Loader leaking down.

[LD1]

Scaper, normal stuff, no worries.

bigbull338, I'm calling BS, need back up.

I'll back you up. It is BS. The cylinder normally sees in excess of 3000psi just under normal operating conditions. Just the weight of the loader causing a little bleed down isnt going to come anywhere close to that at all.

And I agree with the general consensus here, totally normal. There is probabally a spec that will tell how far it is allowed to drift over a given time with a given load. But I dont know that spec, maybe your dealer will. But with a load on the FEL, and it only blead down ~ 1/2 way over night, no big deal at all.

 

[RTII]

Actually it is not normal for a loader to settle. There is oil bypassing somewhere in the system. Either past the seals in the cylinders or in the hydraulic connections at the loader manifold, valve or rear of tractor. To tell if it is in the loader or in the tractor, you could put the loader up, disconnct the hoses connecting loader to tractor and see if the loader drops or settles overnight again. If it does, it is in the loader cylinders, if it doesn't it is in the tractor or hose connections/valve etc.

If the hoses are unplugged, where is the oil supposed to go to allow the loader to drop, even if it bypasses the cylinder seals? I may be wrong but seems the oil would need to go to a void or tank?

 

[LD1]

If the hoses are unplugged, where is the oil supposed to go to allow the loader to drop, even if it bypasses the cylinder seals? I may be wrong but seems the oil would need to go to a void or tank?

That is correct. Unless the piston seals as well as the rod seals are both leaking. But in this case, you would see oil weeping from around the rod.

 

[Tx Jim]

I agree it's not good to leave loader boom in the air or 3pt either. as stated it's either cyl packings leaking or worn control valve spool/housing.

I too would like to see some documentation of bigbull338's cyl breakage statement.

 

[bigbull338]

well for 1 thing if it hitts the ground hard enough it could crack an bust the cylinder.an then youd have to replace the whole thing.now i may not be very smart.but alot of cattlemen respect my knowlage.an they dont mind asking me equipment repair qs.

 

[LD1]

well for 1 thing if it hitts the ground hard enough it could crack an bust the cylinder.an then youd have to replace the whole thing.now i may not be very smart.but alot of cattlemen respect my knowlage.an they dont mind asking me equipment repair qs.

We are talking about a SLOW bleed down here. So how is it going to hit the ground hard enough to break a cylinder???

 

[KWentling]

That is correct. Unless the piston seals as well as the rod seals are both leaking. But in this case, you would see oil weeping from around the rod.

In the scenario of unplugging hoses to see if the loader settles, the loader could leak down if the seals on the piston(s) are bad, and leak no oil out. The oil simply leaks from one side of the piston to the other. (Air will make up for the difference in volume) I wouldn't do this test. Unplugging hoses under load is not a good idea and you will have to take the load off or somehow bleed the pressure off to get the hoses plugged back in. There are some quick couples that can be coupled under pressure, but not likely found on a tractor loader.

Kim

 

[timswi]

My MMM, stabilizers and BH bucket leak down after sitting..Normal I'd say. No counteracting pressure when the tractor is sitting.

Mine has done this since 04 and hasn't gotten any worse..Nature of the beast.

 

[Willl]

the loader could leak down if the seals on the piston(s) are bad, and leak no oil out.

You could take the piston completely off the shaft, stuff the shaft back into the oil filled cylinder and it still wont leak down (as long as the shaft seal isn't leaking).

 

[art]

I recommend cutting some angle iron to sit on the cylinder rod and fasting it on with hose clamps or good size zip ties and letting it down onto the angle iron. Then they won't go any lower then that.

The amount that many manufacturers say is okay is quite shocking depending on which one but a couple of inches an hour is nothing!