Too much play in the bucket??

[MFL]

Guys,

Just hit my 35th hr tonight while filling and grading, and I have a greenhorn question. Even though I'm still in my 'break-in period', I've been putting the B7800 through her paces. A lot of my FEL work has been digging and pulling out stumps up to about 4-5" in diameter, and moving a LOT of fill dirt! Also a fair amount of tamping and back combing with the tooth-bar. Here's the question. How much play in the bucket should I have after this amount of time?

When new the bucket was very tight (no movement ) when lifting a full load. Now, I can grab the teeth on the bar and lift the bucket up 1-2". With a full load of fill dirt I can see the bucket move about 1-2" as I move the tractor back and forth. I assume that some play is normal as the hydro cylinder wears, but I'm not sure HOW MUCH is normal! /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif :confused

Am I okay, or am I guilty of abuse?? /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif

 

[Bird]

First question would be "where is the play?" Is it the hydraulic cylinder or is it the pins? And are you greasing it regularly?

 

[MFL]

Bird,

I did a full grease at all the zerks on the FEL and Tractor at ten hrs. the play seems to be in the cylinders. With the bucket at waist level, I can grab the teeth an lift up about two inches, and I see the piston move up into the hydro cylinder. /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif

 

[Henro]

That does not sound right to me...I have just passed 400 hours on my B2910 in just under 2 years, and that is mostly loader work, more or less. I don't finish mow with the tractor, but do occasionally use my brush hog.

That being said, I was recently moving dirt a distance of about 100 yards and I did notice the bucket seemed to drop a little during that distance. It was heavy earth, somewhat wet, and the bucket was very full each time...when I say drop, I really mean rotate forward...the loader arms did not drop from what I could see.

I have never noticed what you are describing though...I don't think anyway...now my loader control valve must be tight, because it really holds the loader up, with little if an leakage. If I forget to lower the loader when I park the tractor, it will still be up in the air the next day...

ON the other hand, I guess I have noticed if I leave the loader up a bit and the tractor parked, there is a little bounciness in the loader bucket if I step on the front...

Not sure if I am expressing myself clearly here or not...

What I am trying to say is when I am using the loader and digging/dumping dirt I don't see any sloppyness, but if I am carrying the dirt in the bucket for several minutes I have to move the joystick to raise the bucket back a couple inches, as it seems to drop with a heavy load in it...

 

[DCRC]

The instructions on my FEL say to gease every 10 hours. Your situation sounds more like a hydraulic issue if it is a problem at all. Do you have this "free play" with the tractor running or just when it's off?

 

[MFL]

Henro,

I understand what you're saying, and my problem isn't what you're experiencing. My play is in the hydro cylinders that perform the curl on the bucket. In other words the top set of cylinders. I don't have 'drop' while carrying. Mine also will stay put if I leave the bucket up when I park it.

The slop is only in the bucket, not the loader arms. With the tractor running or off, I can manually 'curl' the bucket by lifting up on the tooth bar. As I said, it's not much, but I can certainly move it at least an inch.

 

[MFL]

DCRC,

I agree, and that's what I'm afraid of. My response to Bird should have been that I have greased EVERY ten hours. Re-reading, it sounded like I greased only after the first ten hours.

 

[OrangeGuy]

MFL,

Sounds like you may have air in the bucket cylinders. Best way to remove is to operate your bucket to both extremes and holding it there for a few seconds each time. In other words, dump the bucket all the way and hold the lever in that position for a few more seconds. Then the other way. Repeat until air is gone.

OrangeGuy

 

[MFL]

Thanks OrangeGuy!! I'll try that first thing when I get home. Is there something I can do to prevent this from happening?? Also, should I be looking at possible causes for air being in the system? In other words, is this (the play in the cylinder) a symptom of another problem that I should be addressing?

If this fixes the play, I'll owe you lunch!! /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[Bird]

Maybe some of our more knowledgeable mechanics will respond, but I agree with OrangeGuy. I'd suspect a little air in the cylinders, but I really don't think your situation is unusual; I think my B2710 was about the same. In other words, I don't think you have anything to worry about.