Hydraulic tank cap damaged by seat

[BobRip]

I put a new seat on my PT422 a couple of weeks ago. Soon after that the hydraulic tank cap was destroyed by the seat hitting it. I then angled the seat so the back was a little higher. So yesterday it got hit again. I talked to Terry at Power Trac to order a new cap. A customer told him that he welded a piece of metal to the tank top so that the seat would ride over this piece and clear the cap. I will probably do that. Has anyone had this happen and what have you done to fix this?

 

[cqaigy2]

My PT422 is new and the seat doesn't hit the hydraulic tank cap. Mine is big vented plastic.

 

[agjones]

When I broke the center joint of my 1850 it destroyed the cap and Terry cut it off and braze/welded a new neck w cap.

 

[MossRoad]

Haven't had this issue. My cap is on a steel plate that can be unbolted from the tank top. The only part of my seat that can hit anything is the back of the armrests can scrape the front of the engine cover and thats only in an extreme oscillation and articulation situation.

 

[m5040]

You may want to check out your center joints real well. If they are getting loose the center of the machine may "sag" allowing the seat to contact cap. Is the big nut tight on the bottom hinge?

 

[BobRip]

I checked the big nut on the bottom and it is tight. I welded a pice to stop this.
I will check the upper pivot. I can稚 send pictures.

 

[BobRip]

I checked the upper pivot nut and it was a little loose. I got 1/2 turn
Out of it.

 

[m5040]

What you need to do is put something heavy in the bucket, then pick it up then lower and power down at the same time watch for movement at the (I have 3 on PT180) center pivot points. Raise and power down (slowly as possible) and watch for any movement. I suspect you have some excessive wear or maybe a bad joint that is causing excessive movement with the end result of the seat hitting the cap.

 

[BobRip]

Thanks for your suggestion. The PT is 19 years old so there is some wear I expect. I put the bracket on the tank.

 

[agjones]

It's an impressive sound and feeling when it goes! Terry told me it's OK to limp on to a trailer...and it was sketchy but it worked.