3-Point Hitch slow rise, high rpm needed for 3 point hitch

sassafraspete · Nov 4, 2016

Long time no posting, but this forum has been a wealth of info and occasionally use it to troubleshoot. I am still loving my 2003 , 4020 Brany... 13 yrs old and still using original battery. I need your suggestions on a 3 point issue.

Front loader works fine, power steering fine, but 3 point hitch will not rise until revving up to 1500 rpm or so...and then slowly. I replaced the seal ring on the hydraulic piston, and new filter, and trans fluid level fine.

I look forward to all your troubleshooting ideas, fine people of this great forum. Keep up the good work, and I hope you love your branson tractors as much as I do! Thanks in advance.

sassafraspete

oosik · Nov 4, 2016

Does your tractor have a knob for adjusting the speed of rise/fall on the 3-point? Mine is right below the front of the seat - near the floor. Could it be that this is shut down too far? Sounds like too simple a solution - but maybe??

sassafraspete · Nov 5, 2016

Thanks for your reply oosik, and yes Bransons have a knob under the seat for controlling the lowering speed of the implement on the 3 point. Turn right to close off flow, left to open for faster drop. Mine is open all the way. Not sure if that valve can malfunction. Almost as if flow is impeded somehow or there is pressure leakage. I do have a backhoe hookup on the back (backhoe is off tractor now, and lines have been coupled back in place). Maybe I should remove and inspect connection. Looking for any logical possibilities / ideas here to troubleshoot.

sassafraspete

LincTex · Nov 7, 2016

Possibly?

http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/century-branson/326185-century-c-42-very-slow.html

sassafraspete · Nov 13, 2016

Thanks LincTex. I read that thread when I was first researching the forum for clues. This weekend I attached my backhoe. It also moves slow. I have to run the engine at 2500 rpm to be able to use, then it is still slow. So this is a case where I am not using the 3 point piston lift at all. Seems to me to be either a restriction somewhere, or possibly a valve sticking? Are there any screens that would affect three point flow and not front end loader flow? Would someone explain the detent and how to check? I assume this is making sure the spring center joy stick is in neutral position? My joy stick seems to spring back to where it should be on the front loader.

sassafraspete

LincTex · Nov 14, 2016

Since the loader has plenty of flow, your pump and screens are fine... as well as the "valving" and flow up to the point. I am assuming the loader gets high pressure fluid first in line.... which means the problem is somewhere "downstream". I'd like to know what happens to the hydraulic fluid after it leaves the loader valve.

oldnslo · Nov 14, 2016

My 2400H has a separate relief valve for the 3PH. If your 4020 has this it could effect how much you lift but should not effect empty lift speed.

Does the 3PH move faster empty that it does with an implement attached?

Possible the power beyond feature in the FEL valve is leaking? This would only have an effect on anything down stream of the FEL valve.

sassafraspete · Nov 15, 2016

oldnslo... You are thinking exactly what I have been thinking.... that there is a second relief valve (not the one on the loader control valve) that could be controlling pressure on the 3 point hitch, and possibly this is gunked up? Or maybe a check valve somewhere that has a week spring. I don't have a diagram of the parts for the 4020 (2003 model), but seems like somewhere I saw a relief valve pictured that was located on top of the housing that holds the 3 point hydraulic piston...or just slightly back of there. Can anyone verify that? I haven't had the time lately to remove the sheet metal to get back to take a look at that. Has anyone here had to clean a relief valve?

When I replaced my seal on the 3 point , I stood on the lift arms and it lifted me just fine and seemed quick. When I put a bushog on it, then there was enough weight that it was really slow... unless really high rpm's. The seal is doing just fine as I shut the tractor off , the implement stays up.

I will have to do some research on your comment of the power beyond feature. That goes along with my other thought, that something was sticking in the FEL control that was leaking off pressure from the flow to the 3 point, as I think it is a flow thru process? Any knowledgeble people out there who can shed more light on the FEL control valve workings as pertains to the flow back to the 3 point?

Anyhow, all the thoughts and ideas are appreciated. Thanks.

sassafraspete

oldnslo · Nov 15, 2016

Sassafras,
I spent the money for the service manual on my 2400 which talks about the 3PH relief but does a poor job of showing where it is. I know on my 2400 this relief is set at 1900 PSI while the FEL relief is set at 2500 PSI.

On the power beyond feature. Some valves have an internal plug you install for this feature and others have a special fitting with O-ring seal that is installed for this feature. Typical this plug or fitting is located where the PB hose connects to the FEL valve.

good luck.

sassafraspete · Nov 17, 2016

I managed to find a parts diagram for the 20R series, which confirmed the location of the pressure relief valve for the 3 point hitch. I removed the cap and spring, but that is as far as I have gotten. I would like to pull the plunger (valve) up so I can inspect the mating surface of the valve to the valve seat and see if any gunk there, however not sure how to best get that valve up from the seat. There must be a procedure or technique? I thought that maybe if I had a magnet that would fit in there that maybe I could pull it up from the seat. I also had a thought about putting the cap back on without the spring and operating the backhoe controls to see if the pressure would pop it up. If anybody out there has experience in how to do this, or a service manual that describes the process, your help is appreciated. I have also noticed a check valve (ball bearing & spring) in the stop valve housing. I am attaching thumb prints of both the relief valve and the stop valve assemblies .

sassafraspete