Lost float position on front bucket

[Nightrain1]

Was backdragging the driveway when I pushed the joystick all the way forward where it locks into the float position. While backing up I noticed the front wheels were slowly being lifted off the driveway by the front bucket lifting them off the ground. I soon discovered a nudge forward on the joystick and the front tires would sit back down, but as soon as I removed my hand pushing the stick forward, the tires start lifting off the ground again.
I am hoping there is an adjustment on the joystick. I haven't taken the rubber boot off that covers the bottom of the lever. Has anyone been there and done that yet? I have the 3510/m112 set up.

 

[dillo99]

I have not looked closely at this before but there must be some mechanism that holds the joystick in the locked float position. You probably just have wear on this part - it will either require adjustment or replacement. Take it apart and I am sure you will figure it out!

 

[Reg]

Was backdragging the driveway when I pushed the joystick all the way forward where it locks into the float position. While backing up I noticed the front wheels were slowly being lifted off the driveway by the front bucket lifting them off the ground. I soon discovered a nudge forward on the joystick and the front tires would sit back down, but as soon as I removed my hand pushing the stick forward, the tires start lifting off the ground again.
I am hoping there is an adjustment on the joystick. I haven't taken the rubber boot off that covers the bottom of the lever. Has anyone been there and done that yet? I have the 3510/m112 set up.

The detent popped out and the FEL went to down pressure.
Given the time of year I'm going to guess that you were "back-dragging" snow ?
{though you don't have a location indicated}
It SEEMS that FEL float detents pop out more in cold weather if they have been parked with the FEL in float.
Mine hasn't done it since I followed the practice of;
lowering the bucket to the ground in float, lowering the 3pt implement, turning everything off, tipping the seat forward, covering the ignition lock to keep ice out, "parking" the clutch and as a final step taking the FEL out of float and doing 2 or 3 side to side dump/curl cycles to relax everything, leaving the joystick in neutral.

I think a visit to the Prince hydraulics site would help understanding of how detents work and how they MIGHT ice up, or get sticky if parked for long periods in the detented position.

Yeah, I am SLIGHTLY paranoid about the possibility of a "frozen" clutch and/or an iced up ignition lock (-:

EDIT:
Since writing that I have been to the Prince site;
Whether or not you have Prince BRAND valves, you might find this interesting;
Hydraulic Directional Stack Valves
click on Parts Manual on the right hand side

Your joystick may go directly to a pair of stack valves similar to these, or may get there via cables, but somehow you have a pair of valves and one of them has a detent on the back of it, that is your raise/lower.
"Joysticks" are relatively recent, older tractors had two levers as shown, the joystick doesn't change the hydraulics, just the "operational interface to the human" (-:

Down on Page 8 there is a reminder to install the end cap with the drain hole at the bottom.
I just went out to check mine, since it has been a while since I have even SEEN it.
Kinda ODD, but my loader valves are installed with that end cap in an upturned position, so it is not just a cap - it is also a CUP !
Right now I am wondering how (or even IF) it ever drains moisture.
Of course it COULD just have a drain hole at the bottom and be designed to be mounted in that orientation.

So, if the weather stays warm('ish) I will probably check into that after the Holiday week-end.
Thanks for drawing my attention to this.

\R
END EDIT:

 

[Nightrain1]

I should have been more clear. The joystick still locks in its detent, I just have to give it a little nudge forward to keep it in float. I take my hand off the stick it it starts raising the tires, nudge it forward and they drop back to the ground, repeat. The tractor is always garaged and never in the weather. It's been washed a few times though. No snow here, just backdragging the driveway gravel.
Another tidbit, it only started doing this immediately after I got it back from the shop when they supposedly changed all the oils and filters. I say supposedly because they charged for greasing the zirk fittings which they did not.

 

[Reg]

I should have been more clear. The joystick still locks in its detent, I just have to give it a little nudge forward to keep it in float. I take my hand off the stick it it starts raising the tires, nudge it forward and they drop back to the ground, repeat. The tractor is always garaged and never in the weather. It's been washed a few times though. No snow here, just backdragging the driveway gravel.
Another tidbit, it only started doing this immediately after I got it back from the shop when they supposedly changed all the oils and filters. I say supposedly because they charged for greasing the zirk fittings which they did not.

OK, but the spool valve is still slipping off the detent, the joystick may look to be almost where it should be, but if you are riding on the bucket instead of the front tires you have down pressure (-:
It is POSSIBLE that a service procedure disturbed a cable, e.g. re-routed it SLIGHTLY when accessing a filter or drain plug.
Just guessing since I don't know if your FEL even has cables between the joystick and spool valves or if it is direct.

On SOME tractors the joystick just has a couple of cables about the size of motorcycle brake cables coming out the bottom of it and those go to push/pull the loader valves.
The cables can get kinked, or need adjustment for the simple reason that the adjustment lock nut was never tightened down.

So, before I beat the hide off this dead horse - is it cable operated ? (-:
If it is more direct there is still the possibility of a linkage rod in need of adjustment.

 

[Nightrain1]

There are no cables and I think it something like a linkage rod out of adjustment. I have to get the boot off to get a look in there at what I have. Thanks for the earlier link also.

 

[LAWALLSTRACTOR]

It kind of sounds like there could be an Oring problem on the tilt spool. If you feel confident enough you could pull it apart and install new Orings or take it to your dealer or a hydraulics repair place.

 

[Reg]

It kind of sounds like there could be an Oring problem on the tilt spool. If you feel confident enough you could pull it apart and install new Orings or take it to your dealer or a hydraulics repair place.

IF (I know; if, if IF) it is the type with the detent attached on the back and you try to take that off be VERY CAREFUL of little springs and balls that are likely to fly out.
It might be a good idea to encase it in a plastic sandwich bag (zip lok) as you pull it off.

 

[LAWALLSTRACTOR]

IF (I know; if, if IF) it is the type with the detent attached on the back and you try to take that off be VERY CAREFUL of little springs and balls that are likely to fly out.
It might be a good idea to encase it in a plastic sandwich bag (zip lok) as you pull it off.

Dito!

 

[manganos]

Yep! I agree on the small balls falling out. I had this happen when I worked on a friends Mahindra who's backhoe lost the ability to "turn right" ...It was an easy fix once I took it apart.