NH 7308 Loader Owners

[Spencer]

Ok, you guys had me kind of worried there. I was doubting my memory for a while there. But I did some tests and restored my confidence in my memory. Here is a picture of the first test. I put the bucket about as flat as I could get it with the toothbar on. I was sitting in the seat and set the throttle to 2600 rpms. I pushed the joystick forward to lift the front end off the ground. I got off the tractor and took this picture.

 

[Spencer]

So as you probably noticed, I did lift the front end off the ground but not the full 4" is was talking about earlier. The right hand wheel must be heavier because it didn't raise up as high as the left side. I could easily grab either tire and pivot them, making either one higher than the other. So I didn't get the full 4" but my lift cylinders were fully retracted as you can see in this picture.

 

[Spencer]

So here are some thoughts to you guys who can't seem to lift your front ends off the ground.

First, have you checked your cylinders to see if they have any more travel left?

Second, I hope none of you take this the wrong way. Are you moving the joystick forward just a little bit, or are you pushing it all the way into the float position?

Today as I was wondering to myself if some of you were going all the way forward into the float position I found out something troubling.....I no longer seem to have a float position /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif I know I use to have one, I used it as recently as this last winter but I haven't used it since. I generally only use it when I am plowing snow. As I recall there is like a detent position if you push the joystick all the way forward but it is not there any more /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif

 

[Spencer]

I told Murph to do the following test (just in case he really had no more travel left on his lift cylinders). Lift the FEL up, curl the bucket as if you were dumping your load, and then try to lift the front end only using the lift circuit. This picture shows the results of my test.

Note: I was not on the tractor but standing next to it. I wanted to keep a close eye on the rear blade making sure I did not lift the tractor so high that the rear blade bottomed out (it didn't, but it was close as you can see). this test was done at 2600 rpm.

 

[Spencer]

Here is a picture of the same test (me standing next to the tractor) only this time I tried it at only 1600 rmp. (By the way all these tests were done with the tractor in range II, not on purpose I just didn't think to put it in neutral).

 

[Spencer]

So there are the results of my tests. I am confindent that this is the way my loader has always worked and not a result of my bumping the pressure up from 1775 to 1850.

 

[Anonymous Poster]

These are things that will make it harder for your loader to pick up the front end:

Any extra weight on your tractor from the rear axle to the front of the tractor. Such as bigger front tires/rims, weights, liquid in front tires, full fuel tank, bigger battery, etc.

Anything that moves the lifting point out farther - if you use the front edge of the bucket would be the hardest.

a warm tractor - warm oil is thinner. Summer heat and hard work are both factors.

Low pressure settings on the valve.

Things that will make it easier to lift the front end:

ANY weight behind the rear axle - like a 3pt implement, a weight box, a bunch of tools & chain stored back there.

Moving the lift point closer to the tractor - like curling the bucket under.

A cold tractor - winter esp.

Anything lighter than normal on the front of your tractor - like smaller rims, battery, etc.


I'm not sure you folks are all comparing apples to apples here, with rear implements & curled vs extended.

In addition, some good points about being sure your bucket _can_ move farther - any little uneven spot or loosness in the loader mounts could make your loader fully retracted be4 it gets to lifting. And not using the float position. And having the tractor at 2600 rpm.

--->Paul

 

[MikePA]

<font color="blue"> I not sure why I need to have the ability to lift the front end to accomplish this task. </font>
I'll have to think about this for a while.

<font color="blue"> In this situation the frontend will lift in the air if the ground is hard and the tractor is moving forward. </font>
This will happen, at least it has to me, any time the bucket is stopped and the tractor keeps trying to move forward. In essence, you're trying to drive 'up and over' the bucket.

 

[MikePA]

<font color="blue"> I got off the tractor and took this picture. </font>
That's exactly how my tractor looked.

If I pushed the joystick a little too far, into the float position, the tractor dropped back down to earth. Spencer, sorry you lost your float position. It'll be interesting to see what you find out.

I did not try the 'ride 'em cowboy' test with the bucket fully curled. /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

 

[John_Mc]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( I not sure why I need to have the ability to lift the front end to accomplish this task. I've dug below the surface without any problems, of course I tilted my bucket downward in order to cut the surface and to drive the bucket downward. )</font>

It's not that being able to lift the front end is all that important (yeah, I know, it makes changing a fron tire easier, but their are other ways to do that). It's just that it is a quick-and-dirty method of checking the strength of your loader. If everyone else with your model can lift their front end off the ground, and you can't, odds are you've got something wrong. This would also be an indication that you may not be getting the lift capacity that you should either.

John Mc