Kubota "Shockless Ride", SoftDrive or equivalent accumulator?

[mikester]

i have 'Soft Ride' on my Quicke (ALO) loader. i had to wait for it so got to use the machine for almost a year without it. Now having it, it is a nice feature. I road a lot into town. Even with the empty bucket/forks it helps with bounce.
Doing precise work is not easy with it 'on' as the loader is spongy feeling and will bounce a bit when you stop moving.
I'd likely get it again, but could live without it if I had to. it was a $1000 touch here in canada.
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Does your accumulator setup have only one manual valve and a pressure tank? Do you have a part number on your reservoir? How do you discharge the reservoir?

 

[Thunder chicken]

Does your accumulator setup have only one manual valve and a pressure tank? Do you have a part number on your reservoir? How do you discharge the reservoir?

yes, a manual shut off valve on the accumulator. I'm on the road for work till end of august so can't look but if you look on Quicke's website you should find the soft ride kit, maybe look in their manual section. There is no discharging the accumulator. The instructions say to lower the loader to the ground, shut off tractor, relieve hydraulic pressure then turn the valve (on or off). mine came from an AGCO dealer.
A friend just got a JD pay loader (6yd bucket?) and he loves the load damper on it.

 

[Tinhack]

Nice feature. It is useful on washboard travel or at road speed even empty; anywhere that FELs tend to get bouncy. It takes about 75% of the bounce out.
That should reduce wear on the whole loader & hydraulics....maybe on the front axle pivots too.

JD calls their version "Comfort Ride". It engages/disengages when stopped via a dashboard solenoid switch. The solenoid switch makes it handy.

I'd get it again, especially at Kubota's add-on price. And I'd combine it with an aftermarket Grammer air ride suspension seat.
rScotty

Looks like it's just an "air bubble" in the load side of the front cylinders. Since air will compress, it provides the cushion for the load. This also means the loaded cylinders are moving all the time you're in motion. I don't see how that could possibly reduce wear. In fact, it adds to the cylinder wear.

 

[rScotty]

Nice feature. It is useful on washboard travel or at road speed even empty; anywhere that FELs tend to get bouncy. It takes about 75% of the bounce out. That should reduce wear on the whole loader & hydraulics....maybe on the front axle pivots too.[/U]

Looks like it's just an "air bubble" in the load side of the front cylinders. Since air will compress, it provides the cushion for the load. This also means the loaded cylinders are moving all the time you're in motion. I don't see how that could possibly reduce wear. In fact, it adds to the cylinder wear.

I think that by "loaded cylinders" you mean that the FEL pistons are moving in the cylinders as it damps. Nice observation; that does makes sense. Luckily cylinders and pistons are set up to move like that with little wear.

The wear I was referring to is more destructive. It's the result of the impact forces that happen with an undamped FEL. Mechanical hammering on the pins and bushings of the loader plus front axle, and hydraulic hammering against the loader valve & all the FEL hydraulic parts. Damping should reduce both of those.

But on our big tractor, I think the larger benefit is how it travels in high gear on the road. Bucket loaded or not, the FEL damping reduces the front end bouncing. It makes the steering safer and the ride better. Without damping we road a lot slower.
I still think the difference is mostly worth it for going fast on rough roads. I have it on one TLB but not the other.
rScotty

 

[Tinhack]

Yes, of course the cylinders/pistons are designed to move. But in this case, the movement is in a short range and maybe multiplied 1000 times or more each time you drive. It's why shock absorbers on cars don't last forever. I'm just saying you're adding wear not removing it. As far pins or whatever, that still occurs. They're still in the circuit/mechanism.

Forgot to mention: Whoever said is was safe to drive a loaded tractor at full speed? You're playing Russian Roulette if you do.

 

[Smokeydog]

Russian roulette is appropriate. A gun and fired bullet see the same force. Which end to you want to be on?
Suspension are not just for creature comfort but help equipment to perform better and last longer. From stagecoaches to trains.

Think this would make a great improvement on the Kubota M59. High powered medium size TLB. My poor 1 ton 4x4 Power Wagon dump truck just sits in the weeds since getting a grapple 25 years ago. Can carry brush faster.

 

[Smokeydog]

Maybe jumped in over my head. The KRS from Kubota for bigger tractors is interesting. Several KRS systems offered on eBay along with new and used accumulators. Watched an installation of one accumulator bulb system on a Massy look easy and made a noticeable difference. Something similar for the M59 would be nice.

Made offer on a LA1953 KRS kit. Slightly higher loader specs than my TL1350. I suspect this kit was NOS from an older loader model. Most people add this to a new tractor purchase.
The dealership took my $200 offer and should get it this week. It will not most likely bolt on my M59 but comes with accumulators, lots of lines, valve and brackets. I’ll have time handle the parts and to think about modifications and installation when the work load slows during the winter. To use one or two accumulator bulbs or if they are the same is an unanswered question.

Hopefully helps not only smooth loader carrying operation but with bush hogging and grading too.

 

[rScotty]

Great deal! I'll be watching to see how it does on our M59s.

 

[Smokeydog]

Got a big box of parts Kubota KRS kit for a LA1953, 2008 year manufacture.

The accumulators bulbs have different charge pressures. 290 and 580psi made by Bosch. Basically giving two different springs to cushion a broader range of weight. Lighter capacity loaders may get by with one accumulator.

The valve is two quarter turn valves mechanically linked manual valves.

Leaning toward using a N0 solenoid valve that I can operate without getting off the tractor.

 

[Hay Dude]

Yes, of course the cylinders/pistons are designed to move. But in this case, the movement is in a short range and maybe multiplied 1000 times or more each time you drive. It's why shock absorbers on cars don't last forever. I'm just saying you're adding wear not removing it. As far pins or whatever, that still occurs.They're still in the circuit/mechanism.

Forgot to mention: Whoever said is was safe to drive a loaded tractor at full speed? You're playing Russian Roulette if you do.

Id much rather wear my hydraulic loader cylinders than front axle components. The 3 range of travel on the loader cylinders is nothing compared to solid shock hits on a front axle. Then thereç—´ operator comfort and handling. Itç—´ a world of difference running 2 900lb round bales across a field at 20MPH versus a non shockless ride loader at 10 MPH. Double speed is more profit and much easier on the body after long hours. You know, other components get rocked without an accumulator. Metals get stressed, too. An accumulator takes off a great deal of stress on them.
Been running accumulator (shockless ride) on my hay bale loading tractor for 8 year and loaded/unloaded over 12,000 4x5 round bales.
When you say “ as far as pins or whatever, that still occurs “ , yes, it does, but if it occurs at a much slower rate, that saves me money. Money is what keeps my business going for 35 years now.

As far as running tractor at full speed, yeah you have to run at full speed to make money in my business. Every farmer that. I know knows rain is always coming and working long hours into the night running full speed makes the difference between higher profits and less profits.