Hydraulic Creep or Bypass: Purchase a new control valve or install one load check valve, or two?

[Zork]

Many hydraulic valves are spec'ed with a maximum leakage. Normally the more expensive the valve the lower the leakage rate.
I do not believe you would gain anything by "cleaning" or flushing the valve. If no creep is your desired outcome and you can live with slower dumping and response times you could add a pilot operated lock valve. Or a pilot operated check;
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Otherwise a new valve would be required for less creep.

This is what I was thinking, this will also SLOW my dumping circuit- as from new it seemed real fast as if it released, so I was always careful dumping the bucket.

 

[oldnslo]

Zork
With that over running load created by dumping the bucket you may find it easier to install a counterbalance valve to hold the load vs a PO Check. PO check will chatter if you don’t keep a constant back pressure to maintain pilot pressure while the counterbalance is designed to control an over running load. This is what I did on my loader to eliminate the “floppy” bucket and reduce drift.

Counterbalance valves are also called over center valves.

Sun Hydraulics is the most common brand here in the USA. Would suggest a 3:1 or possibly 4:1 ratio.