Bucket not level left to right

[pinkerpv]

I have a L3800 tractor with a LA524 loader. Years ago I was clearing land of scrub and small trees and doing some earth removal. In the process the bucket became uneven from left to right. The bottom left side of the bucket is appx 1/2 inch higher than the bottom right side. I have lived with this for ome time but woulod like to correct it. I have inspected the loader arms several time and can not find and crack or bend. They are pretty massive. The main frame bolts are tight. Before i loosen the bolts and adjust the arms I was hoping someone had an easier solution.

The loader is not equipped with the quick attach mechanism. I can remove the loader but have never done that. When I first purchased the tractor and loader the bucket was level left to right. So it happened during my efforts at clearing the land. I am assuming the right lift arm has shifted down some allowing the right side of the bucked to be lower than the left side.

 

[Vlach7]

Pictures?

 

[The Evil Twin]

I don't think mine has ever been level with the tractor. Currently listing right. Tomorrow maybe left. I judge this by the hood and brush bar.

 

[NCL4701]

I’m not sure a 1/2” makes much difference unless you’re mucking out concrete barn floors, but if it bothers you, it bothers you.

To check/adjust level I would get it on a solid, level surface such as concrete or asphalt. Not just any concrete or asphalt, but somewhere level side to side large enough to encompass the entire loader and tractor. Set the bucket close to the ground but not touching to determine how far it’s off.

Then check the tire pressure in all 4 tires. Fronts can be different from rears but fronts need to match each other and rears need to match each other. Differences in tire pressure can make it off by 1/2” or more (and if it’s differences in the rear tires it could make a slight cant relative to the hood/grille guard).

Once that’s done, check tire diameter, or if you prefer, axle height on both ends. Particularly the back tires: if one was replaced at a different time than the other or they’re not the same model, they may be slightly different diameter due to difference in wear, etc. even if the numbers stamped on the sidewall match.

If the bucket is level with the ground, I wouldn’t mess with it further. Relation to the ground is what matters to function. If it isn’t, I would loosen the mounting bolts with the bucket on the ground, then retorque them and hope there’s enough play in them to get to flat or closer than it is now.

I would be quite hesitant to get into trying to bend the loader back to level to correct a 1/2” difference from one end of the bucket to the other end unless you have some specific use where it’s a problem (such as mucking out concrete floored animal enclosures as mentioned above). If you have an annoying aesthetic issue that isn’t a functional issue and start trying to bend the loader to correct it, you could easily be trading a non-functional issue for a functional issue. Of course, your tractor/loader so YMMV.

 

[pinkerpv]

I’m not sure a 1/2” makes much difference unless you’re mucking out concrete barn floors, but if it bothers you, it bothers you.

To check/adjust level I would get it on a solid, level surface such as concrete or asphalt. Not just any concrete or asphalt, but somewhere level side to side large enough to encompass the entire loader and tractor. Set the bucket close to the ground but not touching to determine how far it’s off.

Then check the tire pressure in all 4 tires. Fronts can be different from rears but fronts need to match each other and rears need to match each other. Differences in tire pressure can make it off by 1/2” or more (and if it’s differences in the rear tires it could make a slight cant relative to the hood/grille guard).

Once that’s done, check tire diameter, or if you prefer, axle height on both ends. Particularly the back tires: if one was replaced at a different time than the other or they’re not the same model, they may be slightly different diameter due to difference in wear, etc. even if the numbers stamped on the sidewall match.

If the bucket is level with the ground, I wouldn’t mess with it further. Relation to the ground is what matters to function. If it isn’t, I would loosen the mounting bolts with the bucket on the ground, then retorque them and hope there’s enough play in them to get to flat or closer than it is now.

I would be quite hesitant to get into trying to bend the loader back to level to correct a 1/2” difference from one end of the bucket to the other end unless you have some specific use where it’s a problem (such as mucking out concrete floored animal enclosures as mentioned above). If you have an annoying aesthetic issue that isn’t a functional issue and start trying to bend the loader to correct it, you could easily be trading a non-functional issue for a functional issue. Of course, your tractor/loader so YMMV.

Thanks for your response. Tire pressure is OK. No axel changes. Maybe I should have said 1/2 to 1 inch. It hinders my ability to grade with the bucket in reverse and pick up limbs and branches as I move along. Or move piles of trash and tree trimmings. This generally relates to burn piles. As I attempt to move the trash/limbs one side will dig into the dirt. Correcting for that then lets trash and limbs pass thru. I make do but am interested in fixing it. Not sure I want to loosen the mainframe bolts. 8 on each side. But that is what i must do I guess.

 

[Henro]

Then check the tire pressure in all 4 tires. Fronts can be different from rears but fronts need to match each other and rears need to match each other. Differences in tire pressure can make it off by 1/2” or more (and if it’s differences in the rear tires it could make a slight cant relative to the hood/grille guard).

I could be wrong, but it’s always been my understanding that because the front axle is on a pivot point, that front tire pressures would not have any influence on whether the loader is level with the ground or not.

The loader is locked in position with the rear axle, since there’s no suspension on the rear axle and both are mounted on the tractor frame. So if the rear axle is not level due to a different tire pressure, left to right, then the loader will also be sloped in a similar fashion. Or so the story goes… Always seemed logical to me.

 

[Henro]

Thanks for your response. Tire pressure is OK. No axel changes. Maybe I should have said 1/2 to 1 inch. It hinders my ability to grade with the bucket in reverse and pick up limbs and branches as I move along. Or move piles of trash and tree trimmings. This generally relates to burn piles. As I attempt to move the trash/limbs one side will dig into the dirt. Correcting for that then lets trash and limbs pass thru. I make do but am interested in fixing it. Not sure I want to loosen the mainframe bolts. 8 on each side. But that is what i must do I guess.

There is always a chance you have tires with different diameters overall. This has been reported in the past by other people if my memory is correct.

You need to measure from a flat surface up to the center of the axle on both sides in the rear to be sure. You could also measure the overall diameter of the rear tires as it sits on the flat surface. Might require a helper because to do it accurately you probably need to put a level on the top of the tire and then make your measurement from the bottom of the level down to the flat surface.

edit: You really want to be sure before you start tweaking things mechanically.

Second edit: I see you mentioned that this is something that happened suddenly some years ago when you were clearing some land. So something could’ve shifted mechanically at that moment, or maybe you just became aware of the situation situation at that moment? Either case if the axle in the rear is level with the flat surface you’re referencing to, then chances are pretty good something shifted mechanically like you noticed back then.

 

[NCL4701]

Thanks for your response. Tire pressure is OK. No axel changes. Maybe I should have said 1/2 to 1 inch. It hinders my ability to grade with the bucket in reverse and pick up limbs and branches as I move along. Or move piles of trash and tree trimmings. This generally relates to burn piles. As I attempt to move the trash/limbs one side will dig into the dirt. Correcting for that then lets trash and limbs pass thru. I make do but am interested in fixing it. Not sure I want to loosen the mainframe bolts. 8 on each side. But that is what i must do I guess.

If you eliminate any potential tire issues, which seem to be a common source of slightly uneven loaders, loosening the loader mount bolts and re-torquing is about the easiest, most non-invasive thing you could do. I retorqued the numerous mount bolts on my L’s loader the first time at 100 hours partly because it was a little off kilter in both directions depending on what day you looked at it. They were all loose; some not even fully compressing the lock washers. So I understand, if the mount bolts on yours are similar, a 6’ torque wrench would be handy for that project. Not much way around it.

 

[AM28]

Like everybody else is saying once you eliminate tire issues, just set it down on the ground on a perfectly flat surface, loosen all the nuts and bolts, jiggle it around until it sits flat, then torque them all back up.

 

[pinkerpv]

If you eliminate any potential tire issues, which seem to be a common source of slightly uneven loaders, loosening the loader mount bolts and re-torquing is about the easiest, most non-invasive thing you could do. I retorqued the numerous mount bolts on my L’s loader the first time at 100 hours partly because it was a little off kilter in both directions depending on what day you looked at it. They were all loose; some not even fully compressing the lock washers. So I understand, if the mount bolts on yours are similar, a 6’ torque wrench would be handy for that project. Not much way around it.

Thanks.

 

[pinkerpv]

Like everybody else is saying once you eliminate tire issues, just set it down on the ground on a perfectly flat surface, loosen all the nuts and bolts, jiggle it around until it sits flat, then torque them all back up.

OK