Merlo hydraulic pick up hitch

[youngsbury]

The pickup hitch on my merlo has started dropping when the trailer is hooked up with any load in it . I know I need to lock/ secure  with the pin but hitch always used to stay up. Not sure if there’s a solenoid on the machine or if an internal leak within the hitch as nothing on the floor 🤷🏼‍♂️. Any thoughts guys 

[doobin]

If you've been driving around without locking it then you could well have trashed the internal seals, either in the ram or the valve. Bouncing a nose heavy trailer down the road will cause big pressure spikes.

[youngsbury]

Thanks  sorry for late reply been flat out always use pin and will lift a full trailer no problem but as soon as I release lever it will slowly lower. As it lowers slowly I’m think seals in ram 🙄

[monkeybusiness]

My Merlo hitch (which looks pretty much identical to yours) has a check valve built in, and never moves. Not sure if it’s relevant, especially if yours didn’t always drop.

[Ian C]

It’s surrendered, well it is french after all!