Kicking out of float

[jrogers]

When blowing snow I use the float indent, which generally works well. Occasionally it clicks out of the float position. Is this normal, or a problem. If it is normal, why is it doing it. It seems I can just press it back into float again and everything is fine. Sometimes it does it repeatedly, and then at other times it does not ever do it, and I have not really seen a pattern yet.

 

[BruceWard]

When I bought my used B21 I thought I had to hold it in float. It would not remain there on its own. Later I sprayed quite a bit of lubricant onto the FEL controls. Afterward it sticks well in float. You might try some lube.

 

[irvingj]

If the Kubota float detent works the same as a Massey...

That's a problem we with M-F SCUTs have had to deal with... could be some rust/moisture/glop in the float detent mechanism, which is pretty easy to take off & check.

On the 2310, it's a sort of cup on the back side (underside) of the joystick control valve block, held on by two socket-head screws. Taking it off doesn't (shouldn't) result in any loss of fluid. In the third pic, it's the taller one. The groove on the end of the shaft (second pic) is supposed to click into the snap ring at the bottom of the cover (first pic).

Very often a clean-up & fresh grease cures it.

 

[Yankee Clipper]

J,

When you get it apart, I think you will find that Irving hit the bullseye with his answer.

Once the detent is cleaned out of all the rust and new balls installed, I like to pack the housing with grease so it acts like a barrier to any mositure as well as lubes the parts.

If the detent sticks vertically on this unit, then some kind of a plastic cap or "rainhat" would be a good idea to keep the melted snow moving along.

One other small area to check is the linkage to the spool for the control handle - if the link is worn / loose / sloppy, then it could kick out.

Good luck!

YC

 

[skipmarcy]

My joystick float destroys the check balls fairly regularly, luckily I have a bunch of them from my years doing carburetor work. The first time around I too thought greasing them up good would solve the problem but mine would not stay in detent with the lube in it !! Had to clean it all off and run it all dry for it to work. The groove around the end of the spool that the balls engage get worn some too, even with new balls and springs it never has been as crisp as when new, it just barely holds in detent anymore with good balls & springs. I've got over 1900 hours on my tractor and a majority of those were with loader work and I've had to replace the balls I think 3 times. Spools are always hand-honed to a valve body so replacing the spool is out, just get the whole new valve assembly and make sure it has the float position.

 

[irvingj]

Thanks for that info, Skip-- I was wondering if my float detent would stay in better if most of the grease were removed.... think I'll try it!

(It does still pop out fairly easily, though it's not hard to just keep my hand resting on it lightly to keep it engaged.)

I thought perhaps the balls & springs might work better than the snap-ring set-up, but I guess it's six of one, a half dozen of the other....:confused3:

 

[BeezFun]

Shortly after I bought my tractor it was also jumping out of float, finally wouldn't even stay in. Since it was under warranty I had the dealer's service come out and there was some part they had to replace. I wasn't home so I don't know what they did. But that was 5 years ago and it's worked great ever since.