OK to use Float to lower bucket?

[avc8130]

Is it ok to use the float detent to lower a raises bucket and stop the lowering by returning the stick to neutral?

ac

 

[Carl_NH]

I do it all the time when pushing and scraping snow or other similar dirt work.

 

[k0ua]

I have done it a few thousand times when I had a Kubota. As they would lower slow enough that that the bucket would not bang into the ground. On my Kioti, it falls like a rock, and you need the bucket near the ground before you shove it into float.

 

[Leejohn]

In all 3 kubota manual of mine it tell you not to. It tell you to have the loader near the ground.

 

[Jose G]

on my kioti dk45se, I do it all the time, it slowly goes down... I have read the owner manual several time and also the shop manual and nothing is against using the float even if the bucket is 8 foot in the air

 

[bruceatlam]

Just curious ---- what's the advantage? It's never occurred to me that I would want to do that????

 

[J_J]

I would not do it with a full load.

I am thinking the reason might be that if you drop a bucket with a full load, and go to neutral just before touching ground, it could cause a very large hyd spike and damage a cyl, hose or valve.

 

[KennyG]

I always lower mine in float if I am going to use it in float. On my JD it drops slow enough there is no real impact.

 

[Looking4new]

I don't. It is your machine, operate it however you see fit after you read the manual.

 

[Desert Bred]

I don't. It is your machine, operate it however you see fit after you read the manual.

I don't have a manual.. What's a float lol

 

[LD1]

I don't see any issue as long as you aren't loaded. They drop pretty slow in float with no load. For that reason I rarely do it. Only time I do is if I want to be in float when it hits the ground. But if just lowering for any other reason, I do not.

 

[sd455dan]

I think it depends on the tractor / loader combo . both of my tractors drop the bucket like a rock in float -even empty so in my cases it is a no no. Sounds like the Kubotas have some kind of flow resticter in the float circuit??

 

[wdchyd]

Good to know, I've been letting it drop while in float too....I did notice it is slower retracting and can hear the hiss from flow restriction internally

 

[LD1]

I did notice it is slower retracting and can hear the hiss from flow restriction internally

Ditto.

It must be some flow restrictor that kubota puts in there if other makes are dropping much quicker in float.

I just assumed that since there wasnt much weight on there is why it was slower, vs the hydraulic pump forcing it down quickly.

 

[Gary Fowler]

My LS drops at about the same speed in float as in powered down. Like KOua, I only use float to lower when I am going to use it in float, after all, you have to move the lever more to get to float so why waste the motion.

 

[Looking4new]

I don't have a manual.. What's a float lol

'Float' allows your bucket to follow the contours of the land.

 

[oldnslo]

Good to know, I've been letting it drop while in float too....I did notice it is slower retracting and can hear the hiss from flow restriction internally

Do you have the valve schematic for your tractor. I suspect that in the "Float" position Ports " A", "B" & Tank are connected. Pressure continues to flow out the power beyond beyond port. While in float The oil being forced out of the base end of the cylinder is directed to the rod end and the excess flow is directed to tank. To prevent cylinder rod end cavitation the spool could be made to provide some increased flow restriction to tank while in the float mode.

my :2cents:

 

[wdchyd]

Do you have the valve schematic for your tractor. I suspect that in the "Float" position Ports " A", "B" & Tank are connected. Pressure continues to flow out the power beyond beyond port. While in float The oil being forced out of the base end of the cylinder is directed to the rod end and the excess flow is directed to tank. To prevent cylinder rod end cavitation the spool could be made to provide some increased flow restriction to tank while in the float mode.

my :2cents:

Here ya go......

I normally can read hyd schematics but mobile equipment valves for me can be confusing

I see no restrictor in the loader valve itself

 

[oldnslo]

WDCHYD,
You are correct the schematic does not show any restrictions but it does indeed show that "A", "B" & "T" are are all common while in float(position closest to the handle). Most valve bodies the center port is pressure, ports on either side of center are the "A" & "B" ports while the two end ports are Tank lines. Whistling oil noise could be from the oil being ported from one end of the spool - casting assembly to the other via the tank core connection.

Attachment below is a sectional view of a Husco 9210 loader valve. It may help show the oil path during float.

thanks for posting the schematic. picture is word a 1000 words.

 

[xtn]

On my NH Boomer the loader drops so fast that if you didn't know any better you would think no hydraulic fluid was being moved at all. I try not to go into float unless I've got the bucket no more than 6" up off the ground.

xtn