down. I could not find the parts diagram when I put it back together. There is one metal collar or spacer that could go before the seal or after the seal. I think I chose after when it should have been before. Seal is not leaking but it is not under a 3,000 pound load. I will drain the jack oil sometime soon, make sure the seal is in the correct position and then go rebuild the other jack of the same vintage.