Loader Hydraulic lever float detent position on loader, RK 37 Shuttle Shift

   / Hydraulic lever float detent position on loader, RK 37 Shuttle Shift #1  

Tree Farmer Dave

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Mar 8, 2019
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11
Tractor
RK 37
First time trying to use hydraulic lever ( joystick) in float position. I could not tell if bucket was floating or not, and also, if into "Detent" met the lever would stay in down position ( where it was pushed ). The one thing that was certain, I couldn't get the bucket to raise. Took the cover and rubber boot off the joystick so I double check slide locking lever ( it was in unlock position). Finally after all the messing around, I gave the joystick one heck of a jerk back and everything was fine and dandy. So the questions are : 1. Should the joystick lock in the far forward position or does it just set the float position and then relax ? 2. In setting the float position, do you lower the bucket all the way to the ground and then push the lever further forward ? 3. Should the a good jerk of the joystick be necessary to get out of float position ? Had a 1952 Ford 8N for 20+ years ; did not have a problem like this ; just had to do some type of maintenance every 6 hours -- life is good. Dave
 
   / Hydraulic lever float detent position on loader, RK 37 Shuttle Shift #2  
When put it into float, the joystick should stay in the further forward position. It requires a little extra force (not a crazy amount) to push it into, and pull it out of the float position. It makes no difference if the bucket is raised or not when you put it into float. Just be aware that if it is, the bucket will drop to the ground as soon as float is engaged.

What the float position actually does, is allow hydraulic fluid to flow freely between both ends of the boom lift cylinders (ie neither side of the cylinder is under pressure). This allows the bucket to "float" freely and follow the contour of the ground, regardless of what the rest of the tractor is doing. It's especially useful for back-dragging, but if you try to use float while driving forward, the geometry of the loader tends to jam the bucket into the ground and lift the front wheels. On a side note, the curl function will remain operational whether you're in the float position or not. So you can always curl the bucket.
 
   / Hydraulic lever float detent position on loader, RK 37 Shuttle Shift
  • Thread Starter
#3  
When put it into float, the joystick should stay in the further forward position. It requires a little extra force (not a crazy amount) to push it into, and pull it out of the float position. It makes no difference if the bucket is raised or not when you put it into float. Just be aware that if it is, the bucket will drop to the ground as soon as float is engaged.

What the float position actually does, is allow hydraulic fluid to flow freely between both ends of the boom lift cylinders (ie neither side of the cylinder is under pressure). This allows the bucket to "float" freely and follow the contour of the ground, regardless of what the rest of the tractor is doing. It's especially useful for back-dragging, but if you try to use float while driving forward, the geometry of the loader tends to jam the bucket into the ground and lift the front wheels. On a side note, the curl function will remain operational whether you're in the float position or not. So you can always curl the bucket.

Thanks for the info. Regarding the hard jerk to get the bucket out of what was float position, probably took more effort as I was standing on the ground beside the tractor rather than seated on the seat.. a leverage thing ! Off to float !
 
   / Hydraulic lever float detent position on loader, RK 37 Shuttle Shift #4  
Sometimes the detent springs will be too stout on the valve block,
On my 8050 originally it took quite an effort to get it in float and out,
it eventually broke a cable on the loader valve. They warrantied the cable and a complete valve mono block
valve assembly but it was still very stiff, I ended up trying several combinations of springs to get a good valve centering action
as well as a float detent.
I believe that many of these mono-block loader valves originally had direct lever control and they just switched them over to cable controlled
joysticks, that 10-12 inch operating lever applies much greater force then the cable operated joystick does.
 
 
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