Just got a new thumb on 2011 Deere 225, and think I got the lines backwards as the thumb isn't working. I have the pressure line on the right side, and the return on the left from viewing inside the cab? Also is there anything special as far as setting the relief pressure so the bucket will push back the thumb, instead of damaging something?
Is the plumbing for a thumb or is it setup for a hammer? I know there are different settings on the machine and some even have a different valve to make a thumb function vs a hammer. I'm not up on it enough to tell you for sure.
I have no idea, how would I be able to tell? I noticed the different settings, hammer pulverizer and one more I cannot remember, none said thumb though. I didn't think it would really matter, I figured aux hydraulics would be fairly similar?
Called Brandt tractor they looked up serial number and since I have the buttons on right joystick just said set relief valve at 2500 PSI and that should be it, everything else should be good? Other then the possibility of the lines being backwards.
Use the pulverizer setting, that should give you flow to both lines. Hammer setting will only give flow to one side and free return to the tank on the other. Also make sure you've opened the valves on the stick that your thumb lines go to.
So with it on pulverizer would it matter which line was hooked to which or no? There was quick couplers on the end of the lines, no other fittings just lines, so I don't see where there was anything to open?
Up the stick a bit there should be a rectangle block with a narrow flat place to turn that opens and closes the auxiliary hydraulics. Should turn fairly easy with a crescent wrench. One on each side.
Didn't see anything on the stick to turn it off/on, there is some oil coming for sure. I will double check tomorrow as I forgot to today but I am quite sure there is nothing. There was quick couplers on the ends. I tried it on pulverizer, no change, switched lines no change either. Question I thought of, if the machine is just idling and I hit any control it idles up, should it not do the same if I am hitting the aux hydraulics? Because there is no change in the motor. As well, the power boost is on that same handle and hitting it I don't see anything come up on the screen? Wondering if maybe there's a fuse gone somewhere? Speaking of that, when I put it on pulzerviser setting, it showed the relief valve off and I couldn't figure out how to change that setting?
You may want to ask your dealer. I believe in your option spool, you should have a 2 stage port relief. You would set the outer or low side to 2500 and the inner or high side to 2600 or so. This would allow the bucket to push the thumb back without damaging the cylinder. You don't want trapped oil or pressure spikes higher than the cylinder can support. Very ugly things will happen.
For sure, it didn't want to let me change the settings like PSI and relief valve setting, just setting for hammer, pulzerviser, etc. But the bigger problem i'm having is, still no pressure to the thumb. Is there a specific fuse or wire for that joystick? The power boost is on that one too, and from what I can tell, doesn't work either. Like if the machine is just idling and I move either joystick, it idles up for the movement, nothing when I hit any either of the aux hydraulic buttons or power boost, i'm assuming it should?
In my experience with other brand excavators they don't come with a pressure switch tied into the pilot system that tells the computer to turn up the engine speed. As far as the thumb working itself I seem to remember Deere in that time frame had something in the software or a switch that shifts the auxiliary circuit from one way flow to two way flow. Follow the lines from the thumb cylinder back to the control valves and see if there is a three way valve between the main control valve and the base of the boom. Most were manual with a handle that you turned to change modes. Some have an electric solenoid valve instead. Good Luck!
Do you perhaps have a pedal for hammer shear operation. If you do, let's try operating from there. Typically, left side of stick would be hammer energize and shear close. Same pipe. On the right side of the stick, there should be one pipe, possibly 2. One pipe should return to tank. It may go to a 3way valve at the base of the boom. If there are 2 pipes, one should return to tank and the other should return to to the main control valve on the "B" side of the option spool. If you're returning to tank, you'll by default have no open pressure, no connection to the main control valve. If you've a single pipe, the outlet side should split off, 1 to tank and the other should return to the main control valve. There should be 2 lesser hoses one drain and one signal to direct the oil flow. Lastly, depending on how Deere are plumbed and wired, I would think it would have to be "turned on" in parameters. Just cause a joystick has switches doesn't mean they're enabled. Good luck.
There is no pedal for anything but traveling. I followed both lines back to base of boom, but they go under a cover and couldn't feel or see any sort of valve attached to either. I guess I will need to remove the cover there for a better look? There is only one pipe to each side of the aux hydraulics neither tee off from what I can see. So the machine not idling up from aux hydraulic buttons doesn't mean the buttons aren't working? That helps knowing it shouldn't be the controls. How would I go about turning on in parameters? I've tried turning on hammer, pulverizer, etc but no change. However I haven't been able to figure out how to customize any of them, like turning on the relief setting or setting the pressure? If it was an electric solenoid, it would be in settings somewhere to change it?
Got a chance to check out where each line returns to. Neither tee off or go back into the tank. Attached a pic of each one, pointing to it. So unless i'm missing something, it has to just be something with the computer to activate the thumb?
So, if I'm seeing your images correctly, both left and right of the stick go to and from the main control valve . Is that correct? If that is the case whenever one hose is pressurized, the other has a path to tank via the MCV . You are plumbed for shear. Now the problem is your computer is not receiving a signal from your joystick to energize the circuit. Additionally you aren't getting the idle up to come alive. I would see if you could score a manual online. You're gonna need fuse chart and solenoid identification at the very least. I still recommend having a dealer tech look into it, to make sure the function is enabled in the computer.