Wondering if anyone has seen this. Loader hydraulics have gotten progressively slower and weaker, UNLESS I turn steering, at which point full speed and strength return. Gotten in habit of turning the wheels while digging into a pile. I notice the hydraulics are plumbed so that discharge from steering feeds into main pickup line right before the pump, kind of short circuiting the main loop. I suspected a vacuum leak between reservoir and pump, which was fixed as long as steering discharge was filling the line. Had it all apart and can’t see any sign of that though, it’s all good and tight. The strainer is not clogged. Power steering works fine. Now I wonder if there can be an internal fluid leak in steering only when it’s not loaded? Totally stumped, anyone seen this before? Machine has 3000 hrs, pump still strong. Loader priority valve is in correct position.
B1550 power steering affecting loader
- Thread starter Applefarmer
- Start date
North Idaho Wolfman
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Equipment
L3450DT-GST, Woods FEL, B7100 HSD, FEL, 60" SB, 743 Bobcat with V2203, and more
Sounds like it could be a pressure relief valve issue in the power steering.
Or maybe a problem with the priority valve.
Or maybe a problem with the priority valve.
Thanks. Power steering relief is good, in fact I checked out the whole power steering since one time before I lost steering and had to replace the washer-shaped bearing races and bearings around the spool valve - one of the races had shattered. All checked out fine. I had the machine split to replace the HST charge pump, and was hoping to track down the hydraulic problem too. I checked every suction hose and connection, the strainers, new filter, new oil. Put it all back together and it seems a little better, but not much. The way the hydraulics are plumbed the outflow from the HST goes through the cooler and t's back in to the inlet for the pump...maybe with the charge pump fixed I'm getting a little boost? Anyway the loader is slow until I turn the steering and then it zooms into action. Will not pick up front of machine until I turn the wheel, then it does easily. Once the wheels are up off the ground loader will lose power unless I turn the wheel all the way to activate relief. But the relief valve looked fine, good spring, no foreign matter, oil was clean and I change it periodically.
How would the priority valve be a factor? I have not opened it up, and I don't really understand how it "prioritizes." 3pt works, new seals on pistons a few moths ago. Loader/steering problem been very slowly getting worse for a year.
Only other thing to know is I have worked the loader hard, the joystick valve looks fine, nothing leaks, but the joystick linkage is super sloppy, would wear in the joystick valve somehow cause a problem that could be steering related? The valve does not get hot, nor does the power steering.
Thanks!
How would the priority valve be a factor? I have not opened it up, and I don't really understand how it "prioritizes." 3pt works, new seals on pistons a few moths ago. Loader/steering problem been very slowly getting worse for a year.
Only other thing to know is I have worked the loader hard, the joystick valve looks fine, nothing leaks, but the joystick linkage is super sloppy, would wear in the joystick valve somehow cause a problem that could be steering related? The valve does not get hot, nor does the power steering.
Thanks!
North Idaho Wolfman
Moderator
Staff member
Lifetime Member
Equipment
L3450DT-GST, Woods FEL, B7100 HSD, FEL, 60" SB, 743 Bobcat with V2203, and more
Are you talking about the relief valve in the hydraulic block or the valve in the steering box?
Diverter valve:
Diverter valve:
Attachments
There was a bulletin on this problem and a kit to repair it a few years ago. I don't work at a dealership anymore so I don't have access to the bulletin. what they did though was separate the steering return and return it directly to the transmission instead of the hydraulic pump suction line. It shouldn't be very hard to come up with the fittings to do it yourself.
I checked only the relief on the left side of the steering box, next to the steering outlet line.
Thanks for the diverter valve diagram. Looks like lots of potential problems in all the parts you highlighted - I will disassemble it when I am in a patient mood!
Wolfman your advice to folks has saved me hours over the years thank you!
Eserv That is very interesting - Do you think I could just T it to the transmission filler neck where the loader return goes in under the seat? I would love to try that and eliminate the steering connection just to see what it does.
Thanks for the diverter valve diagram. Looks like lots of potential problems in all the parts you highlighted - I will disassemble it when I am in a patient mood!
Wolfman your advice to folks has saved me hours over the years thank you!
Eserv That is very interesting - Do you think I could just T it to the transmission filler neck where the loader return goes in under the seat? I would love to try that and eliminate the steering connection just to see what it does.
What did you end up doing to solve this problem? I have the exact same issue and I don't know what to do to fix it. Did you take eserv's advice? If so, did it work?
I wanted to follow up on this for future reference since no one responded. I have since fixed this issue and it turned out to just need a new priority valve and that fixed the issue.