Why won't my rake fold up?

[Bigfoot]

I've hesitated for a long time, about asking that question. I feel like a fool, but I can't figure it out. I need to put it up for the winter. It's a Vermeer V rake. It folded down, just fine, when I made my last cutting of hay. I noticed while taking, it wouldn't fold back up. I have tried everything I can think of (which ain't much). Stupid thin won't fold back up. Cylinder moves about an inch, and no more. I've stuck the hydraulic ends in countless different times. Just won't fold up. No fluid squirting anywhere, no visible sign of anything wrong. It can be locked up for transport, but not in the down position. I don't have another cylinder to see if that is actually the problem.

 

[cfpinz]

1. Try it on another tractor to isolate the problem to the rake or tractor.
2. Unhook all linkage from cylinder and see if it works to isolate problem to cylinder or binding linkage.
3. If it's in the cylinder, remove hoses from cylinder and wire them in safe direction, then activate valve on tractor to see if there's flow. Stay clear of hoses.

If everything points to cylinder, it could be bound up internally or the seals could be completely shot and needing a rebuild.

 

[dieselbeef]

unhook the cyl on one end and see if it goes in or out...

have you checked the hose quik connects..one came off my frontloader once and I couldn't figure out why it wouldn't go down. I had it up mowing and it came apart..that gave me fits..looked like it was together but it wasn't...

 

[shaz]

Had the same issue, it was one of the remote hydraulic plugs.

 

[M-5]

try it with a little help , Your a big boy so with someone operating the lever pick up on one side and see what happens. could your tractor be low of fluid ??

 

[Bigfoot]

try it with a little help , Your a big boy so with someone operating the lever pick up on one side and see what happens. could your tractor be low of fluid ??

A tad over full. I had wondered if that might be a factor.

 

[skyhightree1]

What ive found when that's happened to me. I took the remote adapter end and unscrewed it from the hose enough that air comes out and some fluid and it works fine after that.

 

[Bigfoot]

What ive found when that's happened to me. I took the remote adapter end and unscrewed it from the hose enough that air comes out and some fluid and it works fine after that.

I will try that.

 

[hurleyjd]

What ive found when that's happened to me. I took the remote adapter end and unscrewed it from the hose enough that air comes out and some fluid and it works fine after that.

I will try that.

Single action or double action cylinder. Tractor make would help a lot in determining if we can offer any help.

 

[Bigfoot]

What ive found when that's happened to me. I took the remote adapter end and unscrewed it from the hose enough that air comes out and some fluid and it works fine after that.

I will try that.

Single action or double action cylinder. Tractor make would help a lot in determining if we can offer any help.

It's a Massey Ferguson. It's a double action cylinder. I didn't get to fool with it this afternoon.

 

[Atimm693]

Most likely a problem with the remote connectors. May not be pushing the check balls in all the way.

Make sure the hose or a connector isn't pinched. Our Vermeer 1022 has a few tees/connectors and the hoses are tiny and easy to pinch.

 

[hurleyjd]

What ive found when that's happened to me. I took the remote adapter end and unscrewed it from the hose enough that air comes out and some fluid and it works fine after that.

I will try that.

Single action or double action cylinder. Tractor make would help a lot in determining if we can offer any help.

Just make sure that the hoses are hooked into the remote valves correctly. Most are marked some way one may marked with drop and the other raise or pressure. Is it the older version of the Vermeer that has one cylinder versus the newer with two cylinders. I have the older version and if get the pressure side reversed then the cylinder will move a little .

 

[Bigfoot]

I will try that.

Single action or double action cylinder. Tractor make would help a lot in determining if we can offer any help.

Just make sure that the hoses are hooked into the remote valves correctly. Most are marked some way one may marked with drop and the other raise or pressure. Is it the older version of the Vermeer that has one cylinder versus the newer with two cylinders. I have the older version and if get the pressure side reversed then the cylinder will move a little .

Yes, it's the older version. I bet anything, that's what I've done. I've done so many different configurations, surely I've hit on the right one though.

 

[tdc_cattle]

I've got a wr22 doing the same thing. I'm thinking its the cylinder but that's just my guess

 

[hurleyjd]

Single action or double action cylinder. Tractor make would help a lot in determining if we can offer any help.

Just make sure that the hoses are hooked into the remote valves correctly. Most are marked some way one may marked with drop and the other raise or pressure. Is it the older version of the Vermeer that has one cylinder versus the newer with two cylinders. I have the older version and if get the pressure side reversed then the cylinder will move a little .

Yes, it's the older version. I bet anything, that's what I've done. I've done so many different configurations, surely I've hit on the right one though.

That is the rake I had until last year. I put a bleeder valve on the top cylinder port and hooked the pressure hose on the bottom. That way only one hose is required to lift rake and gravity lets the arms fall. This way you do not have any pressure on the rake wheels to gouge into the ground.

 

[dun]

That way only one hose is required to lift rake and gravity lets the arms fall. This way you do not have any pressure on the rake wheels to gouge into the ground.

That's why I set the port that it's hooked to to float

 

[tdc_cattle]

That way only one hose is required to lift rake and gravity lets the arms fall. This way you do not have any pressure on the rake wheels to gouge into the ground.

That's why I set the port that it's hooked to to float

lol yup that's exactly what its there for

 

[hurleyjd]

That way only one hose is required to lift rake and gravity lets the arms fall. This way you do not have any pressure on the rake wheels to gouge into the ground.

That's why I set the port that it's hooked to to float

lol yup that's exactly what its there for

I have Ford tractors a valtra and a case ih. The only way to use the float is to hold the control levers in that position. All of the remote controls on all of my tractors return to the neutral position when the lever is released.

 

[pricefarm]

That's why I set the port that it's hooked to to float

lol yup that's exactly what its there for

I have Ford tractors a valtra and a case ih. The only way to use the float is to hold the control levers in that position. All of the remote controls on all of my tractors return to the neutral position when the lever is released.

What kind of ford do u have ? My ford has a float position. It's a 6610

 

[Atimm693]

That's why I set the port that it's hooked to to float

lol yup that's exactly what its there for

I have Ford tractors a valtra and a case ih. The only way to use the float is to hold the control levers in that position. All of the remote controls on all of my tractors return to the neutral position when the lever is released.

Then you don't have a true float position, or aren't pushing the levers out far enough. If using a single acting cylinder, hitting the lever in the opposite direction of raising will essentially cause it to float, but it's not in the float position. There is a detent that holds the lever in the float position, if equipped.

On our Valtra 8350, only the rear two remotes have float. Our Case tractors have two remotes and both have a float position (shove them all the way out.) The symbol for float is something like this ~.