Need grapple hydraulic help

[fixitman123]

Thanks guys, a lot of good help. The oem cylinder is on sale for $45 plus $27 shipping (that shipping is highway robbery). Seal kit is also $45. Ag supply has what looks to be the identical cylinder just re branded for $55 +tax. I think I'll get one after Christmas and try it and if that's not it they will take it back.
I've got some trees to clean up around my fields thanks to Hurricane Matthew and need my grapple.

 

[fixitman123]

Bought a new cylinder, hooked it up did the same thing. Took tractor to neighbor's house and hooked to his disk and hydraulics worked perfect. Removed grapple from tractor, backed up to it and after changing out connectors hooked grapple directly to rear remotes, it worked perfect! My son suggested reversing the quick connects on the front of the tractor and the first one we reversed our problem reversed so we believe the problem must be in that connector. It allows flow in one direction but not the other, for some reason. Will replace as soon as I can get a new one and report back unless someone can tell me how to fix it. The little balls move freely.

 

[ovrszd]

Bought a new cylinder, hooked it up did the same thing. Took tractor to neighbor's house and hooked to his disk and hydraulics worked perfect. Removed grapple from tractor, backed up to it and after changing out connectors hooked grapple directly to rear remotes, it worked perfect! My son suggested reversing the quick connects on the front of the tractor and the first one we reversed our problem reversed so we believe the problem must be in that connector. It allows flow in one direction but not the other, for some reason. Will replace as soon as I can get a new one and report back unless someone can tell me how to fix it. The little balls move freely.

Connector failures are fairly common. Replace it. Sorry it turned into such a hassle to figure out. But looks like you've found it!!!!

 

[LD1]

Late to the thread and glad you found your problem. My suggestion was going to be couplers. Although it sounds like you have couplers at the FEL as well as at the remotes. Basically two hoses instead of one for each run.

For future reference, if a piston unthreaded from a rod, the symptoms would not be as you describe. Rather the cylinder will extend fully, but then never retract. If you manually retract it, then it will extend again, but not retract