Problems with loader float setting

[kulppac]

I recently purchased a L3301 with a LA525 loader and BH77 backhoe. I am having trouble with my float position on my loader. My joystick clicks into position as it should, but when I move forward to scrape I loose my ability to steer because my front tires are being held a fraction of an inch off to ground my the loader. The tires make contact with the ground when I run in reverse. This is going to be a problem when I need to scrape snow this winter. My service man has been out and said everything is ok and that it is just the surface of my driveway. I tested on the flat asphalt highway in front of my house with the same result. I wonder if there needs to be some adjustments for the weight of the backhoe I have on the back? Any thoughts before I call the service man back out?
Thanks,
kulppac

 

[bambam31]

I find that when I try to ease my FEL into the float position it will lift the front tires as you described. I solved the problem by getting the bucket closed the ground and then giving the joystick a quick snap into the float position.

 

[RCW]

Try curling the bucket up just a tad above level, so the cutting edge isn't digging in.

 

[Grouse Feathers]

I don't think there is any adjustment that has to do with weight on the back of the tractor. I use the loader to lift the front wheels of the tractor off the ground as far as possible and then push the control into the float position. If the front wheels don't come back down to the ground the float position isn't working right.

 

[OldeEnglish]

It may be because of the weight of the BH. When the FEL is in float, it is no longer a counterweight for the BH. Try it without the BH and I bet you find the float works just fine.

 

[Grouse Feathers]

It may be because of the weight of the BH. When the FEL is in float, it is no longer a counterweight for the BH. Try it without the BH and I bet you find the float works just fine.

Instead of taking the BH off, put the BH support legs down then lift the front wheels with the fel as I described above.

 

[OldeEnglish]

Instead of taking the BH off, put the BH support legs down then lift the front wheels with the fel as I described above.

I get what your trying to say there and that should tell you if the float works, but your putting all of the weight of the whole tractor onto the float. If that doesn't work, then something is definitally wrong with the float.

I have the same problem with my 7100 with the snowblower on the back. The blower is too heavy for the tractor, if I use the float on my blade, the tractor will actually wheelie once it gets the slightest amount of up force. It also does it to me on my pop's b2910 with the hoe on the back, except only when back dragging going in reverse down the driveway that is a hill. Once the hoe comes off, the rear counterweight is lost putting the front weight of the tractor back to the front tires. Don't forget, that hoe is very heavy and a float still has some resistance (that's why it drops from the air slowly and not like you just dropped it out of the air).

If you have a lot of weight on the rear, the float takes away the counter weight of the FEL. With enough force or a good bump, the resistance can be enough to lift the front of the tractor until you lift the FEL to regain that counterweight.

 

[Bulldog]

If you plan to leave the BH on you'll just have to set the bucket on the ground and not use the float position. That way you can control the amount of weight on the front tires and keep them on the ground. What you are describing is normal.

 

[KennedyFarmer]

I have L3901 and have the same issues with float. it seems it will cut in or i will lose steering. i have been able to use it successfully only a few times, where it actually does float. Seems to work 100% when i don't want it too and have accidentally engaged it. i have no counter weight so i am not sure if that has anything to do with it.

The manual for the loader says the bucket should be on the ground before engaging but i have noticed this is when it lifts the front tires up.

my success has been when back dragging and it accidentally engages, which is completely useless! or at some point between the bucket up a little and if it is engaged on the odd or even second while the sun and moon and other planets are in the right position

 

[Bulldog]

Maybe we need to have a short loader school.

Float really isn't used when going forward unless you are on a hard surface like asphalt. And even then if the cutting edge bites in you have problems. 99.9% of the time float is only used in reverse.

I think back to what a old operator told me. He said if you can't cut smooth going forward there's no reason to try and fix it going backwards.

 

[mdhughes]

I also have a L3901 and I used float while clearing snow off my gravel driveway this last winter. If you angle the bucket to where it is going to bite you will lift the front end up. I think it works pretty good in float mode going forward pushing snow.

 

[tcrote5516]

Maybe we need to have a short loader school.

Float really isn't used when going forward unless you are on a hard surface like asphalt. And even then if the cutting edge bites in you have problems. 99.9% of the time float is only used in reverse.

I think back to what a old operator told me. He said if you can't cut smooth going forward there's no reason to try and fix it going backwards.

I use float going forward all winter long for snow removal. I have a paved driveway with hills and otherwise I would constantly be adjusting the bucket level to match the terrain (PITA) and it wouldn't do near as clean of a job.

I kick into float from the ground and often right after I dump the bucket from 4' and just let it drop to the ground. I've never run into the problem described here. I only have a back blade on my pto but I can't see a BH causing so much counterweight as to cause the front wheels to come off the ground.

If you remove the FEL completely does the tractor just wheelie around?...I don't think it would. Something is up with the float position causing downpressure.

 

[Bulldog]

If you remove the FEL completely does the tractor just wheelie around?...I don't think it would. Something is up with the float position causing downpressure.

It might surprise you. My brother had a B7500 and with a 4' rotary cutter on the back I could grab the front of his tractor and lift the front wheels off the ground by hand. A Bh would weigh another 500 - 600 lbs so yes it's might just do nothing but wheel stands without a loader. Honestly, it doesn't matter what size it is. All backhoes are light in the front end.

A 4672 backhoe on a B7100 even with a loader makes it all but useless. Mash the foot throttle and it would wheel stand on flat ground. No longer able to pull up on a trailer and even after adding weights to the front and filling the front tires I still had to back up most hills from that point on. A Bh makes a tremendous counterweight and will really upset the stability of smaller tractors.

Going by what has been described I still believe the float position is working properly. It's not down pressure, it doesn't have any hydraulic resistance. The added weight of the Bh, slight friction from the cutting edge and forward momentum simply lift the front tires off the ground. It's very common and that's why you can't depend on using float. A good operator learns to feather the controls and follow the ground conditions without using float.

 

[koja]

You have to learn to use the "curl" on your bucket . Even though it is in float you still need to work the curl . Too much curl and the bucket digs in lifting the front of the tractor . What is happening is the bucket wants to stop and the machine is trying to go over it . Nothing wrong with the float on yours. It is normal . Simple physics .

 

[MadMax31]

I think Bulldog nailed it,

You have to ever-so-slightly curl bucket up to prevent and digging, or catching of that lip. Ive had mine in float and pulled a wheelie because my crappy non-level ground caught the lip and up I went.

Clearing snow on asphalt in float should be no issue, but add gravel and you may have to curl lip up half inch....

 

[85Hokie]

I think Bulldog nailed it,

You have to ever-so-slightly curl bucket up to prevent and digging, or catching of that lip. Ive had mine in float and pulled a wheelie because my crappy non-level ground caught the lip and up I went.

Clearing snow on asphalt in float should be no issue, but add gravel and you may have to curl lip up half inch....

I was thinking about this post yesterday......moving a bit of gravel picking up and pushing and backdragging.......I agree - lip up a bit in float mode and it works like a charm going forward. When I backdrag in float mode - I will leave the bucket very flat, the edge of the toothbar ( about 1/2") works perfectly to gather those stray rocks and place them in the low spots.

 

[KennedyFarmer]

I ran float over the weekend and today, no lifting of the front tires. but i never had that issue. it seems that my idea of float wasn't really float it drags the bucket on the ground. Which if you don't curl the edge up it will cut in.