FEL arms will not lower after MX.

[Arpad]

Greetings all: I have a CT 235, just shy of 300hrs. Just finished replacing a Hub seal in the rear axle. This involved draining all Hyd fluids, then refilling after the Hub was reinstalled.
I am now dealing with the Loader arm not lowering. Up, and tilt work fine. Everything worked before I did the Hub seal. I swapped the couplers and, the problem continues with the "lowering" circuit. I have replaced the coupler, blown out the effected hose and made sure the Hyd fluid level is "Full". I'm suspecting there is air somewhere in the system. I haven't dug it to the cylinders yet.
Any ideas from the experts out there?
BTW, I do have the factory MX manual on CD.

 

[Mike1955]

The sure way is to break a line on the cylinder and determine if that’s the area to focus on sir. Best of luck

 

[Arpad]

Thanks for the reply.
The only way the arms can be lowered is if I crack those lines and bleed them. Gravity does the rest.
Next thing is to remove the “lowering” line and cap it off and see what I get after I raise the arms.

 

[oldnslo]

Air in cylinders will not prevent loader movement.. Make it spongy or jumpy yes but will not stop movement.

Does the loader even try to move when lowering?

When trying to lower do both hoses to the lift lower cylinder stiffen or swell or neither?

Will the valve go into float and if yes will it lower then?

 

[Mike1955]

Sounds like you have a plan in the works. Sorry I just was not on the right page! Keep us up to date sir

 

[Arpad]

Air in cylinders will not prevent loader movement.. Make it spongy or jumpy yes but will not stop movement.

Does the loader even try to move when lowering?

When trying to lower do both hoses to the lift lower cylinder stiffen or swell or neither?

Will the valve go into float and if yes will it lower then?

Yes, the arms will over ~1" down, then stop. The pump can be heard trying to do what it is supposed to.
I have isolated each Hyd Cylinder, one at a time, by removing line into the cylinder,(lower end) plugging it, as well as supply end, and then tested the "lowering" function-
NADA on each cylinder.
When I get home next week, I will look at the Joy stick and valves that feed the loader arm and bucket.

 

[oldnslo]

If trying to lower and pump is being loaded I would watch the two hoses that connect to the lift / lower cylinders. Sounds like they are both under pressure so both should stiffen and swell. If this is true try swapping lift lower with curl dump just to test to see if loader will raise and lower properly using lift lower.

If yes then possibly try connecting curl dump to lift lower.

Is the joystick connected directly to the valve on this tractor or are there cables between joystick and valve. Just wondering if something in linkage or cable could be loose not allowing spool to travel fully. If locks into float then this is not the problem.

What you are describing certainly sounds like a failing quick disconnect. Did you change both halves of the disconnects?

 

[LD1]

Sounds like maybe something hooked up wrong.

Dont know if they use a regen valve or not.....but hooking up lift-lower to the curl circuit....if its a regen only valve for dumping....the loader wouldnt lower at all...both functions would try and raise the loader.

But all the swapping and testing....trace everything out and be SURE you have hoses hooked up correctly

 

[Arpad]

Everything all fixed. I just replaced all couplers, and FEL is good to go.

 

[oldnslo]

Thanks for letting us know what resolved this problem