Front-End Loader JD 521 Loader control problems

[Mike VS]

Hello everyone,
I have a JD 5300 tractor w/ a 521 loader that I bought a few years ago. Upon learning to use the loader I found that the joystick worked as follows: Pull back to raise the boom, push forward to lower the boom, move the stick one click right to tilt bucket up and push further to the right to tilt bucket down. Now I always thought that this was a stupid set up but lived with it until reading the manual that says it works in a standard format (joystick LEFT for bucket up, joystick RIGHT for bucket down). It also shows that there is a "quick dump" feature that is activated by pushing the joystick furthest right (what I am doing to tilt bucket up). I checked the hose connections and it appears they are correct. Also, it will not allow me to push the joystick to the left at all, only right those two clicks. Whats up? Thanks in advance!

 

[J_J]

I can't think of a single joystick that works that way.

If the joystick was set up correctly, the fwd motion cause loader arms to go down and if you push further, you go into float.

If you pull back, the loader arms raise.

With no hands on, the lever should be in neutral.

If you push the lever to the left, the bucket tilts up.

If you push the lever to the right, the bucket dumps, and if you have regen, you will have less pressure, less power. which is to the far right, . Some loader valves have the regen at the first position to the right, and slow dump to the far right.

Can you take off the boot and look at the linkage and move the lever and see if things are logical.

I am guessing someone screwed up the linkage.

You might look at the linkage on another JD-521 loader setup.

What is the name and model # on the valve?

 

[Mike VS]

Thanks JJ,
My controls do everything you have mentioned except the stick moving left to move the bucket down. I agree with you that there is a problem with the linkage but when I remopved the boot everything looks fine. There are two cables; One for the arms and one for the bucket. The cable that controls the bucket only moves in an "up" direction and will not go down. I'm thinking that this is the problem, but it is not in the controler and must be in the control valve (that is buried under the tractor).

 

[Tx Jim]

I agree with J_J as I've never seen a loader hyd valve that operates as you describe yours does. It would be interesting to know brand & model # of valve.

 

[Zebrafive]

Try disconnecting the cable for the bucket at the valve. Then see what kind of movement you have with the joystick, will it move to the left? The right?

 

[Mike VS]

Try disconnecting the cable for the bucket at the valve. Then see what kind of movement you have with the joystick, will it move to the left? The right?

Yup, did that. I took it all apart and the stick itself moves very freely. When I watch the cables themselves, the cable for the arms move up and down. The bucket cable however just moves up and further up. I think this is normal beacause of the "fast dump" feature, but I think the cable is also supposed to go down as well. The next thing is to check the valve where the cables attach and try to move it there...No easy job getting to it!

 

[J_J]

Mike VS,

Can you post a video of you operating the joystick lever?

If you remove the cables from the joystick , can you push the tilt spool into the valve and pull the spool out an equal amount. Of course the regen will have more movement.

 

[Zebrafive]

Yup, did that. I took it all apart and the stick itself moves very freely. When I watch the cables themselves, the cable for the arms move up and down. The bucket cable however just moves up and further up. I think this is normal beacause of the "fast dump" feature, but I think the cable is also supposed to go down as well. The next thing is to check the valve where the cables attach and try to move it there...No easy job getting to it!

Will the joystick move left without the cable attached?

 

[Mike VS]

Will the joystick move left without the cable attached?

Yes, very easily. It is the bucket cable that prevents it from going left.

 

[Mike VS]

Mike VS,

Can you post a video of you operating the joystick lever?

If you remove the cables from the joystick , can you push the tilt spool into the valve and pull the spool out an equal amount. Of course the regen will have more movement.

Sorry JJ...I dont know how to do that. All it would show is me trying to push the lever left without success and the open/close of the bucket when I push right. As for the other question, what is a "tilt spool" and a "regen"? The two cables have a metal socket on each of their ends and the joystick has two opposing balls that fit tightly into those cable sockets (like a ball joint).

 

[Zebrafive]

Yes, very easily. It is the bucket cable that prevents it from going left.

That narrows it down to either the cable or the valve.
If the cable is attached to the joystick, but not the valve and the joystick moves to the left OK, I'd say the problem is in the valve. Possibly the end opposite where the cable hooks up that contains the return spring and dents.

 

[J_J]

Bucket tilt is the up/down action of the bucket.

Regen is a feature on some valves that let you do a fast dump, and this is because the fluid from the cyl shaft end is added to the fluid going into the base end of the cyl.

A cyl not using regen will take so much time to extend, and regen will decrease that by about 1/2.

 

[Mike VS]

That narrows it down to either the cable or the valve.
If the cable is attached to the joystick, but not the valve and the joystick moves to the left OK, I'd say the problem is in the valve. Possibly the end opposite where the cable hooks up that contains the return spring and dents.

I agree with that test...Now I have to find time to get to the valve and try that. Thanks

 

[J_J]

Can you post a picture of the gimbal assembly on the top of the valve.

The gimbal should be pivoted at one point and the spool ends are connected to the gimbal.

When you move the lever fwd and back, the gimbal moves down and then up, pushing or pulling the spool.

On the other axis, the lever is supposed to push and or pull the spool by the lever moving left, to center, and then right , and more right if regen is installed.

Has the joystick always worked this way.

Did you purchase the tractor new?

Did someone work on the valve?

It just does not make good sense if you know how a gimbal works.

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct...=qgYasVlBbjdbXqVJcbBQpA&bvm=bv.50768961,d.b2I

Pages 18 and 19 shows a gimbal assembly for reference.

 

[Mike VS]

Thanks JJ, That is a great link showing the valve and controler. The joystick most like mine was on page 22. I have been overloaded with work this week so I have not been able to get out there and start applying this new found knowledge. I am almost positive I will find the problem where the "bucket up" cable meets the valve or that valve itself. I'll keep you posted when I can get in there. Thanks again!

 

[deere5105]

I have a neighbor whose FEL is same model and works the same way. My 522 FEL seems to work as it should. I just assumed her hoses had been reconnected incorrectly by someone in the past and intended to swap them around next time I used that tractor. Is correcting the function operation not that simple?

 

[cowski]

the joystick controller can be put on wrong.turn it around where the drop/float position is after the powered lower position.

 

[Mike VS]

I have a neighbor whose FEL is same model and works the same way. My 522 FEL seems to work as it should. I just assumed her hoses had been reconnected incorrectly by someone in the past and intended to swap them around next time I used that tractor. Is correcting the function operation not that simple?

Just when I was sure mine was wrong you come along and tell me this! I have already tried changing hoses around and the only thing it did was make me lose the bucket up funtion and gain the fast dump feature in the second click to the right (stick still wont move left). The one reason (besides everybodys oppinion here) I am sure its broke is the manual shows conventional stick movement.

 

[deere5105]

Just when I was sure mine was wrong you come along and tell me this! I have already tried changing hoses around and the only thing it did was make me lose the bucket up funtion and gain the fast dump feature in the second click to the right (stick still wont move left). The one reason (besides everybodys oppinion here) I am sure its broke is the manual shows conventional stick movement.

For the record, I definitely think something is wrong with the neighbors. On hers forward is down, left is curl down(dump), back is up and right is curl up unless you push through to far right and it goes into quick dump. Short of that it goes through all the motions. Sounds like hose swap would correct her issues and if yours won't go into a certain position then it would be a mechanical malfunction.

 

[Mike VS]

For the record, I definitely think something is wrong with the neighbors. On hers forward is down, left is curl down(dump), back is up and right is curl up unless you push through to far right and it goes into quick dump. Short of that it goes through all the motions. Sounds like hose swap would correct her issues and if yours won't go into a certain position then it would be a mechanical malfunction.

Yea, I agree. Sounds like hoses.