JD 3203 Rear Hydraulics won't lift all the way

marshall361 · Aug 10, 2014

I have a JD 3203 Compact Utility Tractor. The front loader works fine, no limitation on lifting. When nothing is on the rear 3 pt lift it goes up and down fairly good, but maybe not the full height. When I attach my mower or an attachment to the rear (I have an iMatch Quick Attach) it only goes up about 5 or 6 inches then stops. I does make a groaning noise when it gets up as high as it can go either with or without anything on it. I have replaced the suction filter (costly little filter) and cleaned the inline hydraulic fluid and filled up with new fluid. I undid all the hydraulic quick connects and reattached and all seemed well. I have been using loader and no issues at all with it. I did mow with it the other day in field where it was able to cut it at the 5 or 6 inch height that it will go. All works fine it just doesn't go up very far. Any advice appreciated. Also the rate of drop knob under the seat seems to work fine also. Thanks again. If you need more info let me know.

J_J · Aug 10, 2014

Probably mechanical.

Maybe the top link is to short or too long.

marshall361 · Aug 10, 2014

When you say "top link", are you referring to the drawbar link? I can check anything that is suggested, but like I said nothing had been changed or altered when this started to happen.

allgood · Aug 10, 2014

I'm having a similar problem w/ hydro on my ford 3600. The 3 pt. and the loader are giving under pressure of a load. The 3 pt. will lift the boom however I can pull it down by hand. At 1st it would only lift 5 or 6" I then took off the very outside stabilizer bars and apparently they created enough resistance, for now it lifts full range but like I said I can pull it down by hand.
Does this indicate my hydro pump is on the way out? I've done the same things you've done change filter, oil etc..
On the loader end I have to hold the lever back for 2 minutes before it will start moving about 3-5" inches at a time. The problems all started after I replaced a 6' hose to the loader. Thought maybe I got air in line but it cycled up & down 10 -15 times since replacing the hose and has just gotten progressively worst at both ends. Any advice would be appreciated.