Opico skidster pressure query

[deezyboy]

Evening all

 

my skidster has a log grapple, and the grab has started to ‘slip’ when lifting heavy lumps of wood, by this I mean that the grapple opens itself when a higher pressure is put on it to clasp. 

My question is: why? It never used to do this, whatever it grabbed, it grabbed and held it.

 

it has a small couple hydraulic leaks here and there, but I do try and keep on top of keeping the oil topped up (although I don’t always succeed at this)... is it a case of that there isn’t enough oil being pumped around to deal with the pressure? Or is there a possibility that the pump is packing up?

 

cheers

[openspaceman]

1 hour ago, deezyboy said:

Evening all

 

my skidster has a log grapple, and the grab has started to ‘slip’ when lifting heavy lumps of wood, by this I mean that the grapple opens itself when a higher pressure is put on it to clasp. 

My question is: why? It never used to do this, whatever it grabbed, it grabbed and held it.

If it grips well initially it's either the ram seal is leaking or the spool in the control worn. Most likely the ram seal.

 

An easy check, once the log is gripped, is to take the hose off the opposite (piston) side of the ram and then operate the control to grip it more, if oil comes out of the piston side the seal has gone. If the spool

1 hour ago, deezyboy said:

 

it has a small couple hydraulic leaks here and there, but I do try and keep on top of keeping the oil topped up (although I don’t always succeed at this)... is it a case of that there isn’t enough oil being pumped around to deal with the pressure? Or is there a possibility that the pump is packing up?

 

cheers

Once the spool is in neutral  the oil is locked in the ram circuit and the pump is doing no work, so if the grab relaxes without the lever being touched it cannot be a pump problem. If the engine needs to be revved hard to get it to grip with the spool open then it may well be a low pressure from a weak pump, especially if it relaxes when the spool is open and the revs drop.