Frustrated - Leak and no tilt on Bucket

powerscol · Apr 1, 2012

I am not a happy camper right now. First chance to get some real work out of the tractor other than cleaning the paddock and it fails on me. CT 235 sprang a leak at the quick connects under the foot board. The leak was behind the quick connect coupling on the hose side. I was able to tighten this up.

I found the leak after the tilt quit working on the bucket. Fluid level is good and the connections do not leak any more. Bucket will move back and forth about 2 inches. Lift is fine as well as rear 3 point and forward backwards on the drive. It appears all I lost on the ground was about a cup full of fluid.

I have a call into the dealer, but they are closed on the weekends. Is there a hydraulic lock somewhere. I don think air got in but who knows ? When moving the lever for the bucket tilt it acts like it is under load. Is there a way to bleed the cylinders - don see and bleed screws, nor is it call for in the loader section of the manual.

Thanks for any help.

J_J · Apr 1, 2012

Hyd cyl generally do not have to be purged as the operation of the valve will push fluid in and out of the cyl purging any air to the tank.

If you have some kind of hyd lock, the first thing I would check is the QD's. Some of them will snap together, but not open for hyd flow.

Try switching hoses with the lift hoses and see if the tilt works, and the lift does not.

Re-seating the QD's may cause them to start working.

SSdoxie · Apr 1, 2012

Sounds like you have a quick coupler locked up, it either is not connected completely or the poppets is each end of the male & female are not engaging correctly cuasing a restriction/blocked passage. Try disconnecting and reconnecting the QD while you have then disconnectec look in the female QD (on the valve) and make sure the poppet is straight and centered. Reconnect and try again.

powerscol · Apr 1, 2012

Thanks for the help folks - tomorrow will tell. Lets see if the dealer lives up to their promise.

I too apart the QC but did not see a problem. One was very tight going back together. Nothing solved yet

Thanks - Keith

the6shooter · Apr 2, 2012

I had the same thing happen to me last yr. But it was the lift arms and I didn't find out till the loader arms were all the way up. the bucket was empty and then wouldn't come down, LOL new tractor faulty QC under the platform.
changed them out after proping up the loader arms, (they will fall ) when the pressure is released. put new coupling on and away we went.
I think you should replace the coupling and work your hydrlic system and the air will purge its self. at least thats what the service dept. told me. never had a problem.
david

J_J · Apr 2, 2012

If it is under warranty, let the dealer fix it.

If you are going to fix it your self, you can install new couplers, or test the old couplers.

To test QD's, remove the part of the QD going to the cyl on both hoses.

Plug the male QD's into the female QD's, use a clean bucket and put hoses with QD's in the bucket and activate the lever for the hoses and see if hyd fluid comes out.

There is the possibility that fluid can have fwd flow through a QD set, but not rev flow. Sort of acting like a check valve.

duckhunter27 · Apr 2, 2012

Check couplers very close one is part way unplugged had this very same thing happen several times when i was working in brush. Hard to tell but one of them will not be plugged in all the way. I had to shut off tractor and bleed all pressure off by moving joy stick around including float then i could snap it back togather, good luck

wdchyd · Apr 2, 2012

x 2 on the couplers.....look close for a speck of dirt/debris keeping the poppets from touching and unlocking properly

radioman · Apr 2, 2012

Only thing I can think of if it not the coupler- did you twist the line kinking it when tighten up the connectors for leak?

powerscol · Apr 2, 2012

Weather turned a bit nasty, so I cant get out and look. What should I see inside the female connection that might be wrong. If I just unscrew it off the housing how much fluid will come out. I have a few rubber stoppers I can plug the connection with.

What puzzles me is what caused it in the first place as I have never had them apart since buying the unit and not gone over anything rough that would have snagged the lines either

If I just wanted to go and buy new connectors, do they haft to be bobcat or will most any one work. I have a JD dealer and a Kobota dealer near by as well has a hydraulic hose fab shop.

Dealer may or may not be by to take a look - not happy with their great service. Wants to charge me mileage and an hour diagnostic just to look - says I need to bring to shop for warranty. What busts my chops is he will be driving right by my house on another service call he is making today.