Loader issue

[Joe ellis]

Westendorf ta-26 loader on a 4230 will raise about the height of the hood and Stops with weight on it. I can lift 1800-2000lb and it’ll be lifting it good and all of a sudden at about hood height it just stops and won’t go no higher like I took my hand off the valve and it goes to leak down extremely fast. It’s got a brand new prince joystick valve on it But the cylinders don’t leak a drop and the 2 1/2 inch tilt cylinders for the buckets will curl up and lift more than than the 3 inch lift cylinders. can they bypass that bad internal to cause that And not leak a drop on the outside?

 

[Jim.ME]

Westendorf ta-26 loader on a 4230 will raise about the height of the hood and Stops with weight on it. I can lift 1800-2000lb and it’ll be lifting it good and all of a sudden at about hood height it just stops and won’t go no higher like I took my hand off the valve and it goes to leak down extremely fast. It’s got a brand new prince joystick valve on it But the cylinders don’t leak a drop and the 2 1/2 inch tilt cylinders for the buckets will curl up and lift more than than the 3 inch lift cylinders. can they bypass that bad internal to cause that And not leak a drop on the outside?

That sounds like internal leakage, possibly a bad spot in a cylinder barrel. A temp gun might pinpoint which one, as it should heat (show warmer) where the fluid is bypassing the piston if the lift is held in for a minute or two.

 

[Joe ellis]

That sounds like internal leakage, possibly a bad spot in a cylinder barrel. A temp gun might pinpoint which one, as it should heat (show warmer) where the fluid is bypassing the piston if the lift is held in for a minute or two.

both rams got a little spot where Rust is starting but I had another 1 of these loaders the whole ram was rusted and I ran it for a year like that never a issue didn’t even leak when I sold it. They little spot may be the issue I hope it’s just bad o rings getting them rams made isn’t cheap

 

[Jim.ME]

both rams got a little spot where Rust is starting but I had another 1 of these loaders the whole ram was rusted and I ran it for a year like that never a issue didn’t even leak when I sold it. They little spot may be the issue I hope it’s just bad o rings getting them rams made isn’t cheap

You have not said the fluid level is correct in the reservoir or that it will lift full height without a load on it. I am guessing those things are true.

You said you don't see any leaks. external damage, like rust on rods will generally show as an external leak, as the seals get chewed out in the glands. The stopping of the lift action is internal. Piston and cylinder barrel issues are internal, and you can't see those until the cylinder is apart (unless the barrel had a rust hole or crack completely or through it, allowing oil to leak out). A bent rod can cock the piston enough to cause a leak passed the piston sealing components. Cylinder bore damage and piston damage can happen as well when rods get bent. It sounds to me like you are going to need to tear the cylinders down and do a careful inspection of them.

 

[Joe ellis]

You have not said the fluid level is correct in the reservoir or that it will lift full height without a load on it. I am guessing those things are true.

You said you don't see any leaks. external damage, like rust on rods will generally show as an external leak, as the seals get chewed out in the glands. The stopping of the lift action is internal. Piston and cylinder barrel issues are internal, and you can't see those until the cylinder is apart (unless the barrel had a rust hole or crack completely or through it, allowing oil to leak out). A bent rod can cock the piston enough to cause a leak passed the piston sealing components. Cylinder bore damage and piston damage can happen as well when rods get bent. It sounds to me like you are going to need to tear the cylinders down and do a careful inspection of them.

Yes the reservoir is full on the tractor and it will lift Max height with no load a older loader that’s never been rebuilt so I bet the orings are prolly shot and Sitting for 6 months to a year atleast has not helped nothing.

 

[cjunrau]

Westendorf ta-26 loader on a 4230 will raise about the height of the hood and Stops with weight on it. I can lift 1800-2000lb and it’ll be lifting it good and all of a sudden at about hood height it just stops and won’t go no higher like I took my hand off the valve and it goes to leak down extremely fast. It’s got a brand new prince joystick valve on it But the cylinders don’t leak a drop and the 2 1/2 inch tilt cylinders for the buckets will curl up and lift more than than the 3 inch lift cylinders. can they bypass that bad internal to cause that And not leak a drop on the outside?

will it lift if you go slow up. I find it hard to believe that it would lift and stop dead with an internal leak. I am thinking a ball in a quick coupler is your problem.

 

[Joe ellis]

will it lift if you go slow up. I find it hard to believe that it would lift and stop dead with an internal leak. I am thinking a ball in a quick coupler is your problem.

No it won’t do nothing once it reaches that certain point. How would a quick coupler cause that issue And what to check to see if that’s what it is it sure would be nice if it’s something simple I could have fixed quick

 

[Harry in Ky]

Your tractor is closed center hydraulics, right? So the loader valve is also closed center? If so, the return line from loader valve to tractor has no flow unless the loader valve and/or cylinders are in operation. If you disconnect that line from the tractor, place the open end in a clean bucket. Start the tractor and raise the loader. While the loader is raising the return oil from the rod end of the lift cylinders will end up in the bucket. When the loader reaches that point and stops lifting, what happens to that flow? If it keeps flowing then something in (at least) one of the cylinders is bypassing. If it stops when the loader stops raising you have some sort of supply/pressure related problem, not a cylinder issue.

 

[Jim.ME]

No it won’t do nothing once it reaches that certain point. How would a quick coupler cause that issue And what to check to see if that’s what it is it sure would be nice if it’s something simple I could have fixed quick

First, if you do not have any quick couplers in the hoses between the loader valve and the lift cylinders, it can't apply. Second, if there are couplers, it would seem it should affect it anytime the lift is raised.

 

[Joe ellis]

First, if you do not have any quick couplers in the hoses between the loader valve and the lift cylinders, it can't apply. Second, if there are couplers, it would seem it should affect it anytime the lift is raised.

there is 4 quick connects on the hoses going from the valve to the loader cause I keep the valve on 24/7 even when loaders off.

 

[Joe ellis]

Your tractor is closed center hydraulics, right? So the loader valve is also closed center? If so, the return line from loader valve to tractor has no flow unless the loader valve and/or cylinders are in operation. If you disconnect that line from the tractor, place the open end in a clean bucket. Start the tractor and raise the loader. While the loader is raising the return oil from the rod end of the lift cylinders will end up in the bucket. When the loader reaches that point and stops lifting, what happens to that flow? If it keeps flowing then something in (at least) one of the cylinders is bypassing. If it stops when the loader stops raising you have some sort of supply/pressure related problem, not a cylinder issue.

ok I’ll check into that

 

[Jim.ME]

there is 4 quick connects on the hoses going from the valve to the loader cause I keep the valve on 24/7 even when loaders off.

Since you have disconnects swap the lift hoses to the bucket couplers and the bucket hoses to the lift couplers. See if the problem stays with the lift circuit or flows to the bucket circuit. If it follows when hosed to the bucket couplers, the problem is in the lift cylinders.

 

[Joe ellis]

Since you have disconnects swap the lift hoses to the bucket couplers and the bucket hoses to the lift couplers. See if the problem stays with the lift circuit or flows to the bucket circuit. If it follows when hosed to the bucket couplers, the problem is in the lift cylinders.

ill try that and see what happens tomorrow it’s bad when you go to lift something off a semi and it won’t lift and I didn’t have anything else here at the time to unload had to go get another tractor.

 

[BarnyardEngineering]

First, if you do not have any quick couplers in the hoses between the loader valve and the lift cylinders, it can't apply. Second, if there are couplers, it would seem it should affect it anytime the lift is raised.

Not necessarily. The geometry and pressure requirements change as the loader raises.

 

[Joe ellis]

Not necessarily. The geometry and pressure requirements change as the loader raises.

its the weirdest thing because Itll lift up to loader capacity till hood height and it just won’t do nothing more. to load hay The other day with it I had to curl the bucket up and set it up on the trailer and then push it with the spear and straighten it. Ima jump on trying to get it fixed cause I gotta have this tractor and loader to unload a semi in the next 2-3 weeks. Only good thing about the westendorf loaders is I can take it off in 2 minutes to work on it and put it back on unlike the 148 on the other tractor

 

[Jim.ME]

Try swapping the hoses around and report back. Simple, easy and quick check, even if you have to change some fittings around.

 

[Joe ellis]

Try swapping the hoses around and report back. Simple, easy and quick check, even if you have to change some fittings around.

yea That’s the first thing ima do when I get out there and see if it makes a difference if it does that would mean either that spool on the valve or the quick connect coupler on the valve side is bad correct?

 

[Jim.ME]

yea That’s the first thing ima do when I get out there and see if it makes a difference if it does that would mean either that spool on the valve or the quick connect coupler on the valve side is bad correct?

Most likely