cub 417 loader question

rims421 · Feb 6, 2004

I have a cub 7275 with 417 loader.
I cannot get the bucket to float. When I push the joystick all the way forward it just raises the tractor front wheels off the ground.
In the service manual it states that the control has a float lockout. I cannot for the life of me find it.

Still looking

Bird · Feb 6, 2004

I can't say for sure on that particular tractor, but this same problem arises pretty frequently on the forum and in nearly all cases, it's simply because the joysticks have a detent, or stop, when you push forward on it, and you have to shove it forward pretty hard to get past that detent and into float mode.

rims421 · Feb 7, 2004

I could tie a chain to it and back up and it would not go into float position. I have tried using brute force to no avail.
I am trying to avoid removing and repairing / replacing the control. I have a large amont of work planned for the machine this year and will really need the float function to get it done properley. I thought that maybe someone with the same loader could tell me something about this "float lockout"
feature discribed in the manual. I asked the local dealership about it and they had not heard of it.

GrayBeard · Feb 7, 2004

I've got a 610 loader .
It seems to float o.k ; however , I've noticed while going forward if the surface is not relatively solid it will "dig" deep. Float works best while "back dragging".
Also check all the nuts and jamb nuts on the joystick where it connects to the control plunger. Mine have loosened several times mostly effecting the bucket "roll".
Then I'd find some other service people if your dealer is not "familar with float".
Good luck.
GrayBeard

treesmiths · Feb 8, 2004

Hi,
I'm a newbie and I'm kinda ignorant (yeah, like kinda pregnant!). What's "float"?

gator · Feb 8, 2004

While I do not have that tractor and FEL, I have a JD, and this may or may not help. On mine the float lockout is a small L shaped piece of metal on a cotter pin that sits behind the lift lever, between it and the SCV. It flips up and towards you to allow the lever to be pushed all the way in for float, or flips towards the SCV to lock out float position (stops the lever from being able to be pushed to float detent).

gator · Feb 8, 2004

treesmiths,
Float is when the FEL rides on the ground with no lift or downward pressure from the hydraulics. The weight is what keeps it on the ground, allowing it to "float" along the ground.

B52 · Feb 14, 2004

I'm going out later and check mine. I bought it (a '96 7274 with FEL and 300 hours) 5 months ago and didn't get a manual for the loader (417 type). I've been using it all winter (snow removal on a 600' driveway) and just assumed the float position was working, although now that I think about it I'm not sure. Does your loader seem to have 2 speeds when it is lowering down (depending on how far forward you push the joystick) ?

Ledgemere Farm · Feb 14, 2004

I don't know how else to explain, but have you tried "jamming" it forward? Some loaders require a "jerk" motion to float.

GrayBeard · Feb 15, 2004

It will appear to have 2 speeds when lowering.
Simply put, If mine is lowered in the float position from a high position it is much slower than in the "non-float" position.
Another way to check is , raise the front wheels(6") off the ground with the loader then push the joystick further forward (2nd detent) . The wheels should come back down to the ground while the bucket remains in contact with the ground.
GrayBeard

ikline · Feb 16, 2004

I have the 417 loader on a 7265. I took a couple of pictures hopefully it helps. This one is of the diagram at the base of the joystick. Notice if you push up past the detent it is the float position.

ikline · Feb 16, 2004

I guess I forgot something /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif

ikline · Feb 16, 2004

For some reason it is not taking the attachment. It is only 79 KB. Lets try the second one. This one shows the joystick in the normal position. The next one will show it up past the detent in the float position.

ikline · Feb 16, 2004

Here is the second picture at same angle as first. It shows the joystick past the detent in the float position.

ikline · Feb 16, 2004

Lets try the diagram attachment one more time. I also looked for the float lockout and could not find anything. It has always worked by just pushing it past the detent.

rims421 · Feb 18, 2004

I finally got it to work.
Had to remove the control valve.
The shaft that controls up and down movement protrudes out the back of the control valve. Remove two plugs on the top and bottom of this protrusion and you find a spring and ball assembly under each. As soon as I removed the two plugs I was able to get the lever to move an additional 1/2 inch. Bingo I thought this must be the float position. I noticed that it looked a little dirty in there so I cleaned it up, dropped the balls back in replaced the spring plugs and now I could feel the control snap into float position. Put everything back together and I now have float.
It sure is great ( and unusual) when you can fix something and it only costs you your time and not your time and money.
Thank you guys for all your input. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

sreeb · Aug 12, 2004

This thread has been really useful as I try to puzzle out my "new" used 7305 with 417 loader.

Mine won't go into float mode either. For that matter it doesn't seem to even go into full down mode. Pulling the two screws/springs/balls from the end cap didn't help at all. After a lot of head scratching and measuring, I finally concluded that my endcap isn't drilled deep enough and the plunger is bottoming out on it. I tried backing out the screws attaching the cap and down operation seems much more reasonable. It seems difficult to believe that a 4 year old tractor still has a manufacturing defect preventing the loader for lowering correctly though. Hopefully a trip to the dealers parts department will clarify this.

I also had a problem where the bucket curled the opposite direction from what the diagram on the loader said it should. I tried reversing the hoses to curl cylinders and was amazed to find it didn't work. I could curl down real well but couldn't curl up at all. Putting it back it seems to work normally. Maybe the valve has some kind of compensation for the difference in plunger area due to the rod on one side?

I am wondering if my diagram is just wrong as it shows reversed bucket curl compared with the photo posted earlier on this thread. My diagram also doesn't show a float position even though I do have the end cap with the detents for float.

Ed

sreeb · Aug 14, 2004

I couldn't escape work long enough to hit up the dealers parts department so I decided to drill the end cap and worry about a new one if I screwed it up. When I started to drill, all I got was rust dust. I turns out that the hole wasn't deep enough because the shaft with the detent had a groove worn in it, probably due to a lack of lubrication, and the loose material had packed up solid.