2007 Rayco c87fm problem

[chasepollard]

I have a land clearing business in southern Oklahoma and have been clearing a big job for the last month. Yesterday, I completed some maintenance that included changing the hydraulic filters, fuel filter and cleaning all the air filters.

Long story short, the machine ran like new for about 3 hours...then my hand backed over an exposed stump and something happened causing a sever vibration. I worked on the head for about an hour and couldn't find anything wrong with the weights on the mulching head or the teeth. I also tried creating some "play" in the mulching head and it was still in tact and very sturdy...so I don't think it is involving the mechanics in that area.

One thing I didn't think about was the hydraulic filters...they might have created a few air bubbles? I engaged the head and could feel a pulse of air being caught at the end of a line going into the gear box. I tried to bleed with the valve on the bottom of the reservoir, but nothing bleed off but fluid and the head still vibrated wildly.

The head is vibrating at full RPM so hard it would shake a man out of the cab if he weren't buckled in. I am in extreme need of some help, as this is my first forestry machine and my first major problem with it.

Thanks!

 

[Texas jerry]

I would double check the mulching head. On smaller machines even having one tooth with damaged carbide or missing will cause vibration to start. I had an old tush Hogg mulcher head when I first started and a small piece of the actual drum along with a tooth holder tore off. I thought the machine was gonna flip over the vibration was so bad. As far as the hydraluic's any air should work it self out of the system.

 

[chasepollard]

Thanks for the reply! I am also having trouble finding online parts for this machine...and quick ideas?

Are there any other problems that you could think of that might be a problem? I figured that the air would work itself out.

 

[Texas jerry]

Make sure there is no play up and down in the mulching drum itself. That could be a indication the bearings are going out. Texas timber jack or lynn Hendrix machinery are knowledgable and have most parts you might need. How many hours are on head and machine?

 

[chasepollard]

I checked that, and it had no play up and down. The machine has a tad over 1400 hours, not sure on the head? I remember noticing that it looked like a few of the teeth had been chipped/broken...but were still in place.

 

[redprospector]

I'm not familiar with the head used on a C-87, but I'd bet money that the drum is out of balance. It could be a bearing, but if your hand ran it with a little vibration, that could have knocked the bearing out.
If all the tools, and holders are intact, and you've got a welder, you could tack some weight on the drum and see if the vibration gets better or worse. If it gets worse, try the weight on the opposite side, on the opposite end. I've spent a good 8 hours getting my head running smooth before. There are also places you can take it to have it balanced, but I haven't found one in my area.

 

[ROWmulcher]

Make sure you did not lose a whole tooth mount. If it's shaking that bad it may be a mount. I have lost several over the years.

 

[chasepollard]

After looking at it, I have lost an entire tooth...and it looks like it was run a little bit without it. The mount is worn a little bit, with no tooth. I appreciate you folks jumping in here and responding to my plea for help. I am going to order some teeth, which I had been planning to anyway for backups.

Thanks again!

 

[tonyoz]

If the hit was severe it could have bent the rotor shafts which will cause the same kind of vibration. The best way to check for it is with a dial indicator. If it is bent you will never be able to balance it out and it will have to be put in a lathe to be straightened. Don't ask how I know.

 

[chasepollard]

Dang...how much did that run ya?

 

[redprospector]

If the hit was severe it could have bent the rotor shafts which will cause the same kind of vibration. The best way to check for it is with a dial indicator. If it is bent you will never be able to balance it out and it will have to be put in a lathe to be straightened. Don't ask how I know.

How do you know? :laughing:
Sorry Tony, I couldn't resist.

 

[tonyoz]

Dang...how much did that run ya?

In Aust most things cost double what you blokes pay.
$5000 to straighten and got done over on the balancing $2500. Not a bad bill since I had started in this business 3mths prior eh
Last time it was $2500 for straitening and $200 for balancing.

Andy, hidden bolts in old strainer posts are not your friend, smashed a bearing, 14thou runout one side and 12 the other, 2nd time a lump of hard timber that had been baked in a fire become the problem, 20thou runout one side only and no hired help to blame..How is the 90 going???

 

[yellowdogsvc]

look carefully for a piece of wood wedged between a tooth.. won't take much to change balance.

 

[yellowdogsvc]

do you guys dial your speed down when mulching? I set my speed down to about 33% of max and just go slow. I occasionally hit something really hard and chip carbide. I also started setting my ride control to cushion the head and allow it to follow the ground more and it seems to help it skip when it hits something hard. I don't mulch full time because of my other services and I am hoping I don't have any more major repairs for awhile.
Just replaced my lexan and wiper $1200 and the A/C kept the machine in the shop 3 weeks while they looked for the problem. Evidently it had a slow leak that was hard to detect without dye.
Always something. I need tires, too..

Good luck finding the source of the vibration. Hopefully it's missing bolt, wood wedged, or a missing tooth.. something minor.

 

[redprospector]

Andy, hidden bolts in old strainer posts are not your friend, smashed a bearing, 14thou runout one side and 12 the other, 2nd time a lump of hard timber that had been baked in a fire become the problem, 20thou runout one side only and no hired help to blame..How is the 90 going???

Hahaha. I know the feeling of not having hired help to blame. I can hire people that want to run a chainsaw a little, and once in a while I can get one that thinks they want to run the log skidder, but none of them want to run a mulcher. :laughing:
The 90's doing pretty good. I re-disassembled it to get the ac working, and am hoping to have it back together again soon. I've enlisted the help of a mechanic friend of mine because I know absolutely nothing about working on air conditioning. What I do know is that I like working with air conditioning in the summer. I put a meat thermometer in the cab the other day, and with sun beating on Lexan I saw 125* F. I brought it home and put the Bobcat back to work until the ac works.

 

[redprospector]

do you guys dial your speed down when mulching? I set my speed down to about 33% of max and just go slow. I occasionally hit something really hard and chip carbide. I also started setting my ride control to cushion the head and allow it to follow the ground more and it seems to help it skip when it hits something hard. I don't mulch full time because of my other services and I am hoping I don't have any more major repairs for awhile.
Just replaced my lexan and wiper $1200 and the A/C kept the machine in the shop 3 weeks while they looked for the problem. Evidently it had a slow leak that was hard to detect without dye.
Always something. I need tires, too..

Good luck finding the source of the vibration. Hopefully it's missing bolt, wood wedged, or a missing tooth.. something minor.

I set my drive speed down to about 40% most of the time when mulching, sometimes less. I set the engine speed at about 2150 and work away.
I have found that setting it this way I'm not jerking around, I can ease into things much better, and my engine temperature stays in the acceptable operating range longer. At the end of the day I can do more by slowing down a little.

 

[tonyoz]

Re: 2007 Rayco c87fm problem.

Chase, have you found the vibration problem yet?

 

[chasepollard]

Re: 2007 Rayco c87fm problem.

Chase, have you found the vibration problem yet?

Yes, I sure did! I replaced the tooth and it went right into balance.

Now I am catching a warning light at high RPMs with my orange hydraulic light. It comes on when RPMs reach 2000 until I bog the head down. Does anybody have any advice on this?

Thanks

 

[tonyoz]

Re: 2007 Rayco c87fm problem.

It's either hyd oil level or blocked filter. To check the filter uncouple the wire on the filter housing and run the mulcher at high RPM's. If the light stays out then that's the problem. You can check the other filters the same way if they have sensors on them. At high RPMs the cutter pump will be sucking the max amount of oil hence the drop in oil level and as the rotor slows the oil level will rise slightly cutting out the light. Hope this helps and that's all it is.

PS If it is the filter that is blocked change it immediately, cut the old filter open and see if there is any brass in it and also check the canister for any debris (brass or steel fillings). Also check the drain plug magnet. 2 places that this stuff comes from is the hydraulic motor or pump.
Gees I hate being a gloom merchant.

 

[chasepollard]

I actually unhooked a hose from the head and drained all the oil...put new oil in and it ran like new. I am finishing this job and taking it in for service at just over 100 hours.