Hydraulic drifting after sitting - normal?

[nerwin]

Sorry for my stupid question, I'm still a newbie after all.

I noticed, especially with the snow plow, when I park the tractor in the garage and lower the boom down and set the plow down...after a few times of not using the tractor..well so far it's been a week the end of the boom, where the pins are toward the SSQA plate is will be almost resting on the floor and the plow will be curled up.

Is this pretty normal after a week of not using it? I tried looking it up and a few say yes and others say no something is wrong somewhere as they shouldn't move at all. But I was always told all hydraulic cylinders eventually lose pressure from sitting long enough.

Sometimes I will try to angle the plow down so its tilted forward (dump) and then set it on the floor that way which seems to kinda "pinch" the geometry of the loader and it seems to stay that way much longer.

But I was just curious what others thought...is it pretty normal? I don't see anything leaking. Everything is dry as a bone except for the pins of course lol.

 

[NCL4701]

Normal.

 

[MtnViewRanch]

I look at it like this, does it hinder the operation of the tractor? As in do you need to be constantly correcting your adjustments? If not, then don't worry about it.

There are people who for whatever reason think that things are or need to be perfect, they ARE NOT.
I understand you are a newbie, thus the question, but those that told you that it should not move, well good luck with them.

 

[nerwin]

I look at it like this, does it hinder the operation of the tractor? As in do you need to be constantly correcting your adjustments? If not, then don't worry about it.

There are people who for whatever reason think that things are or need to be perfect, they ARE NOT.
I understand you are a newbie, thus the question, but those that told you that it should not move, well good luck with them.

I just wanted to be sure that's all. When using the tractor, no I don't have to make any adjustments. I left the loader up a few feet from the ground when I was doing something for over an hour and didn't move at all. Just when it sits unused for a couple weeks it moves all by itself haha.

But yeah I was reading on another tractor forum from someone asking a similar question and people were like no...you need to repack the cylinders. I guess maybe they didn't understand. I don't know.

 

[NCL4701]

But yeah I was reading on another tractor forum from someone asking a similar question and people were like no...you need to repack the cylinders. I guess maybe they didn't understand. I don't know.

In theory, it’s a closed system so unless a valve is moved to allow flow it shouldn’t move. Theoretical valves don’t leak at all and theoretical seals don’t leak at all, so theoretical systems work perfectly, thus they don’t move when parked.

Real life valves and seals leak at least a small amount, at least those on SCUTs, CUTs, utility tractors, and farm tractors. Folks that say they have a smallish tractor with hydraulics that don’t leak down over a week plus of sitting either have a unicorn of a machine or they have theoretical knowledge with zero practical experience. IMO, whether operating for my father, myself, or employer, SOP for parking any machine with hydraulics that lift things (tractor, cable plow, excavator, forklift, etc.) is to lower all implements, booms, etc. to a resting position on the ground or where mechanically supported. Things that need to stay in an elevated position have to be pinned, chained, or otherwise mechanically supported (backhoe stabilizers came to mind, but there are likely other examples).

To do otherwise can be dangerous as the weight of whatever is suspended will eventually come to rest on something as the hydraulics leak down. You may suspect that “something” is your shop floor, but if you aren’t there when it comes to rest several days after you park it, it could come to rest on your dog, your toddler’s foot, or some object that was inadvertently moved to the crush zone.

As MtnViewRanch stated, if it’s not impacting performance while in use it’s normal. Just be sure to lower everything to the ground when you park it at the end of the day.

 

[North Idaho Wolfman]

I just wanted to be sure that's all. When using the tractor, no I don't have to make any adjustments. I left the loader up a few feet from the ground when I was doing something for over an hour and didn't move at all. Just when it sits unused for a couple weeks it moves all by itself haha.

But yeah I was reading on another tractor forum from someone asking a similar question and people were like no...you need to repack the cylinders. I guess maybe they didn't understand. I don't know.

It's perfectly normal, some drift more than others.

 

[mendonsy]

My B7500 loader (LA302) has drifted since I bought it 20 years ago . . . . up until last summer when I had the cylinders rebuilt. Now it doesn't drift at all. I don't expect that to last long, but it's nice for now.