joystick freezing up in cold weather

[skyhook]

I use to wrap a battery warmer blanket around my joystick and plug it in before using the machine.
It solved my problem. It also had a cab.

 

[SSdoxie]

Check for moisture in the valve spool end caps (opposite end of spool from joystick connection), caps can get moisture in there, freeze and stop spool from moving either both directions or jsut one. Use the heat gun on the end caps and see if it frees up, if so take the caps off clean them out and apply some light grease.

 

[Kanook]

Try directing the heat at the joy stick valve asm next time. I did that a few times to speed things up but I never got rid of the problem when it was really cold.

I suspected that it was a machining tolerance issue on some internal component that surfaced under cold conditions...I learned to live with it......was still there when I traded it

 

[PILOON]

Are you sure that your hydraulic oil is winter grade?
Most sell 30, 40, and 50 grade hyd oils.
I recall that on my plow truck that I used power steering oil as reg hyd was just too thick and even so I had to cycle all circuits a few times to warm up the oil.

 

[themichelob]

The correct answer is post #12 from SSdoxie. Just be very careful if/when you remove the end caps as there are very small bearings and springs inside that can get lost and must be replaced properly. I've never been brave enough to do it, so it's always five minutes with the heat gun directed at the end caps prior to each use of the blower. Kind of a pain, but it works.....Regards, Mike

 

[rayclar]

I had the same problem and i drilled a very small hole in the end caps( lowest point and on the side of cap) to let moisture weep out. When first drilled i got about 1/2 oz. of water out of each. I did this without removing anything. Each fall i spray some w d 40 into the holes.

 

[jayhawk238]

Check for moisture in the valve spool end caps (opposite end of spool from joystick connection), caps can get moisture in there, freeze and stop spool from moving either both directions or jsut one. Use the heat gun on the end caps and see if it frees up, if so take the caps off clean them out and apply some light grease.

Just to make sure I understand, the end caps are the opposite ends of the two cables from the joystick that attach to the bottom of the hyd block where the Quick Disconnects are.

 

[rswyan]

The end caps are on the valve itself ...

If your valve is cable-operated via cables attached to the joystick, the end caps will be on the valve itself ... probably on the opposite end of where the cables attach.

This ends being a little confusing in talking about it because some valves have the joystick attached directly to valve while others have a remote joystick which operates the valve via cables.

 

[jayhawk238]

OK. That helped. My joystick is a cable setup, so now I know what I'm looking for. THANKS!!

 

[rswyan]

Good deal.

Glad to be of service.