Loader joystick cable break

[mechtheist]

The saga continues. Saturday I decided it was pathetic that I didn't just disconnect the hydraulic lines in the way, especially since I'm getting ready to add rear remotes which will involve a lot of hydraulic lines getting messed with [see my other thread], so didn't wait for the crowfoot wrenches. That made it almost easy. A close up of the broken cable, the right one is shortly after I started all of this, the left one is yesterday, Sunday.

You can see, there are a lot less cable strands, I had to keep cutting them off because they kept bending from getting jammed up the sleeve/sheath. Below is looking in the end of it, that first step in the diameter must be the coiled sleeve that you can see uncoiling in the above photo. Maybe, if I knew then what I know now, it would have been possible to get the cable strands all back inside that narrowed opening and then apply some fix, epoxy or weld or solder, but I had a really hard time just getting them in the wider opening. It's not worth trying to fix and I've ordered a new cable. It's about 1416mm, that's pretty close but I wasn't super careful dealing with the curves/bends and 1500mm is a standard so that's what I ordered. Those Polish guys had a great price but shipping was a killer. You can't pull the actual control 'rod' out, it's too large to get past that white plastic inner sleeve, which I'm assuming is teflon for lubrication, there was no other that I could see or feel.

A comparison of the two. The end piece looks like it has flats for a wrench to unscrew it but I think it's crimping.

Finally, the way the cables were routed under the tractor. I'm not sure but I think the way one goes over and the other under that part of the frame was me from trying to pull the cable through from above. I'm not sure what all those parts that obviously move are so I don't know how much they move but presumably it's not a risk to the cables, or maybe I moved both of them from where they're supposed to be? I don't see anything that would leave to think the cable got pinched or anything untoward happened to it, it just broke, probably the coiled metal sleeve ripped at first. The problem first started with it being hard to uncurl the bucket, it felt like it was 'stuck', the first time or two I kinda had to use a lot of force with a sorta shove, the next couple of times I had to kinda slap it, with my hand only, it would then be fine the rest of the day. Then, the last time it didn't do anything even though the stick was hard over to the right. I was probably ripping it more and more every time. Kinda like, if you ever tore a meniscus cartilage in your knee, a little rip can do some real funny things to how your knee can move, or not move.

One thing I should have done is take pictures of the way it was configged on the valve end to possibly help getting it put back together without requiring a lot of adjusting, and also I should have tried switching the good cable over to the other spool and tested if it worked to eliminate the possibility it's the valve at the root of the problem.

Anyhow, it's now 'just reverse everything you did taking it apart' time and we all know how it ain't ever that simple. I'm hoping I won't need to ask any more questions. I will report back on the replacement, especially if anything weird/unexpected pops up. A lot of this was FYI in case it happens to someone else, lots of me speculating on what might be happening, so if I got anything wrong, please correct and inform.

Thanks to all for the help, it's been hugely appreciated. Happy Holidays.

 

[Cougsfan]

Where were you able to order the cable?

 

[mechtheist]

I didn't do a huge amount of price checking but a fair amount, and Summit was in the low end at $70, which is a bit of an 'ouch' but hopefully I'll never have to do it again. I found this I think Belgian company for 30 something but then shipping was also 30 something.

 

[mechtheist]

Update: I used the boom control cable on the bucket spool to ensure it was OK and it was, so I'm waiting on cable which should be in tomorrow.

I managed to do one of my signature moves which is to be in one place without moving and lose something that is almost almost impossible to find. Half lying on the ground with my head close to the valve I was attaching the flange that holds the control cable sheathing to the valve, the bolts were on the deck under the pedals and I grabbed the damn joystick stationary ball retaining screw and when I put it back it fell through the holes where the pedals come through. I could hear it fall, thought I knew right about where it was. There's a protective plate under that area that has a lot of hoses and the gas tank behind it. It collected a lot of debris that I kept having to feel through, finally blew it out with air, still couldn't find. Went over the ground with a magnet in case I missed it falling out from the tractor. It's really hard ot get your hand in there, tried one of those telescoping magnets, nothing, it just kept getting stuck to all the metal parts everywhere. You really can't see in there. finally, after wasting about 30 minutes, I realized there's an area rearward of the gas tank, it shouldn't have been able to get back there but it did. Everyones is thinking about how much time they wasted reading this long paragraph, sorry, I needed to vent.

 

[LouNY]

Been there, done that.
It's not real bad till you start cussing yourself out.