Float function INOP

[Blue Mule]

Like I've said before, the Workmaster 40 has been fantastic. The New Holland FEL hasn't. It's garbage.

Anyway....so now all of a sudden the float function on the FEL has stopped working. For those not familiar, these have a remotely mounted joystick. All the other motions work, but the joystick won't allow a forward click into float. Where would you guys start looking?

 

[tacticalturnip]

That's really frustrating; I can't help, but I can give the thread a bump.

 

[ptsg]

I would say the detent mechanism at the end of the spool might be frozen.

That longer spool cap is where the detent is located. You may want to pull that cap out and inspect things. Probably throw some grease at it so moisture try to rust things again.

Pull the cap slowly, because, depending on the mechanism they used, it can have spring loaded balls that may try to launch into space.

Another point worth looking is under the rubber cover of the joystick and see if any of the rod ends is loose and it doesn't let the joystick travel enough to lock into detent.

 

[oldnslo]

Other thing to check is the push pull cable. Is it binding or buckling trying to push spool to detent position

 

[Blue Mule]

Thank you guys I'll look into it soon.

 

[Blue Mule]

Finally got time to fiddle with this. Took the spool cap off. No check balls or anything fell out. There was still lube on the spring. Cleaned everything up. Can't figure out how this is supposed to work. Terrible picture i know, but you can see the spring and the rod.... see the flat on the end of the rod? What's the purpose of the rod having that tooling on the end like that?

So there is the spring on the rod. There's also a spring down in the bottom of the spool cap. Can't figure out how this is supposed to lock into float. I wonder if the cap is worn out internally and isn't capturing the spool rod when float is selected?

 

[nyone]

More than likely you have a stretched cable. I would start by checking under the boot of the loader handle/lever.

 

[Blue Mule]

I'll check it but I would think that a stretched or broken cable would show itself fairly obviously. The joystick still has the same range of motion front to rear and the lift/lower range feels the same. Also discovered that the joystick does go to the float position, it's just that it has lost the detent feeling, and it won't lock into place.

Spent some time today browsing diagrams at Messick's website and I'm having a real hard time finding the spool valve cap for this 140TL loader.

 

[Blue Mule]

So the parts guy at the local dealership is adamant that there is an updated spool valve kit for this tractor/loader. He's giving part # 87300257 at a cost of nearly $400. I can't find any solid diagrams online to confirm that this may be true. And that's a lot of cash for a spring and a cap basically. Sigh...

 

[nyone]

Also discovered that the joystick does go to the float position, it's just that it has lost the detent feeling, and it won't lock into place

The detent comes from the spool valve moving far enough to seat a ball into a grove in the spool. This tells me your spool isnt moving far enough or the ball/spring isnt moving or is broken.

Have you inspected under the spool caps? They can get crud, water and rust under them.

 

[Blue Mule]

The detent comes from the spool valve moving far enough to seat a ball into a grove in the spool. This tells me your spool isnt moving far enough or the ball/spring isnt moving or is broken.

Have you inspected under the spool caps? They can get crud, water and rust under them.

Yes, and maybe I didn't mention but mine had no ball(s) inside at all. I carefully removed the cap and nothing came out. What remained on the valve assembly was the spool rod and spring. What remained inside the cap was what appeared to be a press fit ring about half way into the cap, with another spring below that in the end of the cap. No balls or anything. In that picture above you can see the end of the spool rod. It has a flat end, like you'd normally see on the top of an automotive shock so you can hold the rod with pliers while you tighten the nut or something. It's an odd design.

I found this exact part on the LS website, but the part numbers do not pop up ANYWHERE online for purchase. And the New Holland dealer swears that this part has been updated with a totally new design cap for the spool valve, and it has a list price of $400.

This is very frustrating.