909 backhoe attachment stopped working

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edo102

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I bought a 909 about a month ago to fit on my 743. I had to replace the couplers from the older pioneers to the faster (flat face ones). This involved a couple of hydraulic adapters to make them fit. At this point, I hooked it all up and just checked that everything worked and that there weren't any visible leaks. Looked good. Then I left it for a couple of weeks until I would have more time to make sure all pivot points were properly greased. That time came this last weekend, and now it doesn't work. Moving the levers sometimes makes it twitch a little such that it might progressively move in the same direction as gravity. After messing with it for quite sometime, hydraulic oil now leaks out of several cylinders. Any ideas what is wrong? Please tell me it is an easy/inexpensive fix :) All advise is greatly appreciated.
 

Tazza

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You sure the couplers are the rite way round? the fluid may be going in reverse, try getting someone to sit in the machine and hold the aux lever to the left instead of to the right in detent, see if it starts working. If it works, swap the fittings and you are good to go. Sounds silly, but others have been caught before!
 
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edo102

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You sure the couplers are the rite way round? the fluid may be going in reverse, try getting someone to sit in the machine and hold the aux lever to the left instead of to the right in detent, see if it starts working. If it works, swap the fittings and you are good to go. Sounds silly, but others have been caught before!
Good idea, but unfortunately we did try that also, but still it would only move very slightly and slowly. The strangest thing is that it seemed to work fine when I first hooked it all up a month ago. Is it possible that the hydraulic cylinders froze up or some such? Cheers for all your input Tazza!
 

Tazza

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Good idea, but unfortunately we did try that also, but still it would only move very slightly and slowly. The strangest thing is that it seemed to work fine when I first hooked it all up a month ago. Is it possible that the hydraulic cylinders froze up or some such? Cheers for all your input Tazza!
The amount of force that is applied the the cylinders with 2,500 PSI of oil is amazing, there is nothing that could cause them to lock up that you wouldn't be able to see.
There really is nothing that should stop it from working, if one ram was stuck (which i highly doubt) the others should still operate. The only thing i can think of is if a spool was stuck it could cause you problems like that, but you would hear your relief opening up on your machine, like a whistle sound.
There may be a relief valve on the control block, i guess its possible its stuck open, I'l open it up and have a look to be sure its not the cause.
 

skidsteer.ca

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The amount of force that is applied the the cylinders with 2,500 PSI of oil is amazing, there is nothing that could cause them to lock up that you wouldn't be able to see.
There really is nothing that should stop it from working, if one ram was stuck (which i highly doubt) the others should still operate. The only thing i can think of is if a spool was stuck it could cause you problems like that, but you would hear your relief opening up on your machine, like a whistle sound.
There may be a relief valve on the control block, i guess its possible its stuck open, I'l open it up and have a look to be sure its not the cause.
Mine lost down pressure on the main boom as a result of a relief valve that had a bad oring allowing pressure to by pass. (took it apart and re oringed it for pennys and it worked fine)
Unlikely that it would occure on all major functions though. Are you sure the aux flow on the machine is working? Sound like maybe you lost your pressure there some how. Can you hook it to another attachment and verify?
Ken
 
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edo102

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Mine lost down pressure on the main boom as a result of a relief valve that had a bad oring allowing pressure to by pass. (took it apart and re oringed it for pennys and it worked fine)
Unlikely that it would occure on all major functions though. Are you sure the aux flow on the machine is working? Sound like maybe you lost your pressure there some how. Can you hook it to another attachment and verify?
Ken
I have been using my auger attachment without a problem, so I believe the aux flow is working. I switched the quick couplers around, and the attachment came to life again. However, it only works when I hold the aux lever to the left. For the time being, I am using a bungee cord to hold it there, as I have a couple of broken seals to attend to first. Thanks a lot Tazza and Ken.
 
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edo102

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I have been using my auger attachment without a problem, so I believe the aux flow is working. I switched the quick couplers around, and the attachment came to life again. However, it only works when I hold the aux lever to the left. For the time being, I am using a bungee cord to hold it there, as I have a couple of broken seals to attend to first. Thanks a lot Tazza and Ken.
I have been trying to fix leaks in the bucket and swing cylinders. Since this 909 has been sitting for about 10 years, quite a few of the bolts have been a pain to get off. After much blood, sweat and cursing, we managed to take the bucket cylinder apart, replace the seals and successfully get it back together. Now we are trying to get at the swing cylinder. After talking with the dealer, it is clear we need to take out the large bolt that holds the boom to the swing mechanism. This bolt does not want to come loose. We have tried lots of pb blaster followed by a breaker bar and impact wrench and several variations for the last several days, but to no avail. Does anybody have any tricks as to how to get this bolt out? Thanks for any advice!
 

skidsteer.ca

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I have been trying to fix leaks in the bucket and swing cylinders. Since this 909 has been sitting for about 10 years, quite a few of the bolts have been a pain to get off. After much blood, sweat and cursing, we managed to take the bucket cylinder apart, replace the seals and successfully get it back together. Now we are trying to get at the swing cylinder. After talking with the dealer, it is clear we need to take out the large bolt that holds the boom to the swing mechanism. This bolt does not want to come loose. We have tried lots of pb blaster followed by a breaker bar and impact wrench and several variations for the last several days, but to no avail. Does anybody have any tricks as to how to get this bolt out? Thanks for any advice!
That pin should just have a groove and a snap ring holding it in. Someone must have replaced it with a bolt. Have you tried heating the nut up with a oxy acetelene torch. Turn it red then put a 3/4 or 1" drive impact to it. You may need to sub the part out if you don't have those tools, but then you should be on your way.
Ken
 
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edo102

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That pin should just have a groove and a snap ring holding it in. Someone must have replaced it with a bolt. Have you tried heating the nut up with a oxy acetelene torch. Turn it red then put a 3/4 or 1" drive impact to it. You may need to sub the part out if you don't have those tools, but then you should be on your way.
Ken
Thanks for the advice Ken. Unfortunately I do not have an oxy acetelene torch. Should I try and rent one? By 'sub the part out', do you suggest I cut the existing bolt out, and if so, would an angle grinder work? Cheers, Edmund
 

skidsteer.ca

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Thanks for the advice Ken. Unfortunately I do not have an oxy acetelene torch. Should I try and rent one? By 'sub the part out', do you suggest I cut the existing bolt out, and if so, would an angle grinder work? Cheers, Edmund
If you can get at it a grinder with a thin zip cut blade would work, or load the whole thing up on a trailer and take it to a repair shop and have them get the nut loose with a combination of heat and or big old impact wrench. Should only take a 20 minutes with the right tools, then you can take it home and finish the repair.
Ken
 

kolo

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If you can get at it a grinder with a thin zip cut blade would work, or load the whole thing up on a trailer and take it to a repair shop and have them get the nut loose with a combination of heat and or big old impact wrench. Should only take a 20 minutes with the right tools, then you can take it home and finish the repair.
Ken
Aside from the cylinder work and Rusty Nuts have you gotten the hydraulics to cooperate. I have the Bradco and it has and inline filter that can be disassembled and the screen cleaned. The trouble shooting section of the manual says if no operation or hydraulic flow check and clean the filter. This filter is located on the supply hydraulic line feeding the attachment with my check valve on the return line. This filter is and aluminum cylinder about 2 inch around and about 5 inches long wit a flat spot for a wrench to spin it apart.
 
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edo102

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Aside from the cylinder work and Rusty Nuts have you gotten the hydraulics to cooperate. I have the Bradco and it has and inline filter that can be disassembled and the screen cleaned. The trouble shooting section of the manual says if no operation or hydraulic flow check and clean the filter. This filter is located on the supply hydraulic line feeding the attachment with my check valve on the return line. This filter is and aluminum cylinder about 2 inch around and about 5 inches long wit a flat spot for a wrench to spin it apart.
After I switched the quick couplers around, I get plenty of hydraulic power to all cylinders. It's still not quite right as I have to use a bungee to hold the hydraulic lever to the left rather than using the right detent. Pushing it right doesn't seem to work. This is satisfactory for the mean time until I have more time to tinker with it. Cheers for the idea though.
 
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