Loader Unlevel bucket

[DonRybak]

The other day I was using the FEL to pick up a pile of horse manure where I had been cleaning out the stable and I noticed that the left side of the bucket was digging into the dirt surface about 1/2 inch deeper that the right side. I thought that maybe the front tire pressure was low but it was right at 40 pounds just like the right side. I then noticed when the top edge of the bucket was even with the top bar of the grill guard that the left and right sides differed when sighted along the bar. I didn't have time to do any checking but I guess my next step is to park on my concrete driveway and measure from the ground to the left and right FEL arms to see if they are the same. If they are then I guess the next step is to measure the length of both cylinders to see if one is opening further than the other. Other than those two things the only other possibility I can think of is the bucket wasn't welded true. If it turns out the cylinders aren't opening at the same rate is there, what we called a trim adjustment on aircraft, on the controller to make both side see the exact same pressure/flow? Thanks......Don

 

[jmc]

Don, this problem comes up often on TBN and the usual advice offered is to bend it back to level but not overcorrect it. Personally, it doesn't seem realistic that every loader and every tractor is so precise from the factory that they will be perfect once assembled to each other. There must be some design provision for tweaking the loader into level after assembly. If this ever happens to me, I would get on a flat, cement floor, put light down pressure between the bucket and floor, then gently loosen any bolts between the loader and the tractor's frame. Retighten, repeat if necessary.

 

[dieselcrawler]

Check your REAR tire pressure... the loader and rear axle are fixed to the same tractor framework, a low rear tire will skew the loader bucket. The front tires will have no effect, front axle pivots to allow articulation. But rear tire pressure is first check.

That does not, however, explain the loader to front of tractor skew you mention.

 

[BoneStock]

As mentioned above, check tire pressures. As a FEL will follow the tractors level ness, not the ground. I would also give everything a good greasing fully in the air, and on the ground. Perhaps one cylinder is pre staging and getting hyd pressure quicker than the other? Internal issue or flow issue with hydraulics or any measurements you find off would warrant a call to RK.

 

[RTBee]

Not sure how far you are from store, but you do have a bumper to bumper warranty that should fix anything that's not right. An angled bucket is not right!

 

[PILOON]

Once discovered that I had developed what U describe as a bucket tilt.

Well It was all my fault as I discovered a couple of loader mounting bolts had come lose and had eaten the mounting holes into an oval shape.
On a flat surface and using a 6 ft spirit level I re-aligned things and drilled out oversized holes for new bolts.
I also 'tack welded' the nuts so as to not have a repeated occurrence.

It all goes to say, Check your nuts from time to time!

 

[CADplans]

The other day I was using the FEL to pick up a pile of horse manure where I had been cleaning out the stable and I noticed that the left side of the bucket was digging into the dirt surface about 1/2 inch deeper that the right side.

I thought that maybe the front tire pressure was low but it was right at 40 pounds just like the right side.

Once discovered that I had developed what U describe as a bucket tilt.

It all goes to say, Check your nuts from time to time!

Front tire pressure has ZERO effect on bucket level,,
on my tractor, I could remove one front tire, the bucket would still be level.

The rear tires can and do effect level of the bucket,,
in fact, if there is a problem with the frame or bucket,, 1/2" can easily be adjusted out by adjusting rear tire pressure,,, :thumbsup:

Actually, I monitor the rear tire pressure with a tape measure, rather than a pressure gauge.
I have the correct height to the top of the wheel written on the wall in my shed.
(the fluid in the tires makes it difficult to use a gauge.)

As far as checking my nuts,, I do that daily,,, :cool2:

:laughing:

 

[DonRybak]

This weekend I finally got the tractor out on the cement driveway to do some investigating on the bucket. After checking tire pressures I measured from the ground to the pivot points on each side where the FEL arms pivot on the frame mount. Those were the same yet the bucket is about 5/8 - 7/8" lower to the ground on the left side than the right. I then measured the hydraulic cylinders and the right side cylinder is extended right at 1/4" more than the left. I was going to Rural King anyway to pick up horse feed so while I was there I talked with the lead tractor guy asking if there was any adjustment on the valve to balance out the pressure between the left and right side. He said he'd post something to the others Rural King tractor folks to see if anyone else has experienced this issue or know of any adjustment.

 

[snymat68]

This weekend I finally got the tractor out on the cement driveway to do some investigating on the bucket. After checking tire pressures I measured from the ground to the pivot points on each side where the FEL arms pivot on the frame mount. Those were the same yet the bucket is about 5/8 - 7/8" lower to the ground on the left side than the right. I then measured the hydraulic cylinders and the right side cylinder is extended right at 1/4" more than the left. I was going to Rural King anyway to pick up horse feed so while I was there I talked with the lead tractor guy asking if there was any adjustment on the valve to balance out the pressure between the left and right side. He said he'd post something to the others Rural King tractor folks to see if anyone else has experienced this issue or know of any adjustment.

I noticed the same thing on my RK24.

 

[DonRybak]

Here's the latest on the unlevel bucket. I have talked several times with the lead tractor rep at the Rural King where I bought mine and he said nobody is aware of any adjustments to even out the bucket. Yesterday me talked with me that another person was having a similar issue with the bucket curling more on one side than the other and he had pictures both cylinders with a tape measure showing they were different lengths center to center of the pivot points. He asked me to take pictures to send him. I took a picture from inside the cab of the FEL cross member in comparison to the top of the grill guard showing they aren't parallel as the should be. I also sent pictures comparing the length of the left and right lift cylinders with a tape measure. And last he had me send a picture of the bucket from the front with the left corner of the bucket just touching the driveway showing the right side was about 1" or so higher. Not positive but it seems like he said they were ordering new cylinders for the other person's tractor. Hopefully this will get resolved because the bucket is useless as is for trying the level out anything. Leaves a gouge on the one side.

 

[JLH4]

Now everyone with a RK tractor will be checking their FEL level, including me.

 

[Btown]

How about some pics for us to see?

 

[DonRybak]

I hope this works. Notice that the bucket touches the ground on the left side and the right side is about 1 1/4" higher. The left cylinder measures 30" center to center and the right one is 30.25". That 1/4" makes a big difference at the end of the FEL. If you compare the grill guard bar which is frame mounted to the red FEL cross member they should be parallel but they aren't.

 

[DonRybak]

Evidently I didn't get the pics to attach correctly. Let's try again.

 

[DonRybak]

Any idea why 3 of them rotated????

 

[kthompson]

I would also measure e bucket. If your cylinders are hose to each other doubt the issue is the cylinders unless they have defective cylinders or they have two different length cylinders.

 

[DonRybak]

Thw bucket would have no effect on the FEL being level with the frame of the tractor as indicated by comparing the frame of the tractor (grill guard bar) verses the level of the FEL. Even if I remove the bucket entirely the FEL and frame of the tractor will not be level with each other. The tractor rep even mentioned one cylinder being slightly different in length that the other.

 

[kthompson]

I would also measure e bucket. If your cylinders are hose to each other doubt the issue is the cylinders unless they have defective cylinders or they have two different length cylinders.

Sorry if I gave the impression thought the bucket was the problem. I meant measure the bucket to the ground itself but you need to be on level concrete or such when you do your checking.

 

[Qapla]

Measuring the bucket is a good idea - if the bucket is not "square" it will never be level. If the two cylinders are not the same length or do not travel the same distance the bucket will not be level. Also, it the framework holding the bucket is "warped/racked" the bucket will not be level.

 

[tookielee]

Doesn't matter how long the cylinders are until you reach the limit of travel. If you curl it down til the edge
just touches the ground / concrete, with no downforce applied, (assuming level ground) if it doesn't touch
on both sides, bucket is out of square or mounting brackets are not welded in correct spots...
is this SSQA? maybe that's incorrect... You really want to eliminate cylinder mismatch as the issue,
set it on the ground and remove lower pins... I bet one side is still higher.