I’m hoping someone might be able to shed some light on my issue. I will begin by saying I don’t know hydraulics well, so I worry I’m missing something that someone else might point out. “I don’t know what I don’t know”
I am running a Woods Backhoe on a NH TC25D. Subframe mount with pump on the rear PTO. Both tractor and backhoe are about 20 years old. The backhoe has always been reliable, and hasn’t seen that many hours, usually about 10-15 per year average. Here’s my problem (multi part, maybe related, maybe not) Last fall I would raise the boom and when it would normally hold if I stopped for a minute it began to drop. This spring a little worse. I thought it was time for new seals (maybe it still is). I missed a window to get it fixed and kept using it since it was ok and I had some work to do. Now it drop even faster. This spring I had an outrigger hose break, dry rot most likely. I took off the cylinder and replaced both hoses to it. Went smoothly. But over the course of the summer I’ve noticed almost every cylinder except that one begin to fail: the other outrigger drops by itself if I don’t strap it up when not in use. It can lift the tractor but slowly droops down. The dipper has begun to droop when raised up and released. Worse of all, the swing cylinder is so weak I can push the boom from left to right by just pushing hard on it. When I drive from one location to the next, the swing cylinder allows the backhoe to swing to whatever side of the tractor is lower (we have hills). It’s like every cylinder is failing. I can still run the RPMs at 540 or higher and do work, but the hoe is underpowered.
I thought I may have introduced air when changing the hoses and have exercised the cyclinders to no avail. Could they all be in need of seals? The problem occurs on startup and after continuously after that. I pulled a few relief valves but they looked clean. With one outrigger cylinder working great it doesn’t seem to be a failing pump. I changed the filter and made sure the hydraulic fluid was topped off.
I have read other posts and would use the word spongy as other have to describe the cylinders in some cases, while other just lose resistance and drop either gravity. Does anyone have any thoughts or advice? I appreciate your help, Zan
I am running a Woods Backhoe on a NH TC25D. Subframe mount with pump on the rear PTO. Both tractor and backhoe are about 20 years old. The backhoe has always been reliable, and hasn’t seen that many hours, usually about 10-15 per year average. Here’s my problem (multi part, maybe related, maybe not) Last fall I would raise the boom and when it would normally hold if I stopped for a minute it began to drop. This spring a little worse. I thought it was time for new seals (maybe it still is). I missed a window to get it fixed and kept using it since it was ok and I had some work to do. Now it drop even faster. This spring I had an outrigger hose break, dry rot most likely. I took off the cylinder and replaced both hoses to it. Went smoothly. But over the course of the summer I’ve noticed almost every cylinder except that one begin to fail: the other outrigger drops by itself if I don’t strap it up when not in use. It can lift the tractor but slowly droops down. The dipper has begun to droop when raised up and released. Worse of all, the swing cylinder is so weak I can push the boom from left to right by just pushing hard on it. When I drive from one location to the next, the swing cylinder allows the backhoe to swing to whatever side of the tractor is lower (we have hills). It’s like every cylinder is failing. I can still run the RPMs at 540 or higher and do work, but the hoe is underpowered.
I thought I may have introduced air when changing the hoses and have exercised the cyclinders to no avail. Could they all be in need of seals? The problem occurs on startup and after continuously after that. I pulled a few relief valves but they looked clean. With one outrigger cylinder working great it doesn’t seem to be a failing pump. I changed the filter and made sure the hydraulic fluid was topped off.
I have read other posts and would use the word spongy as other have to describe the cylinders in some cases, while other just lose resistance and drop either gravity. Does anyone have any thoughts or advice? I appreciate your help, Zan
