JD 1050 problem with 'dangling' bucket (won't stay firm)

[farmer marx]

Symptom 1: with the bucket flat down, 1 inch from the ground, if i try to get under a pile of snow or sand, the bucket will start lifting upward. I cannot get it to stay flat.

Symptom 2: let's say I raise the loader half way and I flip the bucket downward all the way. The goal is to 'cut' a pile of snow and drag it going backward. As soon as the bucket meets some resistance, I can't push the loader further down. Then, when I start driving in reverse, the bucket flips upwards.

Symptom 3: lift the loader all the way, flip the bucket 90% of the way down. The bucket dangles, it doesn't stay fixed in that position. HOWEVER, if I flip the bucket all the way downward, at that point it locks in that position, and if I lower the loader all the way to the ground, at that point I can lift up the front wheels.

A friend says it could be the pins. Another one says it's the hydraulics. What do you think, and in case it's the hydraulics, which components need replacing?
Thank you very much for your advice.

 

[Reb954]

JD 1050 Hydraulics, bucket won't stay flat on the ground when loading sand or snow

When I try to grab a pile of sand or snow I put the bucket down an inch above ground, but as I move forward, the bucket begins to tilt upwards and doesn't pick up anything. 2) If i lift the loader all the way up, and then turn the bucket to unload, the buckets dangles instead of being firm...

www.tractorbynet.com

This is your thread from a few days ago, did you try any of the suggestions?

It sounds do me like it is the valve.

 

[Avenger]

If you dump the bucket, all the way out, does it take a second or two for the bucket to 'firm' up?

I suspect this is a known issue with some tractors, nicknamed "floppy bucket syndrome"

Has this tractor always been this way?

 

[Rustyiron]

I'm thinking possibly the valve but wonder about your operation of it. This "floppyness" is (probably) because the "other side" of your hydraulic cylinders are empty after your last dumping (bucket) or lowering (arms). Do you push the valve handle all the way into the detent when lowering the arms? How about the bucket dumping, if there's a load in the bucket and you move the valve handle all the way, its possible that the weight in the bucket will (by gravity) dump faster than the tractor can re fill the "other side" of the cylinder leaving either pair of cylinders partially empty leaving you with this floppy situation.
Try dumping or lowering slowly and see if this helps but first slowly and fully extend and retract both functions to assure that you cylinders are completely full.

 

[farmer marx]

If you dump the bucket, all the way out, does it take a second or two for the bucket to 'firm' up?

I suspect this is a known issue with some tractors, nicknamed "floppy bucket syndrome"

Has this tractor always been this way?

I bought it with this problem - I didn't test it properly and didn't expect this kind of issue.
When I curl the bucket down all the way, the very last inch or so of the run is a bit slower, so, yes, probably it takes a couple of seconds. Once it is in that position
it is locked. By pushing down the loader it has enough power to lift the front wheels.
When the bucket is in any other position than locked all the way down, both the bucket and the loader are loose.
Say that I curl the bucket all the way up, then keeping the bucket an inch flush to the ground, I push a pile of sand. The bucket can't go any further, but the loader
begins to lift up.

 

[farmer marx]

I'm thinking possibly the valve but wonder about your operation of it. This "floppyness" is (probably) because the "other side" of your hydraulic cylinders are empty after your last dumping (bucket) or lowering (arms). Do you push the valve handle all the way into the detent when lowering the arms? How about the bucket dumping, if there's a load in the bucket and you move the valve handle all the way, its possible that the weight in the bucket will (by gravity) dump faster than the tractor can re fill the "other side" of the cylinder leaving either pair of cylinders partially empty leaving you with this floppy situation.
Try dumping or lowering slowly and see if this helps but first slowly and fully extend and retract both functions to assure that you cylinders are completely full.

Thank you for the suggestion. It is possible I am not doing it right, although the problem is so consistent, in all situations, that most likely at some point I must
have done the correct operation, but the result is always the same. The bucket doesn't stay firm in place. The only time when it locks, is when it's curled all the way down.

 

[farmer marx]

JD 1050 Hydraulics, bucket won't stay flat on the ground when loading sand or snow

When I try to grab a pile of sand or snow I put the bucket down an inch above ground, but as I move forward, the bucket begins to tilt upwards and doesn't pick up anything. 2) If i lift the loader all the way up, and then turn the bucket to unload, the buckets dangles instead of being firm...

www.tractorbynet.com

This is your thread from a few days ago, did you try any of the suggestions?

It sounds do me like it is the valve.

I haven't had a chance yet. I use the tractor part time and it has been so cold that I didn't want to risk freezing my fingers. Plus, I am nervous about trying something like this: I need to learn and understand as much as possible before I take the plunge. But thank you for checking back.