L285 Model 700 Loader control valve failed

[Squawker Ranch]

Hi,

My L285 has a Model 700 Loader. Control Valve #1, which lifts/lowers the arm, is sticking, and the shaft appears to have scoring and may be bent. I had it rebuilt recently, but the repair shop said he could only replace the o-rings, that the shaft would be near impossible to find.

The Operator's Manual has a reference that says the control valve is the same as the #657 for a 619B Backhoe. Does anyone have a used unit? or are there aftermarket parts that you recommend instead of the original parts?

Thanks,

T

 

[Dave_eng]

Almost any loader valve will work.
Avoid the temptation to buy one with high flow rating numbers like say 25 gpm.
The reason is that such a valve will not give you the fine control you want with a loader, it will have bigger port sizes than you need thus taking more space to install.
Look for a valve with 10 gpm or less.

When you remove your valve very carefully mark hoses. Your tractor may have power steering and thus a hydraulic flow divider. We have owners coming to this forum all the time after they have mixed up hoses and now weird things are happening.

Likely your current valve has two levers, Now is the time to switch to a joystick control if you want but there is no need to do anything except replace what you have.

Count the number of ports on the existing valve. It will be 6 or 7. This is important because with 7 ports your existing valve has a power beyond feature and your replacement valve will need to be ordered with this feature. It is just a simple add on part but critical.

These three valves from Surplus Center are one which will work. Note the two lever one is rated for 8 gpm and the other two are 10 gpm.

Surplus Center

Buying an American made product has benefits in terms of technical support but this need is unlikely unless you have visions for adding other loader features like a grapple.

You will spend some time at a local hydraulics shop buying fittings to mate your old hoses to the new valve. Avoid the temptation to use metal plumbing fittings as these are dangerous with the pressures in a hydraulic system.

You will have questions. Don't hesitate to ask them.

Count your # of hoses.............

This is what power beyond spools look like. it is critical you get one when you buy new valve even if you do not want its features now as trying to find the correct one at a later date is chancy.

Dave

 

[Squawker Ranch]

Almost any loader valve will work.
Avoid the temptation to buy one with high flow rating numbers like say 25 gpm.
The reason is that such a valve will not give you the fine control you want with a loader, it will have bigger port sizes than you need thus taking more space to install.
Look for a valve with 10 gpm or less.

When you remove your valve very carefully mark hoses. Your tractor may have power steering and thus a hydraulic flow divider. We have owners coming to this forum all the time after they have mixed up hoses and now weird things are happening.

Likely your current valve has two levers, Now is the time to switch to a joystick control if you want but there is no need to do anything except replace what you have.

Count the number of ports on the existing valve. It will be 6 or 7. This is important because with 7 ports your existing valve has a power beyond feature and your replacement valve will need to be ordered with this feature. It is just a simple add on part but critical.

These three valves from Surplus Center are one which will work. Note the two lever one is rated for 8 gpm and the other two are 10 gpm.

View attachment 72700

Surplus Center

Buying an American made product has benefits in terms of technical support but this need is unlikely unless you have visions for adding other loader features like a grapple.

You will spend some time at a local hydraulics shop buying fittings to mate your old hoses to the new valve. Avoid the temptation to use metal plumbing fittings as these are dangerous with the pressures in a hydraulic system.

You will have questions. Don't hesitate to ask them.

Count your # of hoses.............

This is what power beyond spools look like. it is critical you get one when you buy new valve even if you do not want its features now as trying to find the correct one at a later date is chancy.

View attachment 72701

Dave

Thanks Dave. I was aware of the aftermarket option but not the specs. I had no idea regarding the flow rate, so that was a big help. The L285 doesn’t have power steering, so no need for power beyond. I’m trying to avoid getting a PhD for the L285 as I intend to move on from it sooner than later, but I do need the loader to function for now.

 

[Dave_eng]

Thanks Dave. I was aware of the aftermarket option but not the specs. I had no idea regarding the flow rate, so that was a big help. The L285 doesn’t have power steering, so no need for power beyond. I’m trying to avoid getting a PhD for the L285 as I intend to move on from it sooner than later, but I do need the loader to function for now.

Regardless of having power steering, your existing valve may be set up using power beyond to feed the 3 pt hitch.
Count the hoses.............
Dave

 

[TheOldHokie]

Regardless of having power steering, your existing valve may be set up using power beyond to feed the 3 pt hitch.
Count the hoses.............
Dave

A complete make and model number for the loader would be helpful. I cant find anything using the "700" provided. Photo of the valve would also help.

The parts manual for the tractor seems to show a stack valve on the side of the 3pt housing and possibly a secondary hydraulic outlet block in the high pressure hydraulic supply tube coming from the pump. I cant imagine not needing power beyond.

Dan

 

[Squawker Ranch]

A complete make and model number for the loader would be helpful. I cant find anything using the "700" provided. Photo of the valve would also help.

The parts manual for the tractor seems to show a stack valve on the side of the 3pt housing and possibly a secondary hydraulic outlet block in the high pressure hydraulic supply tube coming from the pump. I cant imagine not needing power beyond.

Dan

There are two hoses coming off of the pump going to the valve, then four hoses connecting to the loader. The pump is part of the 3pt mechanism and sits directly under the seat. Without the loader option, there is no loader control valve, but there is a 3pt and 3pt controller.

 

[Squawker Ranch]

There are two hoses coming off of the pump going to the valve, then four hoses connecting to the loader. The pump is part of the 3pt mechanism and sits directly under the seat. Without the loader option, there is no loader control valve, but there is a 3pt and 3pt controller.

Sorry, didn’t answer fully. The operator’s manual states that it is a Kubota Model 700 Loader. There is no reference for it online, nor does Kubota have anything digitized in their parts system as a “local option”. If I have time later, I’ll scan the manual

 

[TheOldHokie]

There are two hoses coming off of the pump going to the valve, then four hoses connecting to the loader. The pump is part of the 3pt mechanism and sits directly under the seat. Without the loader option, there is no loader control valve, but there is a 3pt and 3pt controller.

Whoaaaa! According to the Kubota parts diagram the pump is engine mounted. There are two connections going to the rear - one is a suction line for oil supply which includes a filter assembly. The other is a pressure line going to the three point. In the upper right inset the parts diagram is indicating something that looks like a hydraulic outlet block. I think we need a couple pictures of your machine - in particular the pump, loader valve and hoses.

Dan

 

[Squawker Ranch]

I think we need a couple pictures of your machine - in particular the pump, loader valve and hoses.

I’m happy with two control arms-I’ve gotten used to them, so I’m considering the following: https://www.surpluscenter.com/Hydra...M-Chief-220907-DA-Hydraulic-Valve-9-12461.axd

The question I have now is which adapters do I need to add to the order. Are the fittings SAE 8?

 

[Squawker Ranch]

More from the manual. You can’t find this online. Maybe for sale on eBay …

 

[TheOldHokie]

More from the manual. You can’t find this online. Maybe for sale on eBay …

OK - now we are making progress. This loader appears to have its own pump. Probably on the front of the tractor and driven off the crankshaft. The table of contents says it is described on page 7. If that is the case you do not need a valve with power beyond.

Your new valv has SAE ports - #8 for the cylinders and #10 for the pump and return ports.

The fittings will depend on what you have on the ends of the hoses. Looking at the closeup of the cylinder connections it looks like the old valve has SAE ports. Two of the ports appear to have SAE to female pipe adapters installed in them and the hoses appear to have male NPT ends. The other one looks like an SAE to male JIC adapter and a hose that has a female JIC swivel on the end. Can't see the ends on the pump and return line connections.

Post some pictures showing ALL of the hose connections to the valve and I might be able to do better.

Dan

 

[Squawker Ranch]

Post some pictures showing ALL of the hose connections to the valve and I might be able to do better.

How’s this?

 

[North Idaho Wolfman]

OK - now we are making progress. This loader appears to have its own pump. Probably on the front of the tractor and driven off the crankshaft. The table of contents says it is described on page 7. If that is the case you do not need a valve with power beyond.

Your new valv has SAE ports - #8 for the cylinders and #10 for the pump and return ports.

The fittings will depend on what you have on the ends of the hoses. Looking at the closeup of the cylinder connections it looks like the old valve has SAE ports. Two of the ports appear to have SAE to female pipe adapters installed in them and the hoses appear to have male NPT ends. The other one looks like an SAE to male JIC adapter and a hose that has a female JIC swivel on the end. Can't see the ends on the pump and return line connections.

Post some pictures showing ALL of the hose connections to the valve and I might be able to do better.

Dan

That loader, his setup, does not have a separate pump, it's using the tractors hydraulic system to run it.
The hoses going to the rear are attached to a block that taps into the hydraulic system.

He still does not need a PB port as the system is simple and only uses supply and return.

 

[North Idaho Wolfman]

How’s this?

look on the sides of the existing fittings, they should be stamped with the size.

 

[TheOldHokie]

How’s this?

A lot better.

Three of the cylinder hoses have male pipe ends. The other newer hose looks like it is female JIC swivel but possibly a male pipe swivel. You will need SAE -8 to male pipe adapters for those three connections. Your exiting adapters may be the proper size but you would have to remove one and measure it to be sure. SAE-6 is 9/16 UNF thread and SAE-8 is 3/4 UNF thread.

You will need SAE-8 to whatever the swivel is on the fourth hose. Again you need to disconnect the hose and measure to know what you have.

The pump and return hoses look like they have female pipe swivel ends. Probably 3/8" hose with 3/8" female NPT swivel ends based on the micrometer measurement. Agin disconnect and measure to be sure. If they are pipe swivels you will need SAE-10 to 3./8 NPT male adapters for those ports on the new valve.

Its kind of a mish-mash and could benefit form some cleanup with new hoses and the proper fittings but that would about double your cost.

The hydraulic tap is taken off the hydraulic outlet block in the rear and returns pressure to the 3pt valve. The new valve you have selected is not designed for that type of usage. Regardless of how the OEM valve was plumbed if I were doing the change to that new valve I would purchase the $16 optional power beyond sleeve and add a third tank return hose going to the tractor's hydraulic filler. Running the new valve as a two hose setup is going to exceed the tank pressure rating on the T port. by a factor of 4. You can probably get away with it but PB would be the proper plumbing.

Dan

 

[Squawker Ranch]

Reporting back. I ended up purchasing a 2 Spool 8 GPM Prince MB21GB5C1 DA Valve w/Float from Surplus Center. Easy install- had to drill the factory mount plate on the loader, but that took all of 30 seconds. Once installed, on the first tug of the controls, one of the metal lines sprung a leak and I had to get a union compression fitting. Again, simple fix, 3 minutes once I had the part. Found a killer parts source in LA https://thefittingsource.com for the compression fitting.

I'm kinda pissed it took me this long to replace this. The loader now functions perfectly and I'm a happy L285 owner again.

Thanks for all the input guys. Really helpful