loader on tractor sinking down

[zp18]

hello i have a quick question. i have a john deere 4200 with a 420 loader. every once in a while when i start it up and go to raise the loader. i have like little to no hydraulic pressure. i can raise the loader arms but as soon as i release the hydraulic control lever, the loader arms sink bank down. its not leaking oil anywhere.. all the hydraulic lines are in good shape and it has oil in it. i dont know what causes this or if i could be slowly wrecking the pump by trying to force the loader to work. let me know whats yous think. thanks!

 

[AchingBack]

hello i have a quick question. i have a john deere 4200 with a 420 loader. every once in a while when i start it up and go to raise the loader. i have like little to no hydraulic pressure. i can raise the loader arms but as soon as i release the hydraulic control lever, the loader arms sink bank down. its not leaking oil anywhere.. all the hydraulic lines are in good shape and it has oil in it. i dont know what causes this or if i could be slowly wrecking the pump by trying to force the loader to work. let me know whats yous think. thanks!

You've come to the right place, and a qualified expert will soon be giving better answers than I can. Based upon what I have gleaned from TBN, you possibly have air in the lines leading to the lift arms. I don't know the proper way to bleed the air from the lines. Best of luck on a quick, cheap fix.

 

[zp18]

that would make sense. because it only does it sometimes. last night i shut it off with the bucket curled under to let snow & water run off of it, and today i go out to plow a little bit and the arms kept sinking down. i parked it and let it idle to go inside and get something, and when i came back out the bucket was setting on the ground already.

 

[DT86]

It leaks down but not all the time?

 

[J_J]

Cycle the loader through about 10 times,and hold the lever at the end of the stroke for a few seconds to purge any air in the hyd system.

You might have some worn seals in the cyl.

Your valve spools in the valve might be worn.

The load check valve might have some debris in it. Remove, inspect and clean.

 

[zp18]

it worked fine today. didnt sink down at all. it only does it every once in a great while.

 

[Utopia Texas]

You say the tractor has fluid in it but is it at the correct level?

 

[murphy1244]

Raise loader and disconnect lines if it leaks down its the cylinders IMO.

 

[zp18]

yes it has enough hydraulic oil. it doesnt leak out anywhere.. all the lines are like bran new. and ok, ill have to try that

 

[J_J]

Do not raise the loader and disconnect the lines. It could drop on you.

With the loader lowered. remove the base line and retract.

If fluid keeps flowing, the seals are bad.