Replace FEL valve?

[Omega Woods]

So, I have a Branson tractor, which I love. I have a couple of issues that I am trying to resolve with a single solution if possible.

Issue 1: I hate not being able to raise/lower and dump/curl at the same time with my Branson. This is really one of the only things I dislike about my tractor (2016 model 4520R)

Issue 2: I sure want to connect up a grapple, which will require a third function.

So, I was looking on Surplus Center and found this 3 Spool 25 GPM Joystick Loader Valve w/Grapple | Directional Control Valves | Hydraulic Valves | Hydraulics | www.surpluscenter.com.

It's a FEL valve with a built-in third function. Can someone tell me why I can't rig this up to run my loader and with the addition of a couple of lines and couplers have the grapple third-function that I'm looking for? I'm pretty handy with stuff and was a machinist mate in the Navy so I'm pretty familiar with hydraulics and such. Is there something that I'm not considering?

Thanks! (I cross-posted this to the Branson forum as well but I know that all the hydraulic wizards hang out on this particular area of TBN.)

 

[Leejohn]

Your tractor has Pump flow: 11.1 gpm and Steering is using 5 gpm. I would say the loader valve gpm is more gpm then what the tractor puts out, so making the loader valve hard to do what you want. The other one you are looking at is way to big and could make it harder to do as you want.

 

[swnoel]

There's multiple people who have done this, including myself soon.
http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/customization/384911-swapped-out-fel-valve-got.html

 

[Omega Woods]

There's multiple people who have done this, including myself soon.
http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/customization/384911-swapped-out-fel-valve-got.html

Great! I searched some but obviously not enough. Nothing new under the sun.

I appreciate your help!

 

[Dave M7040]

This material is from a recent post I made concerning another owner with similar issues

XXXX

There is a bit more to choosing a FEL valve if you want to be happy in the end.
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The valve you have selected is rated for 25 gpm. Your tractor has no where near that flow rate I expect

When you put too large a flow rated control valve on, you loose the ability to control a loader in fine movements such as a buddy in the bucket and you want to move the bucket slowly and smoothly.

Do you want a joystick? Sometimes owners with a FEL and want to add a grapple, will have the loader functions controlled by a joystick and right beside the joystick is a lever to control the grapple.

Do you want a float position. Most owners, once they understand the purpose for that feature, want it. It is used to smooth ground or gravel by back dragging the FEL bucket. The loader arms in the float position allow the bucket to move up and down without being influenced by the tractor's weight which changes as you go over humps or into hollows.

Do you need a regen feature on the bucket circuit. Picture this scenario. You have a heavy load of gravel in the bucket. As you start to dump the bucket, the weight in the bucket starts the bucket dumping faster the the flow of oil from the pump. You can end up with a condition sometimes called a "floppy bucket." because both sides of the bucket cylinders are not full of oil.
With the regen feature, oil is taken from one side of the bucket cylinders and used to fill up the other side of the cylinders which happens faster than a low flow rate pump can do.

FEL load regeneration feature

What is "Regen" or the "Regenerative" function of a FEL Valve? Read it here
Regen is a "feature" of most modern FEL (Front End Loader) valves, it's on the Dump (joystick far right) circuit, and is also referred to as "Fast Dump". The reason it is nice to have is that without it, the weight of a filled bucket can actually "pull" the bucket down faster then the fluid can enter the other side of the cylinder, this will create a air pocket and give the bucket a "floppy" feeling until the joystick is held in the dump mode a few seconds to refill the cylinder pushing the air past the seals. So we add "regen" or "regenerative" function to the valve.

Regen solves this problem by actually filling both sides of the cylinder at the same time with hydraulic fluid. But how will that work you might ask? Well, because there is more volume on the side of the cylinder that extends it since the rod is taking up space in the other side, it "overpowers" the rod side and lets the cylinder extend-thereby dumping the bucket. So since now both sides of the cylinder are "pressurized", the air pocket can not develop, eliminating the "floppy" bucket syndrome. One other added bonus is that the bucket actually dumps faster due to the higher flow rate required to do all this, that's why it's referred to as "fast dump" sometimes.

So, now you may be asking 典his is cool and all that, but why do I need to know about it? The answer to that is simple, if you ever try to run a snow plow with two SA (single acting) cylinders, or a cylinder that drives a chute rotator on a snowblower you will soon find out that they won稚 work if you push the joystick to far right in the regen mode. The plow won稚 work because since both lines are pressurized-both cylinders will be trying to extend at the same time binding everything up. The rotator won稚 work because there is no weight pushing the cylinder closed like there is on the loader.
On most, if not all John Deere tractors there is a 斗ockout the limits how far the joystick travels to the right to keep it out of the regen mode.

You have not stated why you need power beyond. For someone like me to help you, I need a complete picture of what you are wanting your tractor to do.

I suggest you do some homework and establish the flow and pressure rating of your tractor. Next have a clear picture of what you are trying to accomplish.
Then call the Tech support people at Cross Manufacturing. Before calling look over on their site the many options for loader valves.
Hydraulic Directional Control Valves Model DV | Cross

My goal in suggesting Cross is not to have you necessarily buy their product but rather, when you do decide what you want to accomplish you are not just blindly grabbing something from any surplus store
Dave M7040