Leveling a FEL

[3RRL]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( Differant pressures in the front tires wouldn't effect it due to the pivoting axle.)</font>
Maybe it's the pivoting axle not resting square (even/level)?

 

[liteblue]

Good one to check 3RRL. I'll get under the front end in the morning and see if there is something that doesn't look right.

LOVE this site!

 

[Jay4200]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but if the back is square and level, then the front HAS to be square and level. The tractor is completely aligned by the rear wheels, and just floats on the front axel. I couldn't exactly follow what you were looking at with the level, but:

If your front axel is not level, and the rear of the tractor is, then the front wheels are different sizes. If the front axel is level (meaning the tires are the same size) and the front of the tractor isn't, then the whole tractor is twisted.

If the tractor itself is straight (and it should be - can't imagine what it takes to bend a tractor), and just the bucket is crooked, then either the loader arms are tweaked (might show up doing a cross measurement to check for square, if you can find decent reference points), or the loader is mounted incorrectly and one side is mounted higher than the other - measure mounting holes/bolts to bottom of frame.

Jay

 

[Catmando]

Your check showed the tractor is parallel with the ground. I think that you said the front (frame) of the tractor is not parallel with the ground. You have also indicated that the FEL is not parallel with the ground.

The FEL is mounted on the frame near where the frame attaches to the transmission housing. With the information that you provided then the problem seems to be where the frame actually attaches to the transmission housing, or the frame is bent significantly from the loader attachment point to the rear of the frame.

Loaders are designed to handle breakout force without bending. So it isn't too likely that the loader is bent. Or that the loader actually bent the frame. Sounds like a manufacturing defect to me.

 

[liteblue]

Posting update: Thanks one and all for the ideas (love this site!). Turns out that NH makes a shim kit for exactly my loader problem. The loader pillars are attached to the frame by 6 bolts on each side - 3 upper bolts and 3 lower bolts. By shiming the upper set of bolts on one side, and the lower set on the opposite side the two pillars are canted slightly.

I'd like to tell you that the problem of leveling the FEL has been corrected, but alas it has not. Now the loader pitches about 1.25" to the right (used to be to the left). The dealer is aware of the problem, states that the manufacturer's spec calls for no more than quarter of an inch out of level. They are actively looking at the problem and I'm confident that they will come up with a final fix.

 

[liteblue]

Posting update: Thanks one and all for the ideas (love this site!). Turns out that NH makes a shim kit for exactly my loader problem. The loader pillars are attached to the frame by 6 bolts on each side - 3 upper bolts and 3 lower bolts. By shiming the upper set of bolts on one side, and the lower set on the opposite side the two pillars are canted slightly.

I'd like to tell you that the problem of leveling the FEL has been corrected, but alas it has not. Now the loader pitches about 1.25" to the right (used to be to the left). The dealer is aware of the problem, states that the manufacturer's spec calls for no more than quarter of an inch out of level. They are actively looking at the problem and I'm confident that they will come up with a final fix.

 

[KiotiJohn]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( The dealer is aware of the problem, states that the manufacturer's spec calls for no more than quarter of an inch out of level. They are actively looking at the problem and I'm confident that they will come up with a final fix. )</font>
I think your confidence is well-placed. Case/NH is a good company, and I'm sure they don't want any of product out there to be less than optimum.

Here's wishing you a good resolution, and soon.
John

 

[KiotiJohn]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( The dealer is aware of the problem, states that the manufacturer's spec calls for no more than quarter of an inch out of level. They are actively looking at the problem and I'm confident that they will come up with a final fix. )</font>
I think your confidence is well-placed. Case/NH is a good company, and I'm sure they don't want any of product out there to be less than optimum.

Here's wishing you a good resolution, and soon.
John

 

[3RRL]

liteblue,
You might try using only one of the shim sets...remove one set to reduce the difference?

 

[3RRL]

liteblue,
You might try using only one of the shim sets...remove one set to reduce the difference?