# Frontend Loader Problem



## kymailman98 (Apr 27, 2014)

I have a Bush Hog frontend loader on a NH tractor. It's been working just fine, but all of a sudden I've got a problem. When I take the bucket off, and then try to put the forks on, the cylinders have quit working in sequence with one another. They will not move together, and it's almost impossible to get the attachment on. The right side moves, but the left one doesn't, then when the right one is extended all the way, the left one will work. Same thing coming back the other way. It's just started doing this, and has me puzzled, as nothing I can see is broken. I'm wondering if the cylinder has blown a seal or something, but if it was that, it looks like it would be leaking or showing some sign, and it's not. Any ideas?


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## rhino (Jan 9, 2017)

There is nothing wrong with the cylinders. They are doing that because they are not pinned to something. One will always move first when trying to mount attachments. They will work right and have the same movement after the are pinned.:usa:


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## kymailman98 (Apr 27, 2014)

rhino said:


> There is nothing wrong with the cylinders. They are doing that because they are not pinned to something. One will always move first when trying to mount attachments. They will work right and have the same movement after the are pinned.:usa:




This is a loader with quick attach, and in order to drop the bucket, then drive under the forks and pick them back up, the cylinders must work together. They were, up until recently. Something's happened, and I can't figure it out. I just had the tractor in the shop to get the air conditioning system worked on, and they were supposed to check out the loader. They forgot, and I guess I'll have to take it back. The cylinders must work at the same pace in order for the quick attach to pick the attachment up. What's happening is the one is moving while the other stays retracted.


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## jhngardner367 (Apr 5, 2011)

Question:
Do both hoses come out of the valve,or does the valve feed a splitter,that the cylinder hoses connect to?

If they both come out of the valve,directly to the cylinders,I would suspect a weak control valve,or low fluid level.
If the control valve has one hose coming out to a splitter, I would suspect the splitter ,or low fluid level.


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## RC Wells (Dec 26, 2008)

If you have what is commonly referred to as a skid steer front bucket/implement quick connect system there is a tube that runs from the bottom of the two steel connector plates that keeps them aligned so they move together. The bolts can drop out of one side or another and the plates will then move independently.


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## DK35vince (Jan 22, 2006)

The torque tube between the connector plates (tube or bar down near your latching handles) is what keeps the QA lined up for hookup.
You have a Brocken/missing pin in the torque tube or the tube is broken letting the QA plates go out of alignment.
Should be a simple fix.


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## kymailman98 (Apr 27, 2014)

DK35vince said:


> The torque tube between the connector plates (tube or bar down near your latching handles) is what keeps the QA lined up for hookup.
> You have a Brocken/missing pin in the torque tube or the tube is broken letting the QA plates go out of alignment.
> Should be a simple fix.




this loader doesn't have that. I'm thinking that one of the cylinders may not be working properly, and am just going to take it back to my repairman. Thanks for the replies guys.


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## DK35vince (Jan 22, 2006)

kymailman98 said:


> this loader doesn't have that. I'm thinking that one of the cylinders may not be working properly, and am just going to take it back to my repairman. Thanks for the replies guys.


There has to be some type of timing bar between the QA connector plates to keep the even when unhooked from the bucket.
They all have it.
That is where your problem is.


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## pogobill (Jan 31, 2012)

Seems to me that you have the "Bush Hog" Quick attach and not a standard Skid steer type. Have you tried cycling the cylinders from fully retracted to fully extended a few times to perhaps purge any air out of the system? Just a guess, but could be a cheap fix. Also, is there a hard line from the right side of the loader to the left to feed the bucket cylinders, and if so, could it have been pinched or damaged somewhat to restrict flow? Or a failing hose?


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## TraderMark (Nov 15, 2011)

Hydraulics, like water and electricity follow the path of least resistance.
One cylinder is harder to move than the other so the one with the least resistance moves first and continues to move until it has more resistance than the other one. I can't tell you *why* it suddenly has more resistance. Could be anything from a bent rod to one piston seal being worn more than the other. 

I'm also assuming there's not a hydraulic sequencing valve or flow control valve between the cylinders.

My Case Uni-Loader does the same thing. It has a quick attach, but it's not a standard SSQA so there's no torque tube between the two halves of the quick attach to make both cylinders move at the same time. Here's what I do:

When I drop my bucket and start to hook up to the forks, I move in close, start extending the cylinders and as soon as the one that moves first touches the bracket on the forks, it stops moving and the other cylinder moves to catch up with it since the second cylinder now has less resistance against it. Once the second half of the quick attach is in place I can lift up, catch the top pins and curl back the forks to slip in the bottom pins.

HTH,
Mark


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## kymailman98 (Apr 27, 2014)

DK35vince said:


> The torque tube between the connector plates (tube or bar down near your latching handles) is what keeps the QA lined up for hookup.
> You have a Brocken/missing pin in the torque tube or the tube is broken letting the QA plates go out of alignment.
> Should be a simple fix.




You were right. It had a broken pin that connected the torque tube to the QA plate. The pin was sheared off in the middle, with the top of it still in place, and I thought it was still intact. You were right, simple fix. I just got in a hurry, and didn't look close enough. Thanks to everyone that responded. I got in my head that one of the cylinders was the cause, and it was a dollar part. Actually, more like a quarter, as I put a bolt back in.


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## DK35vince (Jan 22, 2006)

That's good.
Glad it was a simple fix.


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## kymailman98 (Apr 27, 2014)

I thought I'd fixed this thing, but turns out I hadn't. I took it back to the repair shop, and the mechanic found that the hydraulic cylinder rod was bent on the side that was not working properly. He straightened it, put new seals in the cylinder, and said it was working as it should. I know that sometimes when a cylinder rod is bent, straightening doesn't work, and it will have to be replaced. I'll see how long the "fix" lasts.


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