I recently aquired a 580E extendahoe,When lowering the boom it will not raise the machine off the ground, all other hydraulic functions work fine, it even labors the engine when lowering the boom from the locked position, but doesnt labor it raising. Loader out rigger ex hoe etc, all work and lift fine so i dont think it is the pump, the loader will raise machine off the ground easily, and dipper will pull machine I was thinking either internal cylinder leakage, or valve leakage?? Also where is the hydraulic fill on this machine? any ideas? thanks
Your hydraulic tank fill is on the top of the right upright were the loader frame pins to the main frame. The fill is plugged with the dipstick to check the level. As far as raising the machine with the backhoe, it probably wont raise the machine very well if the loader bucket is on the ground. It may try to raise the tractor but will settle back down. The relief valve for the boom down is set realy low to protect the boom cylinders when digging deep right behind the hoe. If the pressure is set to high and you are digging deep and try to push the tractor with the hoe it will bend the cylinder rods.
any other backhoes i have been around will raise the machine off the ground with the boom. This even labors the engine when lowering the boom through the air, which should be pretty much free fall.
Wow, it's been a while since I've worked on an E. I'm pretty sure they have 2 boom lift cylinders. If I understand, your saying the boom (not the arm) has plenty of power down and will lift the machine off of the ground. But it won't raise the boom, doesn't even put any load on the motor when you try to lift the boom. I can't remember how the hoses connect to the cylinders, but it would be really helpful if you could switch the boom up/down hoses. Whether you do it at the cylinders or at the control valve. Then your "boom down" control, which has good pressure, will instead "raise the boom". If it doesn't raise, with good power, you have cylinder problems. If it does raise, but now won't boom down and lift the machine as it did before, you have a control valve or cirucit relief valve problem. As for the hyd fill, I really can't remember. I think the D had a fill hole and dipstick on the right side just behind the top of the engine compartment. I think the E changed and it was like the K, the hyd tank is under the brown hood right behind the engine. I just can't remember where the fill access is. The K had a flip front engine cover that, when raised, would allow you to raise the brown panel behind the hood and that would access the hyd fill. I just can't remember how it is on the E.
My bad! I misread your post. As I understand it, the boom raise is fine, but the boom lower will not raise the machine off the ground. Same thing applies; see if you can switch the hyd lines and get a different result.
ac45, Make sure the boom spool is travelling all the way when the lever is in the down position. First off the main hydraulic pressure should be verified. The Case hoe has a secondary relief valve that is set way under main pressure to keep operators from getting into trouble by being able to lift themswelves to dangerous heights with boom down. Usually enough pressure to set yourself over a ditch with the swing is enough as boom down has no affect on digging performance. I would get an adapter from #12 JIC and put it in the boom down hose and read boom down pressure, I have set many to customer needs. The secondary is located right right next to the spool that controls the boom and the hose will be the one that goes to the butt end of the boom cylinders. It may not be a bad idea to chack the orings on the bottom of the cartridge before setting the pressure. Run the engine at the lowest setting that it will stay running under pressure and read the pressure with the lever in boom down. If the pressure is low loosen the lock nut and turn the adjusting screw to increase the boom down pressure. I will not recommend you to go over factory pressure for obvious reasons but a couple hundred pounds of pressure will make a major difference in the ability to lift the back of the machine and set it where you want it with the swing. Set properly the boom down will allow the rear to be picked up on the front wheels but have trouble with the front bucket as the fulcrumk point from my experience. As I said before, a hundred ot two pounds of pressure will make a serious difference in this area. Be careful.Mel