# Ford 420 loader bucket dropping down



## wertach (Jul 20, 2017)

I just replaced the hoses on my backhoe, I replaced the loader hoses 2 years ago. The bucket on the loader is dropping down now. It doesn't have hardly any lifting power and will dump the little bit of the load it scoops up after I release the lever.

I have tried cycling back and forth to try to get air out if somehow it got air in the loader side. That is what I did when I replaced the hoses on the loader. 

Everything else is fine so it's not a pump problem. I find it hard to believe that both cylinders piston seals went bad at the same time. The fluid is full and mostly all new.


----------



## sixbales (May 18, 2011)

Howdy wertach, welcome to the tractor forum.

You may be out of fluid. The loader normally has its own separate hydraulic reservoir and pump. The reservoir is inside of the loader frame itself, and the pump is up front of the engine, driven by a short drive shaft attached to the engine pulley.

The filler cap is on top of one of the loader frame uprights. The drain hole is on the bottom of the bottom of the loader frame, under one of the frame uprights. The filter should be up inside the frame.

Check it out.


----------



## wertach (Jul 20, 2017)

sixbales said:


> Howdy wertach, welcome to the tractor forum.
> 
> Thanks, but I know where the filler cap, ETC are located. It is full and I changed the filter 2 years ago when I replaced the loader hoses. The filter only has a few hours on it with new fluid. The bucket is the only thing that's weak. I can lift the tractor off of the ground with the loader and/or backhoe. the bucket won't lift it though. It used to lift it.


----------



## sixbales (May 18, 2011)

Sorry, I misunderstood "it doesn't have hardly any lifting power". 

To check for piston seal leakage, move the piston all the way to one end of the cylinder. Disconnect return line of the cylinder at the valve. Put the disconnected hose end in a bucket to catch oil, and re-apply pressure through the valve to the cylinder. If a stream of oil flows out of the hose, then the seals on the piston are leaking and need to be replaced.


----------



## sixbales (May 18, 2011)

Wertac,

Would you please post some pictures of your 420? We have a unidentified TLB that members have decided is a 420, some pictures of your tractor would help confirm identification.


----------



## wertach (Jul 20, 2017)

Sixbales, I tried your suggestion. I think they are bad and I have a bad seal and damage in the control valve.

With one hose disconnected at the top of the cylinder and the control in home position, I started the tractor. Oil flowed from the feed hose. I pulled back to lift and oil shot from the cylinder.

I will post some pics later I will have to dig out my camera. My loader is a 420 It's marked on the loader. I haven't checked the numbers on the tractor, it is industrial. No 3 point hitch.


----------



## wertach (Jul 20, 2017)

Here is a pic of it after I first bought it, About halfway down the page. http://www.yesterdaystractors.com/cgi-bin/viewit.cgi?bd=ford&th=557337


----------



## sixbales (May 18, 2011)

Did you have the cylinder pistons fully stroked out, so that there was no more fluid to displace out of the cylinder?? If so, the piston seals are leaking. Sounds like your control valve is also leaking.

Attached are copies of the wertach's 420 photos.


----------



## pogobill (Jan 31, 2012)

sixbales said:


> Wertac,
> 
> Would you please post some pictures of your 420? We have a unidentified TLB that members have decided is a 420, some pictures of your tractor would help confirm identification.


Definitely not what Kenyon77 has!


----------



## BigT (Sep 15, 2014)

The loader is a model 420. Tractor is unknown.


----------



## wertach (Jul 20, 2017)

I looked up the numbers, it is a 3000 01/05/1968.


----------



## Bushpig (Jul 17, 2017)

find an adaptor and hook a gauge to the extend side of the hose. "lift" see what pressure you have. this would eliminate the possibility of cylinder or valve issue. it actually could be air in your system. the pumps and valves won't hold any pressure with air.. nor will they pump air.


----------

