Slowly lowering 3PH

[dryflycaster]

I have NH TC33D that I use to remove snow with in the winter (Blower in the front and Back Blade in the rear).

In the winter the 3PH has almost always been a little slow to lower the back blade to the ground when I first start the tractor. The lowering speed increases after I use it a few times. I have always attributed this slowness to it being cold and then warming up a bit as I use it. In the last couple of weeks it seemed to take a little longer to start working properly. It always raises quickly and correctly and all other hyd work fine.

Today the 3PH lowered the back blade so slowly that you might as well say it didn't work at all. It probably took 10 minutes or so to inch it's way down. I even stood on the top of the blade to give it a bit of extra weight (230 lbs) and that had no effect at all. The linkages appears to be free and working as it should.

Thanks in advance for any all help.

 

[ovrszd]

There should be a "rate of drop" knob between your legs when sitting in the seat. Might even say something like "increase decrease" with arrows. It is a means to control drop speed. Normal operation is counterclockwise speeds it, clockwise slows it.

Sorry if you've already tried that but you didn't mention it.

 

[Fallon]

There should be a "rate of drop" knob between your legs when sitting in the seat. Might even say something like "increase decrease" with arrows. It is a means to control drop speed. Normal operation is counterclockwise speeds it, clockwise slows it.

Sorry if you've already tried that but you didn't mention it.

Yup big knob about the size & shape of your average outdoor water faucet located somewhere between your knees & ankles when in the seat. At least in pretty much every 3pt equipped tractor I've ever seen. It opens & closes the outlet drain on the 3pt cylinders. Unscrew to drop fast, all the way in & it won't drop at all. It only affects drop speed, not lift.

 

[boggen]

the the nob others are talking about, comes up a huge amount.

on other note. witner + just started up = let the machine run and actually warm up. and then work the hydraulics a few time without any sort of load on them (raise them fully up, lower them fully down). so you can move the cold hydraulic oil out of the hydraulic cylinders and get some warm oil into them.

 

[dryflycaster]

When All Else Fails, Read The Manual.

The Flow Control Valve, which only controls down, located at floor level in front of the seat was all but turned off. Once I opened the valve the 3PH responded as it should , lowering the blade rapidly. The location of this valve seems to me to be a poor location. Every time you enter or exit the tractor there is the chance to inadvertently hit the knob that turns the valve. I can only assume that I did just that and Eventually hit it often enough to shut it off. Why it worked better in the past after being used a couple of times is still a mystery, but I really don't care at this point. It's working now and I'll know what to do the next time, if there is a next time.

 

[ovrszd]

When All Else Fails, Read The Manual.

The Flow Control Valve, which only controls down, located at floor level in front of the seat was all but turned off. Once I opened the valve the 3PH responded as it should , lowering the blade rapidly. The location of this valve seems to me to be a poor location. Every time you enter or exit the tractor there is the chance to inadvertently hit the knob that turns the valve. I can only assume that I did just that and Eventually hit it often enough to shut it off. Why it worked better in the past after being used a couple of times is still a mystery, but I really don't care at this point. It's working now and I'll know what to do the next time, if there is a next time.

Glad that was the problem. Not much else could cause your issue short of extreme mechanical damage as in bent linkage, etc.

Very common to nudge this knob with your feet when getting in/out, etc. My little JD is very easy to do that on.

When it usually sneaks up on me is when using a very heavy 3t implement I close the knob some so it doesn't slam onto the ground so hard. Then later I'll hitch to a light implement and wonder why it's going down so slow. Duh......

 

[dryflycaster]

Thanks for all of the suggestions.

I was in the barn reading the manual while most of them came in. I was, of course, hoping for something simple and that's what it turned out to be. I kind of remember adjusting the flow about 6 years or so ago when I hade a huge and heavy post hole digger hooked up but that's pretty fuzzy right now. In any case even if I did I completely forgot about the flow control knob/valve. The last thing I need this time of the year is a major takedown and repair.

Thanks again Everyone !

I have NH TC33D that I use to remove snow with in the winter (Blower in the front and Back Blade in the rear).

In the winter the 3PH has almost always been a little slow to lower the back blade to the ground when I first start the tractor. The lowering speed increases after I use it a few times. I have always attributed this slowness to it being cold and then warming up a bit as I use it. In the last couple of weeks it seemed to take a little longer to start working properly. It always raises quickly and correctly and all other hyd work fine.

Today the 3PH lowered the back blade so slowly that you might as well say it didn't work at all. It probably took 10 minutes or so to inch it's way down. I even stood on the top of the blade to give it a bit of extra weight (230 lbs) and that had no effect at all. The linkages appears to be free and working as it should.

Thanks in advance for any all help.