Hello. Long-time lurker, first-time poster (new account). I'd appreciate any input you'd be able to provide on something that came up today. My Deere 325G's curl suddenly became very weak today while trying to lift/curl a pallet of concrete mix. The machine had just been warmed up for ~20 minutes after a cold start after sitting for a couple weeks. It does still curl, but not with any load and only exceedingly slowly. Without any control input, it uncurls. Needless to say, I couldn't move the pallet. For the past ~50 hours It has intermittently had a chatter when curling the bucket to maximum (bounced against the stops with "racking" the bucket). I'm guessing that this relates. I checked the curl solenoid resistance, but it reads 5.3 ohms, same as the others. No new/active codes. Just a little shy of 4k hours. Serial number 1T0325G**********. What else could cause this (or, could it still be an issue with the solenoid?)? Any pointers for troubleshooting? Thanks for your time/input.
Welcome to HEF do_lai ! I would first try a Boom/Bucket Calibration. Did you perform a bucket cylinder leakage test? Key on or start, press and hold the menu button until the words "SERVICE MENU" appear. Scroll to Diagnostics, press select. Scroll to the right joystick, press select. Does the X and Y axis reach 100% in each direction? Check your messages.
Thank you for the warm welcome. I appreciate the procedures that you sent. Bucket curl calibration took much longer to reach movement than the three other operations, but this did yield a little more speed/power (still far from what it was) The bucket uncurls immediately (gravity) when I let off the curl control, still. I should be able to get to a leakage test tomorrow. I will post with the results. A large amount of bypass/shunt could cause these symptoms, I suppose. But, all of a sudden and with this severity? I neglected to check on the joystick axis percentages, but I will check this tomorrow, too.
I don't recall this being mentioned in the first post. So it keeps dumping (drifts) when the lever is released? Definitely check for cylinder leakage.
Yeah, I don't think that I worded it very well ("Without any control input, it uncurls."). "Drifts" is better. The right joystick does reach from -100% to 100% in each the X and Y axis. This service menu has all kinds of goodies. Leakage test is pending a reduction in snowfall rate, haha. Do you, by any chance, have available the referenced "Hydraulic System Pressure Release (Group 9025-25)" and "Hydraulic Cylinder Disassemble and Assemble (Group 3160)"? I was thinking about it... if this were cylinder leakage/bypass, with normally functioning valves and no external leaks, shouldn't it reach some sort of equilibrium since there nowhere else for fluid to go? Mine drifts all the way to the limit, in just a few seconds.
Almost sounds as if the piston may be loose or become detached from rod.
Have seen before. Leakage test may reveal a heavy by-pass of packing in cylinder. Simon C
Bingo; you three had it right. Significant leakage/bypass on my right bucket cylinder. Thank you for pointing me in the right direction. While testing the left (I gave it a good 40+ seconds with full throttle), I noted that the ice/snow on the right cylinder began to melt. Perhaps even comparing the surface temperatures of the two sides could have diagnosed this, I guess. So, to make sure, nothing else other than an issue internal to the right bucket cylinder could be the culprit at this point, right? Since several have encountered something like this before, is there a decent chance that this cylinder will be salvageable without some machining? What have you seen as failure modes in these situations (was this probably just a torque/threadlocker failure?)? I'll certainly know more when I crack open this cylinder.
Could be either of 2 things 1: nut came loose on rod inside cylinder or 2: bend cylinder rod causing bad seals on piston
There is a good likely hood that the packing seals are worn out. Won't know till it is apart. Then you can make a better decision. The condition of the chrome on the rod will decide quite a lot. The internal bore condition will decide the rest. With that being said, you are at close to 4000 hours so you might want to think about doing both cylinders at the same time, as the left one will be fairly worn in my opinion. Repaired before failure is cheaper than afterwards.
I think I’m about 50/50 on cylinders being fixable, after nut or bolt coming loose. The chatter get serious investigation now, every time!
I finally got to pulling the cylinders (yes, I am planning on rebuilding both). Indeed, piston has completely separated from the rod in the right bucket cylinder. You were correct. The chrome on the rod and the bore look to be in good shape. I'm not sure how to get it apart and the piston out, though, in this condition, since every protocol for pulling the rod guide ("gland") on Deere cylinders (external and internal snap rings) that I have seen involves using the piston to pull the rod guide through the plastic removal tool that compresses the internal snap ring. The piston is supposed to be secured to the rod by an M22 x 80 mm hex head screw (rather than a nut). At least it still is sticking out through the center of the piston, but I don't see a good way to thread something over it since it is free-spinning down there. Any ideas on next steps with this cylinder? There is a huge amount of slop in the bucket pivot pin on the right, the same side as the failed cylinder. I think that this must relate. Based on parts diagrams, this looks like a boss / tapered pin setup. I hope that the boss doesn't need to be replaced...
If it was loose, it will need to be replaced. If that taper is not perfect, then the joint will keep coming loose.
Understood. Is there a documented procedure for this? Thanks.
Check your messages.
Nice; thank you.
I had the cylinders rebuilt by a shop and I ended up replacing both bosses and both taper pins. It needed to be done. (The machine was back in full service about two months ago.) Thanks again for your input, everyone.