Will Not Lift

[lakergrad]

I have an L3600 with a front mounted snowblower. After blowing snow for about 45 minutes today, I lost the lift control (up and down). The controller inside the cab seems unable to maneuver for up and down control. I've checked the hydraulics by swapping the lines between the lift and tilt. When swapped, the lift control returns (using the left/right movement) and I lose tilt control (using lift/lower movement), so it's not hydraulic (I don't think). No signs of leaks either. Could it be a cable failure at the control lever? Like I said, the control lever still moves freely left to right, but not up/down. Thank you in advance.

 

[Fedup]

Failure? More likely ice in the cable.

 

[North Idaho Wolfman]

If when you swap lift for tilt and lift works again and tilt stops working, then it's a bad hydraulic quick connector, more than likely on the hose end.

 

[lakergrad]

Failure? More likely ice in the cable.

I doubt it. It does take warming up to get going and that was the case today. After warm up though, it worked fine for 45 minutes or so. I've never had ice build up in the cable while operating, but I suppose anything is possible. The symptoms when it's frozen are the same as now.

 

[lakergrad]

If when you swap lift for tilt and lift works again and tilt stops working, then it's a bad hydraulic quick connector, more than likely on the hose end.

Thanks. I actually rotated through all of the couplers to test the tilt/lift swap. All the couplers seemed to be fine, even though I had everything mixed up in terms of functionality. I never lost an individual function, always the up and down together. When I swapped with tilt, I gained it all back and lost all tilt (not just the left or just the right). Does that make sense? I'm not getting much, if any, cable movement in the control lever when trying to lift or lower (especially lower).

 

[jimh406]

How long has it been since you checked the fluid level?

 

[lakergrad]

How long has it been since you checked the fluid level?

Checked it today. Looks good.

 

[TheOldHokie]

If when you swap lift for tilt and lift works again and tilt stops working, then it's a bad hydraulic quick connector, more than likely on the hose end.

Careful - the bucket spool has a regen spool. Thats exactly what he would get if he reversed the rod and base end connections when moving the lines.

Dan

 

[TheOldHokie]

Thanks. I actually rotated through all of the couplers to test the tilt/lift swap. All the couplers seemed to be fine, even though I had everything mixed up in terms of functionality. I never lost an individual function, always the up and down together. When I swapped with tilt, I gained it all back and lost all tilt (not just the left or just the right). Does that make sense? I'm not getting much, if any, cable movement in the control lever when trying to lift or lower (especially lower).

Quit playing hydraulic musical chairs. The lift circuit is trivial. Put it back as before and check the lift cylinder for fluid delivery at each port.

Dan

 

[lakergrad]

If when you swap lift for tilt and lift works again and tilt stops working, then it's a bad hydraulic quick connector, more than likely on the hose end.

I swapped the connections and lift returned, lost tilt. I didn't swap hoses, just connected to the tilt pair of couplers. Could I have a bad coupler on the lift side? Again, controller symptoms are the same as when frozen before warming up. With the swap, the lift works immediately (although it's now left to right instead of up and down) with little warm up time. I'm just at a loss between a coupler issue and a cable issue...TIA!

 

[North Idaho Wolfman]

I swapped the connections and lift returned, lost tilt. I didn't swap hoses, just connected to the tilt pair of couplers. Could I have a bad coupler on the lift side? Again, controller symptoms are the same as when frozen before warming up. With the swap, the lift works immediately (although it's now left to right instead of up and down) with little warm up time. I'm just at a loss between a coupler issue and a cable issue...TIA!

Yes a bad coupler can do exactly that.

 

[lakergrad]

Yes a bad coupler can do exactly that.

Thank you. I’ve never been able to float either, so perhaps the coupler is the issue for both.

 

[TheOldHokie]

Thank you. I’ve never been able to float either, so perhaps the coupler is the issue for both.

All pf this and you are still guessing.

Put the couplers back where they belong Then one at a time remove the hose from each coupler and operate the joystick to see if you are getting flow through the discconnected coupler. You wont be guessing - you will know if its working or not. If all four couplers are flowing out you need to test inflow.

The couplers have nothing to do with never floating.. that suggests you have had something hooked up wrong or the joystick is busted.

Dan

 

[North Idaho Wolfman]

Thank you. I’ve never been able to float either, so perhaps the coupler is the issue for both.

No float points to a bad detent section of the valve.
And a broken detent can make the valve not operate normally for other operations.

 

[lakergrad]

I wanted to update in case it may help someone else with the same issue. It turned out to be the float detent that needed to be rebuilt. I replaced with detent rebuild kit and new spool housing kit. Thanks to everyone who made suggestions, especially North Idaho Wolfman.