LA350A loader

[modeladay]

Hello people, while mowing one of the bucket rams on my loader decided it was going to puke. It was blowing Hydro fluid out in a convincing fashion, I removed the offending ram and routed one of its hoses back on the connections and replaced a gallon of fluid so that I could continue mowing.

What I found is the existing ram would now not work at all, I figured it would at least raise the bucket to keep it out of the way, it wouldn't. I than removed the bucket and the ram still did not work. Is the normal when one ram is out or is this an indication that there is a problem with the other ram as well?

I ordered a seal kit and was wondering now if I should have order 2?

thanks
dusty

 

[groomerbuck]

Yes that is typical with hydraulics.

 

[modeladay]

Yes that is typical with hydraulics.

Ok, Thanks!

 

[100 td]

The cylinders are in parallel, if you have removed a cylinder and not capped the individual hoses, but now joined them together, you have now plumbed both sides of the other cylinder together, meaning hydraulic flow and return!

 

[Dave_eng]

The cylinders are in parallel, if you have removed a cylinder and not capped the individual hoses, but now joined them together, you have now plumbed both sides of the other cylinder together, meaning hydraulic flow and return!

Good explanation!! I was trying to figure out in my mind what was wrong and then read your post. Absolutely clear.
Dave

 

[North Idaho Wolfman]

You still should have rebuild both at the same time.

 

[modeladay]

The cylinders are in parallel, if you have removed a cylinder and not capped the individual hoses, but now joined them together, you have now plumbed both sides of the other cylinder together, meaning hydraulic flow and return!

I did join the the two but the remaining ram does not work

 

[100 td]

I did join the the two but the remaining ram does not work

Have you've tested it while you have the other lines completely separated and capped off with plugs?
While the lines are joined, it can't work as the hydraulic flow just returns to tank since the lines are in parallel.
If the other cylinder hasn't failed, changing seals on both is a moot point, but due to the low cost and ease of doing it at the same time, the age of the unit, I would do it, but it's not a given if you want to get going again. When a seal goes out on a big piece of machinery, you don't change both, it's too expensive and normally not necessary. A seal can fail at 100 hours on one, and go for many thousands of hours on another. Doing both on a second hand piece of machinery like this is preventative maintenance at a reasonable cost.

 

[modeladay]

Have you've tested it while you have the other lines completely separated and capped off with plugs?
While the lines are joined, it can't work as the hydraulic flow just returns to tank since the lines are in parallel.
If the other cylinder hasn't failed, changing seals on both is a moot point, but due to the low cost and ease of doing it at the same time, the age of the unit, I would do it, but it's not a given if you want to get going again. When a seal goes out on a big piece of machinery, you don't change both, it's too expensive and normally not necessary. A seal can fail at 100 hours on one, and go for many thousands of hours on another. Doing both on a second hand piece of machinery like this is preventative maintenance at a reasonable cost.

I appreciate your response, I was going to cap off the the hoses but looked everywhere and was unable to find a cap. I know rebuilding both is the way to go but I’m operating a small horse farm on a SSI so anytime I can save a buck I must. But if I understand simply routings a hose back on the connections will cause the other ram to not work?

 

[North Idaho Wolfman]

Yes routing one hose back to the other will nullify the other ram working at all. And the reason it dropping is that the fluid from one side of the ram has a path to the other side of the ram.