BL25R FEL Operation Question

[TomIre]

Hope I can ask this clearly. This is a new FEL on a new 2017 3725 on case that makes a difference.
Should I be able to both lift the bucket and curl at the same time? Or, lower and dump? I feel like I can only do one operation at a time - lift the curl.
Is that the way the valves are setup? Or, is it possibly still new and stiff?

 

[PapeCAT]

I have the same unit with 40 hours on it. I've done a fair amount of loader work so far and it does do two functions at once but there is a very small sweet spot where this is possible. Basically only with both valves barely open if that makes sense. Higher RPM makes this sweet spot larger as well.

 

[TomIre]

Thanks. That's more or less what the dealer said. Good to know I'm not looking for something that isn't there!

 

[Slowpoke Slim]

It took some getting used to for me. And the curl is still *very* touchy on my loader, even after 100 hrs. There is a very small sweet spot as Pape says, but most of the time, I just do one function at a time. It takes a little longer, but I'm not doing this for hire, so it's just something I've become accustomed to.

 

[ericm979]

I can't find the sweet spot on mine even after 125 hours of practice. I could on my old Kubota, and it had a sloppy worn joystick linkage.

 

[450]

Does anybody know if the new BL200 loader is better or the same regarding this issue?

 

[Stimw]

Just an FYI, If you push the the FEL stick all the way forward you will find it will stay there.
This is called "Float Position".
It lets the bucket float in the all the way down position and I use it for back grading/smoothing.
I even tilt the bucket so the front of it is doing the grading.
It lets the weight of the bucket do the work.

 

[Omega Woods]

I've finally gotten used to using one function at a time. My "sweet spot" presumably does not exist. I've got 160 hours on my rig and many hours of loader work with no sweet spot in sight.

 

[TomIre]

I'll keep looking for the "sweet" spot!�� Now that I know it's there! Float works fine.

 

[ptsg]

I'm wondering if Branson uses a valve too big for the GPM of these tractors. A bigger valve would decrease the sweet spot gap immensely. Or just a pump that doesn't produce enough GPM for these size cylinders.

I have no experience with Branson loaders, however I've built one for a Kubota B7000 with a couple of cylinders found in the scrapyard. The lift cylinder came from a truck cabin lift system which had a really restrictive orifices for the ports for safety reasons. This ended up working great with my setup as I could easily do two functions at the same time.

I'm thinking if you could use a flow control valve on the lift cylinders to reduce the oil going to the lift cylinders and force it to go to the dump cylinders. This, however, might reduce the lift speed of the loader but might increase that sweet spot gap.

 

[boggie81]

Just an FYI, If you push the the FEL stick all the way forward you will find it will stay there.
This is called "Float Position".
It lets the bucket float in the all the way down position and I use it for back grading/smoothing.
I even tilt the bucket so the front of it is doing the grading.
It lets the weight of the bucket do the work.

I know this is an old post, but I recently bought a used 3520CX with a BL25R loader.
When I try and lower the bucket and tilt is some to back drag the tilt cylinders will float some .
So if back drag over a slight pile of dirt it will just float over it. It doesn't level it. Just curls the bucket as I back up.
Is this normal? The dealer told the previous owner this is normal and you have to hold the valve over and build up pressure?

 

[LouNY]

When I back drag with a larger loader and tractor,
I lower the lift arms, then curl the bucket down to the desired angle,
then go back with the lift arm to maintain the desired load on the bucket edge.
You will often have to have quite a steep angle on the bucket to level much dirt back dragging.

 

[boggie81]

When I back drag with a larger loader and tractor,
I lower the lift arms, then curl the bucket down to the desired angle,
then go back with the lift arm to maintain the desired load on the bucket edge.
You will often have to have quite a steep angle on the bucket to level much dirt back dragging.

LouNY mine actually acts like it has no pressure on the curl cylinders and will actually roll the bucket up as I back drag.

 

[LouNY]

If you curl the bucket down while starting back and then center the control will it hold in position.

 

[LouNY]

Or another test of your curl circuit,
if you lower the bucket to the ground with it flat and once it's on the ground lower it to the max to were the loader is starting to lift the tractor then center your control,
will the lift arms maintain down pressure trying to lift the front wheels.
Then without changing the lift arms can you curl the bucket down and lift the tires in the air.

 

[boggie81]

Or another test of your curl circuit,
if you lower the bucket to the ground with it flat and once it's on the ground lower it to the max to were the loader is starting to lift the tractor then center your control,
will the lift arms maintain down pressure trying to lift the front wheels.
Then without changing the lift arms can you curl the bucket down and lift the tires in the air.

If I lower to the ground then try and curl it , it will hesitate for a few seconds like it has no pressure then start to lift the tractor.

 

[LouNY]

When you center your curl valve after it has started to lift the front end does it hold it up or allow it to settle back down.

 

[K5lwq]

Sounds like air is in the system. Try cycling the curl cylinders several times before tilting down. When extending each time during cycle, don't open the valve all the way. Let it dump slowly. Sometimes the bucket can dump faster than the pump can fill the cylinder creating this issue.

 

[boggie81]

When you center your curl valve after it has started to lift the front end does it hold it up or allow it to settle back down.

I've never tried to see if it will hold. I'll try this weekend.

 

[boggie81]

Sounds like air is in the system. Try cycling the curl cylinders several times before tilting down. When extending each time during cycle, don't open the valve all the way. Let it dump slowly. Sometimes the bucket can dump faster than the pump can fill the cylinder creating this issue.

I'll see what it does this weekend. I had a smaller Kubota before this machine for 12 years. Never had an issue. As soon as the bucket was on the ground I could curl the bucket and lift the front of the ground around 12 inches.