Hey guys I’m new to this form! I need some help with my skid steer! So I ran my skid steer yesterday and parked it, came back the next day and started it up, the bucket moves up and down and everything but when I went to go move forward, It wouldn’t move!! Pushed the joystick forward backward and left and right and had no results but when I pushed it to the right the orange blinking light with the exclamation mark start flashing? Also the brake are not releasing because, when I push the button it won’t turn off, but the bucket and stuff starts working?! Did anyone experience something like this? Is it a faulty joystick? Is there a way to test the joystick with the multimeter? Thanks in advance friends!!
S/N please. Also do you have the optional panel containing screen #4 (below) in the RH upper corner of the cab.? Diagnostic Codes can be read from that.
No I don’t have that screen.
In that case you're going to be needing someone (dealer or independent mechanic) equipped with Cat ET to plug into the machine and read the Codes for you. Sorry about that. Once you have the Codes post them up. There are Diagnostic Procedures for them. How good are you testing electrics..?
I would say I’m pretty good I think I know how to use a multimeter. Yeah I’m having a hard time finding an individual mechanic to scan the code, don’t really want to take it to the dealer I don’t have a trailer or a truck right now and they want an arm and a leg to come out and scan my code. 100$hour and 120$ just to hook up scanner. Anybody know a Mechanic in Spartanburg South Carolina that can scan cat codes?
Drop a PM to an HEF member - thepumpguysc He's from your neck of the woods and might know someone. If you want an Electrical Schematic post the machine Serial Number.
Yes can you send the Schematic! GCP01797
Hello friends so basically the issue I’m having now is it starts and the bucket goes up and down! It also drives forward and backwards and to the left at full throttle or any rpm but, as soon as you turn to the right very quick (or move the joystick very fast) it kicks out and goes into parking but, if I move the joystick really slowly and don’t move it all the way to the right it will turn slowly I already checked the speed sensors and they are all working and showing 8V so I’m guessing they’re good since it drives straight forward and left and, not drifting! What else could I check or how could I check my joystick if it’s Producing the right hertz Or what would I be checking for ohms or voltage? please help any clues will help... Thanks guys!!
Without access to Diagnostic Codes (most dealers are around $120-150/hr) then you're flying blind. I would want to know what codes it had logged before proceeding further Without knowing the Codes it sounds very much as though the guts of the joystick assembly are starting to fail. Solution - replacement joystick. The caveat I would put on that is without knowing if there were/are any Codes related to that joystick it's impossible to say with 100% certainty that the joystick is the cause of the problem. Even if it is, calibration as opposed to replacement might fix the problem. Added to that, if a replacement joystick was installed then it would need calibrating also. Common factor - Cat ET. There's a pattern emerging here ..........
Like Nige stated, you're going to need access to ET. Even if you just threw a joystick at it on a prayer you'd still have to pony up for someone to come calibrate it. In all honesty, you can toss parts at it and pray. You might get lucky and guess the part right off the bat but in most cases, you spend more throwing parts at it than just paying someone with the proper tools to come diagnose it.
Either that or if you can get it on the back of a trailer (which sounds like it's possible from the symptoms you describe) - haul it to the dealer and have them pull the Codes as it sits on the trailer. Then you can figure out a course of action to take going forward. Personally I don't like the "Fault finding by Parts Replacement" method of diagnostics. It can get awful expensive awful fast where electronic components are involved.
Hi, because you only have one suspect function you might be able to swap the X,Y signal wires over in the joystick and see if the problem of no right turn is still there. Be aware that the right turn position on the joystick will be in a physically different position so be careful if the no turn or drive moves to another area your problem is in the joystick if you still have no right turn you need to look else where Mark
Mark250, that’s a very good idea I’m definitely going to try it out. If joystick is the problem is there anyway to repair it? Or would I have to by a new unit? Thanks. Thanks everyone.
I have tried to repair them but have limited success I don't think I would do it again Mark
Ok thanks.
OK so I tested my joystick and I switch the wires from my X and my Y and the problem switch to the other side so, my joystick is the problem. So let’s say if I buy a used joystick would I still have to have a calibrated or would it work, or only new joysticks have to be calibrated or how does it work? thanks in advance.
Calibration will need to be done regardless if its a new joystick or not. The calibration basically tells the machine controller where "0" is, as well as +/- 100% on the X and Y axis.
But if I put a used joystick on the CAT it would still work just the tolerance will be off a little bit?
I seem to recall it will throw an active event for joystick calibration. Its been so long since I changed a joystick though that I honestly can't remember for sure.
You could also have the situation that a function might start to move with the joystick in the “neutral” position. That’s the whole point of calibration, the machine control needs to know what the output of the joystick is when it’s in neutral, and there are small differences between each one.
Hello y’all, I just wanted to post this to finish off this post!!! First off thanks to Mark250 for encouraging me and for the tips on how to test the joystick!! So i went ahead and switched the 2 pin wires which are the X/Y and exactly that the problem rotated to the other side so my problem is for sure the joystick.. so now the hunt for a new but used joystick since a new one is 650$ plus calibration and stuff, found a local guy that is parting one out but it was from a different model 2007 287C I believe.. Mine is a 2012 297C So the joystick part numbers were different, but I went ahead and bought it and boom it works perfectly no issue what’s soever, drives straight and turns smoothly. No calibration needed at all!!! So I’m 100% certain that you don’t have to calibrate a used joystick! If you have a problem don’t be scared to buy a used one. Hope this will keep you away from the dealers, bought mine local for 300$ With warranty, and they sell a bunch on eBay!! Fixed the problem without Diagnostics or hooking up the ET scanner YAY feel proud of myself . Now I have extra 2 buttons but it don’t bother me, I could replace the handle but why should i. Haha. Thanks everyone for helping out!! I included my original picture of my joystick which is in the RED circle and the yellow circle is the new/used joystick I purchased. God bless you all!!!
Thanks Vlad. Where did you find a used one? I cant seem to find any except $925 from Cat which seems absurd.