Auxillary Hydraulic Controls

[JWL]

Have a 2003 Bobcat A220 (all wheel steer version of S220) with joystick controls. When I am trying to move an implement (Disk) in the yard I hook up the auxillary hydraulics and use the thumb toggle switch in the middle of the right hand controller to lift and lower the implement. The problem I am having is it seems to need to be on High flow to do this and the second I let go of the toggle switch the implement lowers back down to the ground. Why when I lift it up does the disk not stay in the up position? Seems like the machine is letting flow back into the return side instead of locking out and holding the lift cylinder. Am I using the right controls?

The disk is 24ft and fairly heavy but I would think that the bobcat hydraulics would easily lift it as the tractors we use on them are much older and have less hydraulic flow capability.

Thanks in advance for your help.

 

[brdgbldr]

Your explanation is a little confusing to me. I have never used a disk attachment.

That being said, if you are raising the attachment with the arms you should only be pulling the right joystick toward the back, not using the toggle. This should raise the arms and when you stop they should stay up. If they do not stay up you could have bad seals in your lift cylinders or a bad valve.

The toggle is for the auxiliary hydraulics and should operate whatever is on the attachment. On a set of disks made for a skid steer this spins some of the disks.

Or are you talking about the disks folding up? If this is the case, you may have a bad auxiliary valve. It kind of sounds like the high flow is making up for the fluid bypassing the valve.

 

[JWL]

Sorry for the confusion. We aren't using the bobcat to run a disk. We are just trying to use it to move the disk. It is just easier to hook the fork to the disk hitch, drop a pin in and couple the hydraulics to lift and pull the disk out of the way to cut grass in the area it is parked, etc. For moving any hydraulically lifted implement around the yard we hoped to use the bobcat at time. The issue is when I toggle the switch it won't lift the disk unless I use maximum flow and high flow settings and even when I do this, the second I left off on the toggle the disk will drop back down to the ground. I was wondering if I am using the correct controls but I believe I am and that you are likely right about a bad valve that is by-passing/leaking.

Any idea on how to fix it if the valve is leaking/by-passing?

 

[brdgbldr]

Sorry for the confusion. We aren't using the bobcat to run a disk. We are just trying to use it to move the disk. It is just easier to hook the fork to the disk hitch, drop a pin in and couple the hydraulics to lift and pull the disk out of the way to cut grass in the area it is parked, etc. For moving any hydraulically lifted implement around the yard we hoped to use the bobcat at time. The issue is when I toggle the switch it won't lift the disk unless I use maximum flow and high flow settings and even when I do this, the second I left off on the toggle the disk will drop back down to the ground. I was wondering if I am using the correct controls but I believe I am and that you are likely right about a bad valve that is by-passing/leaking.

Any idea on how to fix it if the valve is leaking/by-passing?

First you have to find the valve and or spool in question. Here is the parts catalog link:

Bobcat Parts Catalog - Find Diagrams for Your Equipment - Bobcat Company

Locate all parts and component information about your Bobcat equipment with detailed visual diagrams and illustrations with parts numbers and add to your list.

www.bobcatpartsonline.com

Enter your serial number and then search "auxiliary". This will get you to the pertinent pages.

Could be a stuck valve or spool. It could also be worn out seals or springs. There are also bypass valves that could be stuck open. Not sure I can be much help here. It's just a matter of opening things up and checking them.

 

[laurencen]

sounds like you have a bad leak somewhere, when you opperate the aux it should stop in place, if the disk is a cylinder maybe its the cylinder thats leaking not the bobcat valve

before I started messing with the aux valves I would try another piece of equipment and see if it dos the same as previous

 

[JWL]

We've been using the disk on our tractors and its been working fine so I don't think it has to do with the disk cylinder but I will try another implement as a check.

Just not sure where to start to look on the actual machine now.

 

[JWL]

Where is the magnetic solenoid that controls the auxiliary hydraulics when using the right hand side-to-side toggle switch (see pics)? When I turn on the hydraulics (i.e. variable flow) and push the toggle switch to the left you can hear the engine labour signifying that that the pump/hydraulics are engaged. When I press the toggle to the right it works only some of the time. Most the time there is no sound change over very little. If I push the toggle switch left and then go to the right it will usually work but on momentarily. If I push it right again I get nothing.

It's like the solenoid is working but on slightly most the time. The solenoids are magnetic are they not? If so, its as if there isn't enough voltage over something to get enough of a magnetic field to engage the spool fully.

Not sure how any of this relates to my original issue which is that when I push the toggle switch to the right I can operate the connected hydraulic cylinder (on disk) but when I release the toggle switch the cylinder won't maintain position (as if its in float).