FEL and Float

[In Utopia]

Since I'm not near my L175 I can't play with it, so maybe someone can enlighten me.
Heard a lot about "float" on a loader. Just wondering if that's what I have on my setup. What I've noticed is that when the down lever is pushed all the way down, of course the bucket goes down, and that's it. If I pull back slightly from the down lever position, not only will the bucket go down, but it's able to lift the front end up.
Is this considered a "float" system?
Here's a pic showing my control levers.

 

[ipz2222]

A float valve should have 4 positions. Pull back (1), it will raise the bucket. Let off, it returns to neutral (2), push fwd 1 detent, (3)bucket goes down and will lift the front end, push hard fwd,(4) if bucket is up it will drop and stop at the ground, if you move , bucket will (float) move up and down with the terrain. The exception is, if the cutting lip is in the ground, the bucket will dig in and raise the front end. Does sound like you have float. It's mainly used for leveling soft dirt and lite gravel while backing up.

 

[Tooljunkie]

While in float, the loader will ride up and down, following the contours of the ground, by rolling bucket back or forward you can control how much material you move or to level, drag material while backblading.
I find especially useful for clearing snow, it will scrape down clean and permit the front wheels to stay on ground for steering and traction.

 

[North Idaho Wolfman]

Looking at your valve if the inside lever is up and down you should have the detent/float control on that valve. The detent "locks" the lever in place for it to allow the loader to float up and down.
If it's not working it could be that it just needs the valve rebuilt.

 

[In Utopia]

I'm afraid I'm not following what you're trying to tell me. The levers are up-and-down. When released, both levers will go back to the neutral position by themselves.

 

[Tooljunkie]

So your loader does not have float. Pushing lever part way bleeds oil off allowing bucket to touch ground,and pushing the loader lever all way forward just puts downpressure on the bucket-making wheels lift off ground

 

[In Utopia]

So your loader does not have float. Pushing lever part way bleeds oil off allowing bucket to touch ground,and pushing the loader lever all way forward just puts downpressure on the bucket-making wheels lift off ground

No, pushing the lever all the way forward lowers the bucket to the ground. Then, if I pull the lever back slightly that's when the front and will come up off the ground.

 

[85Hokie]

No, pushing the lever all the way forward lowers the bucket to the ground. Then, if I pull the lever back slightly that's when the front and will come up off the ground.

Ok, as everyone has said.......try this if you can soon, rotate the bucket back so that the front lip is slightly up, or if you have a tooth bar, teeth up.

Place all the way forward on the stick.....move forward......does the bucket stay still and hit highs and lows? OR does the bucket "float" up and down over the terrain? move it back a bit as you said - IF in float, you have to PULL it out of it, the detent is bypassed. It will NOT snap back to a "neutral" spot

 

[In Utopia]

Thanks, good explanation! I'll start playing with it Thursday.

 

[North Idaho Wolfman]

No, pushing the lever all the way forward lowers the bucket to the ground. Then, if I pull the lever back slightly that's when the front and will come up off the ground.

And then after you lift the front of the tractor up pushing forward more on the lever lets the loader rise and the tractor fall, That would be right.
If the handle doesn't "lock" in when the valve is shoved forward then the detent balls are probably stuck and just need a rebuild kit.

 

[Lil Foot]

I'm guessing you have the float function with the lever held all the way forward, what you don't have is the detent that holds the lever forward, a common problem with this particular valve. (I have the same one on my B7100) The problem is probably in the cap that NIW highlighted, the detent parts rust away, and they are no longer available. Try the test suggested above...... when I need float I just hold the lever forward.

 

[GWD]

OK, I'll take a shot at a test.

Lower your bucket onto a stump, concrete block, or the like. Then push the lever forward to lift the front wheels just a bit. Let it sit for a second.

Now, push the lever as far forward as possible. It may take extra effort to get past the detent mechanism.

The lifted front wheels should plop to the ground. If they do, then you have a float position - all the way forward.

 

[Tweetybrun]

OK, I'll take a shot at a test.

Lower your bucket onto a stump, concrete block, or the like. Then push the lever forward to lift the front wheels just a bit. Let it sit for a second.

Now, push the lever as far forward as possible. It may take extra effort to get past the detent mechanism.

The lifted front wheels should plop to the ground. If they do, then you have a float position - all the way forward.

I have a LA524 FEL. Does that model FEL have a float position? I can not find it.

 

[GWD]

I have a LA524 FEL. Does that model FEL have a float position? I can not find it.

Oddly enough, SOME loaders have the float position all the way back rather than all the way forward!!! Try both directions.

Here is a video from Vic at OTT:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6JusApSZ-rU

 

[In Utopia]

Finally got to check to see if I had float, and yes indeed I do.
Always wondered why the up/down stick would sometimes stick in the down position, now I know.
Value on the "Beast" just went up.

 

[Benhameen]

I have a LA524 FEL. Does that model FEL have a float position? I can not find it.

That's the same FEL I have and if you push the lever all the way forward it goes into float mode.

 

[In Utopia]

That's the same FEL I have and if you push the lever all the way forward it goes into float mode.

Yep, the two previous owners knew nothing about it.

 

[Tweetybrun]

Thanks. I'll try it tomorrow.

 

[OlTrailDog]

I just picked up a L345DT with a L1720 FEL and 4672 BH. I had the same float question and the fellow I bought the tractor from said it didn't have float. I couldn't believe that such a nice FEL wouldn't have float and resorted to asking the local Kubota shop.
The mechanic said the L1720 did. BUT he strongly encouraged me to take the detent spool end apart, spray some WD40, and add a little grease to it because they can rust (as has previously been mentioned). He said if I didn't and there was a bunch of rust and gunk it could stick in the float position and it would then become a real PIA to fix. As per his suggestion I took the end of the detent spool off and sure enough there was some gunk and rust present.

From there it became real interesting since I decided to take the inner metal cap apart and SPRONG went four steel balls and two springs...OMG! I cleaned it up and it took me about four hours to manipulate the springs and balls back into the cup. Now the float works beautifully.

Lesson learned...dont't take the inner metal cap that houses the balls and springs all the way off. Stick the WD40 red tube inside without dissassembling completely, hose it down, squirt a little grease in and save yourself an exciting experience. The best part is that I am convinced that Jesus was there helping me to find the balls and springs every single time they went flying. Believe me it was nothing short of miraculous...Hallelujah!

 

[GWD]

I just picked up a L345DT with a L1720 FEL and 4672 BH. I had the same float question and the fellow I bought the tractor from said it didn't have float. I couldn't believe that such a nice FEL wouldn't have float and resorted to asking the local Kubota shop.
The mechanic said the L1720 did. BUT he strongly encouraged me to take the detent spool end apart, spray some WD40, and add a little grease to it because they can rust (as has previously been mentioned). He said if I didn't and there was a bunch of rust and gunk it could stick in the float position and it would then become a real PIA to fix. As per his suggestion I took the end of the detent spool off and sure enough there was some gunk and rust present.

From there it became real interesting since I decided to take the inner metal cap apart and SPRONG went four steel balls and two springs...OMG! I cleaned it up and it took me about four hours to manipulate the springs and balls back into the cup. Now the float works beautifully.

Lesson learned...dont't take the inner metal cap that houses the balls and springs all the way off. Stick the WD40 red tube inside without dissassembling completely, hose it down, squirt a little grease in and save yourself an exciting experience. The best part is that I am convinced that Jesus was there helping me to find the balls and springs every single time they went flying. Believe me it was nothing short of miraculous...Hallelujah!

Yes, I did the exact same thing on a L3650 loader. An absolute nightmare to get it back together. The insides were pretty gummed up.

I can't remember if I came with a hole in the thin bottom cup or whether I drilled it myself but there ended up being a hole there. It was just big enough to stick a WD-40 tube up it and hose it for a bit. Then the WD-40 and any gunk would drain out. Every time the tractor was greased the treatment was done to the loader spool. Never had a problem after that.