Bobcat 763 lift/tilt issue

[back_bucket]

I've got a 1999 Bobcat 763 F-Series, hand controls only (don't everyone run away at once). This machine has the bucket leveling switch, but does not have the valve or any hydraulics for it. My issue is when lifting the arms, the bucket tilts down (past level). I don't see any noticeable hydraulic fluid leaking near the spool valves, but is there any chance the lift spool can leak into the tilt spool? I'm stumped why the bucket would be tilting when just activating the lift actuator/spool. The bucket will hold its position, so I don't believe it's a leaking tilt cylinder. Just not sure if there's something wonky going on with the beloved AHC system or if its something in the hydraulics. Any thoughts?

 

[reaperman]

The bucket leveling feature wasn't an option for your machine. The same instrumentation panel was used in multiple machines and with some machines having the option.

 

[foton]

the tilt cylinder might be bypassing internally .

 

[back_bucket]

the tilt cylinder might be bypassing internally .

I can lift the machine up with the bucket, shut it off and it will hold its position. I let it sit like that for a couple hours, wouldn't it drop if the cylinder was bypassing internally?

 

[brdgbldr]

I've got a 1999 Bobcat 763 F-Series, hand controls only (don't everyone run away at once). This machine has the bucket leveling switch, but does not have the valve or any hydraulics for it. My issue is when lifting the arms, the bucket tilts down (past level). I don't see any noticeable hydraulic fluid leaking near the spool valves, but is there any chance the lift spool can leak into the tilt spool? I'm stumped why the bucket would be tilting when just activating the lift actuator/spool. The bucket will hold its position, so I don't believe it's a leaking tilt cylinder. Just not sure if there's something wonky going on with the beloved AHC system or if its something in the hydraulics. Any thoughts?

Could be something in your control valve.

My A300 tilt will drop slightly when the lift is activated, just not enough to bother tearing into it.

 

[back_bucket]

Could be something in your control valve.

My A300 tilt will drop slightly when the lift is activated, just not enough to bother tearing into it.

Thats what I was wondering, I just wasn't sure if there's actually places/ports where fluid could get from the lift spool to the tilt spool if there was an o-ring failure somewhere on the spool itself, but maybe the end seal is still good so fluid isn't actually leaking outside of the spools. I don't know enough about the control valve internals to know if that's a possibility or not, but while operating the machine it seems like thats almost what's happening.

 

[back_bucket]

Well I think I figured it out. I believe the lift/tilt spools are switched. When I engage float the bucket goes into float and not the lift arms. Going to try swapping the spools and see what happens.

 

[back_bucket]

Posting the solution here in case anyone has this issue in the future.
I bought this machine on auction, so no history on it really. But the bucket positioning valve had been removed, and hydraulic hoses just put in its place so fluid was constantly flowing through that loop. I installed the bucket positioning valve and all is well. The bucket no longer tilts up/down while raising/lowering the arms with the bucket positioning switch off.