Loader curled up or down for storage?

[CAgnoli]

Okay, I see lots of tractors with their loaders on outside, pretty standard fair. But some loaders have the bucket curled all the way over so water can't get in them maybe? I don't understand the logic on that, and was hoping you guys could clue me in on best practice?

I would think that having the cylinders open all the way would expose the rods to too much moisture, and promote rust?

What say you?

 

[WM75Guy]

I curl mine under so water does not collect. It gets used almost every day unless it's raining so the rods stay shiny. Mosquito eggs can hatch pretty quick in standing water, some species in as few as 16 hours, most in 24 - 48 hours.

 

[treman]

I see it both ways. Loader curled collects water and mosquitoes etc. but it protects the cylinders. dumped all the way keeps the water out but rusts the cylinders. I think its a personal preference.

 

[k0ua]

I dump down just enough that water runs out, I am more worried about the standing water than the rust on the cylinders, The tractor will be used in a couple of days. Hopefully I will get the building soon and not have to worry about either

James K0UA

 

[creekbend]

Since I parked my tractor under a shed, I just rest my FEL bucket flat. BTW, I have a tooth bar on the bucket. This works for me.

 

[Gary Fowler]

I park mine with the bucket either flat or cylinders extened fully with cutting edge vertical so the tractor fits better under the shed. I dont worry about the chrome plating rusting and I wouldnt if it were parked outside. Our old farm equipment sat outside all its life with hydraulic cylinders exposed. Never saw any of them rusting at all. Most "rust" that you see on cylinders is from steel contaminates like grinder dust etc that land on the cylinder and will rust into the cylinder. Most of the time this can be removed without damage to the chromium plating with crocus cloth 800 grit or finer. I dont have any possibility of steel contamination where I park so having the cylinders extended for me is not an issue. If you use your tractor at least once every 3 months, the oily film will stay with the cylinder also.
Just look at the chrome on 50-60 year old cars that have sat in weeds for 40 years, the chrome is still brite when the dirt is removed. You guys are worrying about something that you shouldn't be concerned with.

Now if you are concerned with something falling on them and damaging the rods then by all means retract them fully to minimize any contact.

 

[RTII]

I park mine under cover with the bucket flat. Less chance of banging shins that way. I hate that!

 

[grnspot110]

I leave the Q/A bucket outside on a simple wood rack, made so it will drain. Tractor & loader are stored inside. Any hydraulics stored outside have the cylinders closed! ~~ grnspot

 

[LD1]

I park mine flat. Kinda a compromise of all of the above reasons. It wont collect water that way, exposes a minimal amount of cylinder rod, and walking by, I dont catch my shin on one of the teeth.

If you are going to srore prolonged and indoors/under cover, I would curl all the way back to protect the rods.

Dumping all the way dont work on my kubota. The way the top lip of the bucket is, IT would collect water.

 

[DKCDKC]

Always parked the bucket turned up. My equipment is almost always in a shed, so the water isn't an issue. But a turned up blade makes a good seat while I'm messing with tools and stuff.

 

[slowzuki]

Left the snowblower with the chrome out by accident one year and ruined the cheap tie rod cylinder. The tractors always get sucked in. I've got a drain hole in my Kubota bucket, its often plugged but will still slowly let the water out.

 

[jobguy]

In the Navy on and near Salt Water we wiped down all exposed cylinders with the same hydraulic fluid used in that system. Never saw rust on any cylinder. I don't know if that would be a problem when you are not near salt water. Never saw rust on any exposed cylinder on the farm in WI and MN either and they were never wiped down nor did we worry about if they were exposed or not. Rust in buckets and dump trailers due to standing water was the real worry.

 

[schmism]

Mine used to have a shed to park in but now unless i make a spot in the barn it stays outside.

I tilt the seat up and usually try to angle the bucket so it will shed water. (not always flat when i park it on my hilly ground.)

 

[MHarryE]

Hard chrome is porous. It will retain lube in these micropores but over time in moist areas they will rust. Here is advice for farmers from Louisiana State Extension Services. The tend to have a rather moist climate down there.

The solution to this problem is to prevent rust and pitting. There are three ways to accomplish this, and it is possible to use more than one of these approaches simultaneously. The best way to avoid corrosion and pitting of the cylinder rods is to store the implement with the cylinder rods retracted. If the rods are retracted, the sensitive plated surface of the rod will be inside the cylinder, immersed in hydraulic fluid and thus fully protected. Unfortunately, it is not always possible to store equipment with the cylinders retracted. In some cases, the cylinders must be extended to unhitch an implement or must be extended to park the equipment. Another way to reduce the chance of corrosion is to park equipment with hydraulic cylinders inside a building where the cylinders are protected. This will significantly reduce corrosion and pitting, although humidity and condensation can still occur in some storage sheds. A final method of protecting cylinders is somewhat less effective but can be used in all situations. The exposed cylinder rods can be coated with heavy grease whenever the equipment will not be used for a few weeks or longer (Figure 2). The grease should be as heavy and sticky (tacky) as possible. Wheel bearing grease is better for this purpose than general chassis grease because it tends to be tackier. A heavy coat of grease will provide several months of protection, but for a machine used only one season a year, it may be necessary to renew the grease every three to four months.

 

[Gary Fowler]

I dont know where you heard that chrome is pourous but chromium is about the best anti-oxident around for metal. I have seen cylinder rods left exposed and laid up against a tree for 30 years and not a speck of rust on them. This was not on a ocean beachfront so I dont know how well they would do in salt from northern road, but I will put money on cylinder rods outlasting the attachment it is on if both are neglected after exposure to salt and chemical. As long as the chromium coating is not scratched or chipped so that the underlying metal is exposed it will last indefinitely when only exposed to fresh water and air. Pitting occurs on chromium and chromium alloys when they are contaminated by iron dust or chips but usually can be removed with no damage to the chrome with phosphoric acid if not left for long periods. We have that problem on construction sites when stainless steel pipe gets carbon steel dust on it from grinding other material nearby or power brushing it with a carbon steel brush. Application of phosphoric acid (Weedac is a brand name I have used) will eat the carbon steel and leave nothing but stainless or chromium behind nice and shiny. It may take more than one application left overnight to remove heavy amounts. It will turn the carbon steel black until it is all gone then just wash with water/baking soda mix to remove/neutralize the acid.

 

[suzy]

Thanks for the reminder to put my bucket under cover now that it isn't winter anymore. Still have the bale forks on...you can even move a small tree out of the way with the bale forks!

 

[FredH]

Would it not be cheaper to replace a cylinder than a rusted out bucket ?


Fred H.

 

[Little Red Tractor]

I had to replace a very small cylinder on a snow blower attachment. Used one was a hundred bucks.