Loader KL130 - Loose Cylinder

[miramadar]

One of the cylinders on my KL130 loader is loose. It wobbles side to side A LOT more that the one on the other side. The attached picture shows the points where the cylinder is loose (red arrows). I tried tightening the pins/bolts opposite the grease zerks, but they were tight. Its almost as if the slots where the ends of the cylinder seat are too wide.

Any suggestions??

 

[miramadar]

So, I stopped by my dealer to buy an oil filter the other day, and I brought up my issue with the cylinder. The dealer told me to check the pins and bushings. So, last night, for the first time ever, I removed my FEL bucket and quick attach (QA). It was pretty easy to disassemble. I removed the pins from the bucket/QA and also one pin from the dump cylinder on the left side. I saw what appeared to be "normal" wear on the pins...slight grooving. But nothing major. The bushings themselves seemed okay too. I took my time and removed all of the "dirt-infused" grease from each pin/bushing, and then I replaced the pins and the QA (left the bucket off for now). I re-greased everything. I noticed after I re-greased the FEL, that the cylinders were "tight" again...not loose or sloppy at all.

So, this makes we wonder if the grease has a lot to do with this looseness. I assume that the joints (pins, bushings, etc.) have a little slack in them to accommodate the grease.

The funny thing is that I greased the FEL about a month ago and hadn't used the FEL much at all since then. I'm pretty religious when it comes to greasing my equipment. So, it should have had plenty of fresh grease in it. However, when I removed the pins, I didn't see a lot of fresh-looking grease (I use "Green Grease"). I was near the end of the tube, so I'm wondering if maybe I didn't squirt a bunch of air into my zerks...I don't know.

So, for now, it looks like I've fixed my problem. My next problem is to figure out the easiest way to re-attach the bucket to the QA. Anyone out there got a good trick for that?

 

[VictorW]

I assume you mean how to put the QA adapter on the fel arms. I lower the fel and install the two lower pins. Roll up and then the top two. If the curl cylinders are not equal in length, just move one and the other will move the opposite direction.

 

[miramadar]

I've got the QA attached to the FEL arms. I haven't tried it yet, but it seems that it would be a trick to get that all lined up right from the tractor seat to put the bucket back on.

 

[VictorW]

I put on and take off all my QA attachments from the tractor seat except for the need to move the locking pin arms. If I just want to move the attachments around, I don't even lock them and don't get off the tractor. With the bucket on the ground, the QA locking pin arms all the way up, get about a foot away from the bucket with the QA. Then roll the QA forward (dump direction) so the QA front plate is top forward or at a little more angle, nothing specific, 10'-20' will do, than what the mating surface is on the bucket. Lower the fel arms so the top edge of the QA is a little lower than the top of the mating part on the bucket. Drive forward until the QA hits the bucket, lining it up (with steering) so it's inside the bucket mount on the right and left. Lift the fel arms and you may have to move forward just a bit to keep the top of the QA against the bucket. Keep lifting and if the top of the QA is under the top mating part on the bucket, lift the bucket off the ground. The weight of the bucket or attachment will make it roll and sit flat against the QA front plate as you lift. Then, here's the only time you have to get off the tractor, push down the locking pin arms. If you have a helper, you never have to get off the tractor. It gets easier after you do it a few times.

 

[miramadar]

Thanks for the advice VictorW. That doesn't sound too bad.

 

[VictorW]

Other members may have their own twist on my way but I had watched guys with skidsteers do it this way and it works for me. Sometimes I lean forward or to the side to see better. Even if the bucket is lower on one side or your approach is a little angled, it still works. Just lift slowly and move forward as needed and it will hook up. You should be able to do your pallet forks the same way.

 

[gengine]

Victor nailed it. It is that simple.

 

[Coyote machine]

Just make sure the surfaces of the QA pads and corresponding mating surface of the implement are clean of dirt or mud, etc. before making the connection, especially where the QA pins pass through to allow proper locking.