Problem with FEL

[Big Bear Ranch]

2021 M4-071D. LA-1154 loader. The machine has 125 hours and has never had the loader attachment removed. Lately, if there is any weight, even a few hundred pounds on the loader, it won’t curl back. When this happens, it sounds like it would if it were overloaded. It will curl forward, just not back. If when this happens, the load is removed, it will curl back normally. It also doesn’t do it every time, but often enough to cause a problem. Also when empty, and curling back and I stop the lever, it will slightly move up then back to where it was when I released the lever, it sort of bounces maybe a fraction on an inch.

I checked the fluid and it’s at the top mark with the 3 point and loader boom down.

I have read on here that the quick connect couplers could be at fault, while I don’t doubt this could be true, I don’t understand how that could be a cause if they’ve never been un coupled.

Any insight would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Old Machinist]

Clean off the quick connects, disconnect, and reconnect them.

When I remove and install mine I spray a degreaser on them and wash that off with the water hose. Then I blow dry them and before installing I sometimes spray them with WD40 to make everything slide good.

 

[D2Cat]

Sometimes the quick connects APPEAR to be connected but have released enough they do not function. Simply disconnect each one individually and reconnect. May save you a headache.

 

[Big Bear Ranch]

The quick connections can do that without ever being removed?

 

[Big Bear Ranch]

I did as you both suggested. As you can tell by the hours on the machine, it doesn’t get used much, I’ll report what happens when it does get used. Thank you for the reply’s.

 

[D2Cat]

The quick connections can do that without ever being removed?

Yes. They release just enough they do not function correctly, often un-noticed. First thing to do when questioning hydraulic functions is to be sure hose/valve fittings are engaged.