Load leveler

[npalen]

Yeah, there may be others I'm not familiar with - AFAIK, the 580B may be the only one that used a hydraulic cylinder (unless earlier models had it) - but the later 580C replaced the hydraulic cylinder with a linkage that biased the joystick's curl mechanism - here's a pic of a 580C, the long rod that's attached to the bucket's "bell crank" arms and goes back to the cab area is what replaced the cylinder type. Probably a cost-cutting measure, one less cylinder required

https://www.tractordata.com/industrial-photos/F000/104/104-td4-b01-ext045.jpg

It's conceivable that the later (mechanical) version of self level might be adaptable to other loaders, but it'd sure be an "interesting" project (phrase stolen from a Chinese fortune cookie ) ... Steve

That is an interesting linkage for the self-leveling. The long rod doesn't look like it would have enough strength in compression. The fact that the tilt cylinders would be in tension when back dragging would be a plus.

Edit: The long rod may be just a leveling indicator?

 

[BukitCase]

I've yet to "fondle" the mechanical version up close enough, so it's just my "SWAG" (aka, Scientific Wild-Ass Guess) that the cab end of the long rod is attached to some extra linkage on the loader joystick that "biases" the curl setting depending on the loader height. Nothing to back that up other than experience with a few hundred mechanical devices over nearly 60 years of technical jobs. If that's true, the rod would only have to be strong enough to move the joystick linkage, NOT actually move the curl linkage.

I do know that my previous hydraulic version (the 580B) DOES work, but it does NOT quite maintain level full stroke of the lift range. I'm hoping that changes for the better when I get that cylinder rebuilt.

Oh, and the self level NEVER gets in the way, for operations that DON'T need constant level, the curl still responds the way you'd expect; just maybe a little quicker or slower depending on direction of movement... Steve

 

[ptsg]

Self leveling can also be done hydraulically, using to shorter cylinder mounted above the lift cylinders and then tied into the dump and lower circuit of the loader. This one is a bit harder to recreate than the mechanical linkage.

I can't see a reason to have the need to turn off the self leveling ever. Unless it's one of those systems that just use a self leveling valve with no feedback that keeps losing it's position. That can be annoying.

Another great benefict of the self leveling is that it makes all of those arguments of: "my tractor can do two functions at the same time and yours can't" totally irrelevant.

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[BukitCase]

Mentioned in post #6 ... Steve

 

[Vigo327]

Generally the reason why people prefer or don't prefer self-levelling loaders on same/similar machine is that it reduces the range of motion of the bucket curl, OR it adds a bunch of extra wear points (and some weight which comes out of loader capacity). On a new/expensive loader that's why there are linkages between the curl cylinder and the bucket like what you see on an excavator/backhoe. If you don't have those extra pieces you have limited range of motion. If you do have those pieces great, but now you've got a whole bunch of extra moving parts too. I think most people would prefer to have it than not have it, if it was a free upgrade..