TO30 lift question

[Timberlake]

I have a question about the lift on my TO30. I have been fixing the odds and ends on her and want to know about the lift function. The lift will raise fast but does not lower very fast. In fact its slow. It gets there though. Do I need to have weight on the lift arms for it to lower. Like a bush hog of plow? I have moved the quadrant all the way forward in enforts to improve the action. Any thoughts Thanks
 

[Richard L]

weight should certainly make it lower quicker than w/o weight. You could stand on the arms and have someone move the lever up and down and you should see an improved down speed, probably won't notice any difference in the going up speed. Be careful if you do this.
 

[Jerry/MT]

Since the lift is not "powered down", adding weight via a implement, etc helps it drop faster.
 

[Charles in Aus.]

Many would be envious of such a slow fall. The time it takes to fall is indicative of the condition of the hydraulic system , the longer it takes the better it is , usually. Fit a hefty implement like a two furrow plough , if the arms remain up for an hour you have an excellent hydraulic system . Typically they will drop much sooner than that.
 

[Timberlake]

The only implament i have right now is a box blade I will try that and see how she goes. I did have a draw bar and a small trailer hooked to it the other day and it was still very slow. But there is not a lot of wait on the tonge.

I do have a question about the spring that is adusted where the top point is attached. Will the adjustment of this change the lift? The book says thats the first way to adjust the quadrant, but i dont undstand what it does and how it conected to the lift system. Thanks yall!
 

[Jason S.]

Yes.If the draft spring is out of adjustment it will change how the lift operates.The correct procedure for the draft spring is to hook up an implement...they recomended a 2 bottom plow but a box blade will do, and with it fully raised you should about .020 clearance between the end of the spring and the plunger.If you dont have a feeler gauge you should just be able to turn the spring by hand when the implement is raised.But, be forewarned that more than likely the plunger will not turn unless it is heated cherry red to break all the years of rust loose.If you try to adjust it and it wont move and you dont heat it, you could bend the fork inside, the control valve can come unhooked and etc. After you adjust the draft spring then adjust the quadrant again. Because when you adjust the draft spring it will change the adjustment of the quadrant.
 

[Jerry/MT]

That draft spring and control rod senses the plow draft. The plow actually pivots on the lift arms and the top link applies loades to the control spring and rod. When a change in resisitance is met by the plow, it is sensed by the compression or extension of the spring and control rod and it adjusts the hydraulic control valve accordingly. If the draft increases, it lifts the plow. If the draft decreases, in lowers the plow.