Flail mower adjustment

[Ricn]

Leonz- thanks for the info! Being my tractor is new, should I be thinking the new added tilt cylinder is the issue here? no problem with 3-point before getting rear remotes..

Ricn

 

[ericm979]

Rear remote valves are usually mounted outside the gearbox and can be worked on or replaced without splitting the tractor.

Leakdown on top and tilt cylinders is not unusual. There's been a bunch of threads about it and some people have posted methods to test to see if it's the valve or cylinder that's the problem.

 

[ovrszd]

Yeah, don't worry about the leakdown, it's common.

And as Eric said, you don't have to split the tractor to address that issue if you choose to.

 

[Ricn]

That is good news. Here is what I learned when stopping at the dealer for new filters: Top and Tilt bleed off is common, more so base on our implement weight and where as Flail Mowers are heavy can be a huge nuisance sometimes. The bleed off issue can be addressed by adjustment inside the rear hydraulics valve body that allows for holding up heavier loads on the cylinders. What bothers me the most is, after leveling the mower followed by mowing for 5 minutes followed by picking up the 3 point my mower is hanging down on its right side as far as the tilt cylinder will allow while the top cylinder stays put like I want it too. Then, when setting it back down to mow or putting away, the right corner of the roller is taking all the impact before the mower can then settle down all the way flat onto the rear roller. This can't be good for the mower roller IMO-although the cylinder and three point system may take it fine...So now thinking to have the dealer hydraulic mechanics adjust the valve to hold everything when up as it's beyond me to do that. This being my first Flail Mower, I should add that mowing with the 5 ft rotary has never done this on any of our tractors, even when on my new Kubota the rotary has stayed level when using the rotary a couple times. Always lots to learn with new equipment; had I know of this issue, maybe could have had the valve body pre adjusted for the heavier weight. Appreciate all the answers and suggestions and as always TBN is full of great guys willing to help..

Ricn

 

[aczlan]

What you could do is install load checks on your side tilt cylinder. That forces it to have more than a certain amount of pressure to let the cylinder move. One example:

LOCK VALVE 1/2" NPT 25 GPM 3 PSI | Check & Lock Valves | Hydraulic Valves | Hydraulics | www.surpluscenter.com

Aaron Z

 

[Ricn]

Aczlan - Thanks for this info and the link! Leonz, another board member, had mentioned this as well and believe he called it a needle valve. When at the dealer today I ask about needle valves to do just as Leonz and you mention, locking out the flow to stop the cylinder from leaking off; their hydraulics expert said adjusting the pressure inside the top and tilt valve was the proper way to do this, not the needle valve or lock valve as you call it although he did say the lock valve will work. Are both methods correct but one costing less? Personally, I don't enough about hydraulics to have an opinion so really in the dark here...Ricn

 

[aczlan]

What is happening is that a little fluid is leaking past the current valve and letting the cylinder drift down.
The lock valve I linked to, requires (for example) 2000psi of pressure on the tractor side of the lines before it sends any fluid to the cylinder.
The needle valve also blocks the fluid from moving, but you have to manually open and close it each time you want to move the cylinder.

Aaron Z

 

[Ricn]

Thanks for that explanation, think I get it now so will be working on this soon.

Ricn

 

[aczlan]

The "right" way to fix it is to replace the tractor valve as the dealer says, but IMO, its no guarantee that the new valve will do any better and you will be better off with a valve, either a needle valve, a 1/4 turn valve, or the check/lock valve that I linked to.

Aaron Z

 

[Ricn]

Very good point. Here is exactly what the Kubota dealer said:

1. Because Top and Tilt requires extra valve bodies to run rear hydraulics, the kits from Kubota must include these valve bodies or valve body, based on the number of remotes so now have three remotes installed.
2. The tilt cylinder is leaking back due to the mower weight it is holding up; my Woodmaxx is about 650 or a little more according to the Woodmaxx website.
3. Kubota says the valves can be adjusted internally for the mowers weight and do not need replacement; have suggested that over using lockout valves. One would think they might ask the mower weight beforehand so the valve could be adjusted then but they did not although, I had told them of my intended use when ordering the parts and did not know enough at that time to ask the question about adjustment for my mowers weight.

- If internal valve adjustment is costly, I may add the lockouts as you guys have suggested, just trying to make a good decision on all this, not being a hydro expert don't want to get bit later from a wrong decision.
- Waiting on a call from the Kubota shop guys on what the valve adjustment will cost but meantime, enlighten me if you can, about the lockout valve; if installing one, is there any negatives about how the valve reacts over time, like eventually harming the new valves or some other issue?

Ricn