old 843 vs. new s185

[frogfarmer]

I have used my old 843 for the past 15 years and it did the jobs I needed around the farm. I just bought a new to me s185 with hand and foot controls same as the old machine. My concern is the old machine does not have smooth hydros anything like the new machine. The sticks on the 185 are very light and the hydros respond without noise or vibration. I replaced the old machine because one of the drive motors became very noisy under load and would skip at low speed and low to moderate engine rpm. Are the new machines that much differrent or did I have a problem for years I was not aware of. The old machine still digs very well and works in close quarters without problems but is noisy and slow on one side in transport. Could the problem be more than just a drive motor.

 

[Tazza]

I remember a post years ago with someone with what i thought was a 843 that used to skip too. It turned out there was a bad piston in the drive motor. He managed to get a good used one and the problem was gone. Hopefully your problem is as simple as that.
The pumps are totally rebuildable if they are worn. You did mention that it has good power so i'd suspect its just the motor. I would look into the motor skipping before you use it too much. If it is a piston failing it will be putting metal particles through your hydraulic system.
I am assuming it is the same style drive motor, i have no idea if its a geroler style, either way, i'd investigate it.
The newer machines are very nice, smoth running, easy to start but costly to repair when something goes wrong....

 

[mrfixitpaul]

I remember a post years ago with someone with what i thought was a 843 that used to skip too. It turned out there was a bad piston in the drive motor. He managed to get a good used one and the problem was gone. Hopefully your problem is as simple as that.
The pumps are totally rebuildable if they are worn. You did mention that it has good power so i'd suspect its just the motor. I would look into the motor skipping before you use it too much. If it is a piston failing it will be putting metal particles through your hydraulic system.
I am assuming it is the same style drive motor, i have no idea if its a geroler style, either way, i'd investigate it.
The newer machines are very nice, smoth running, easy to start but costly to repair when something goes wrong....

If you want to diagnose a bad drive motor, swap the drive motors from side to side, and see if the problem follows the motor. The 843 also has a gearbox that the drive motor mounts to, possibly a problem there. As for the S185...the newer machines have many improvements for control/effort over the older ones. If your 843 has servo steering it will be 'sloppier' than the new one. If your 843 has mechanical steering it will probably take 3x the effort to move the levers than the new one.

 

[frogfarmer]

I remember a post years ago with someone with what i thought was a 843 that used to skip too. It turned out there was a bad piston in the drive motor. He managed to get a good used one and the problem was gone. Hopefully your problem is as simple as that.
The pumps are totally rebuildable if they are worn. You did mention that it has good power so i'd suspect its just the motor. I would look into the motor skipping before you use it too much. If it is a piston failing it will be putting metal particles through your hydraulic system.
I am assuming it is the same style drive motor, i have no idea if its a geroler style, either way, i'd investigate it.
The newer machines are very nice, smoth running, easy to start but costly to repair when something goes wrong....

Thanks Tazza it does have geroler drive motors and I suspect a problem with the valving in the motor. I don't suspect the pump because at high pressure low volume the pumps and motors work as they should. The noise is at low pressure and high volume when you are transporting and the weak side is pulling. If the weak side is just coasting there is no noise. I know I should have fixed it years ago but its had this problem going on 5 years now. If it didn't have the skip I would suspect the gear reduction box; it will be my luck that both are bad.