Retrofitting softride to a loader

[Nearly]

@Nearly - what is the size/volume is your accumulator and what was the precharge? Simple setup - you not have a tap on it?

It's just over a litre, and I just bought it on ebay. No idea on precharge.

 

[David1968]

I just put a t-piece in just below the spool valve and plumbed it in there.

You want a lock out tap as well though. There's nothing worse than guiding stuff into a drill or fert spreader and suddenly finding the bags are rising out of reach

 

[Xiaomi]

Is it worth putting on 2 accumulators onto the lift circuit - one at 15bar for empty loader suspension and the other at 30bar for loaded suspension? Our main gripe with our loader is on the road it feels like its trying to self destruct when unloaded (with and without attachment). Would never travel with the attachment loaded on road.
Most supplied kits seem to be single accumulator at 30bar with maximum 250bar pressure.

I've no real idea what 30bar feels like on an empty loader. I suspect that there would still be an element of harshness in order to handle the loader fully loaded.

 

[Xiaomi]

I just put a t-piece in just below the spool valve and plumbed it in there.

You want a lock out tap as well though. There's nothing worse than guiding stuff into a drill or fert spreader and suddenly finding the bags are rising out of reach

Is it possible to tee into the bottom of the lift ram on opposite side? I had read somewhere that doesn't matter where on circuit you place it. Would be handier on opposite side as that is door we access cab and so tap would be at your hand - otherwise you'd not bother to use it properly if you had to walk around to opposite side.

Is there a way to calculate the correct pressure for unloaded and loaded accumulators on lift circuit?

 

[flywheel]

Buy the correct soft drive kit & you should get instructions with it as to where to tap/tee into.

 

[Xiaomi]

Do you still get them for Chillton MX40.85 loaders?

 

[David1968]

Is it possible to tee into the bottom of the lift ram on opposite side? I had read somewhere that doesn't matter where on circuit you place it. Would be handier on opposite side as that is door we access cab and so tap would be at your hand - otherwise you'd not bother to use it properly if you had to walk around to opposite side.

Is there a way to calculate the correct pressure for unloaded and loaded accumulators on lift circuit?

I'm not sure tbh. Under the spool block just seemed the obvious place. We have another loader with factory fit soft drive and the accumulators are on the crossbar at the end of the boom so, without going out to look, I'm guessing they're plumbed in between the two lift rams. You probably won't use the tap as often as you think. It's really just filling the spreader that I use it, and occasionally with the pallet forks.

You're asking the wrong person about pressures, I'm afraid. The one I fitted myself was liberated from the skip in the corner of a dealers yard by someone who knew it wasn't knackered
Seems about right, whatever it is. But it was just luck.

 

[ridger]

I'm not sure tbh. Under the spool block just seemed the obvious place. We have another loader with factory fit soft drive and the accumulators are on the crossbar at the end of the boom so, without going out to look, I'm guessing they're plumbed in between the two lift rams. You probably won't use the tap as often as you think. It's really just filling the spreader that I use it, and occasionally with the pallet forks.

You're asking the wrong person about pressures, I'm afraid. The one I fitted myself was liberated from the skip in the corner of a dealers yard by someone who knew it wasn't knackered
Seems about right, whatever it is. But it was just luck.

I have never used the tap in 18 years, will hardly star now. I just set the bag low so that it can rise 9 inches if it wants, it's actually handy when filling potato planter to have it rising up to empty the bag

 

[David1968]

I have never used the tap in 18 years, will hardly star now. I just set the bag low so that it can rise 9 inches if it wants, it's actually handy when filling potato planter to have it rising up to empty the bag

My spreader's not that big. The last 2 bags need shoved about to fill the corners. If they're much above the hopper the second one's running over the side while you're dealing with the first one.

 

[Sausage]

Is it possible to tee into the bottom of the lift ram on opposite side? I had read somewhere that doesn't matter where on circuit you place it. Would be handier on opposite side as that is door we access cab and so tap would be at your hand - otherwise you'd not bother to use it properly if you had to walk around to opposite side.

Is there a way to calculate the correct pressure for unloaded and loaded accumulators on lift circuit?

It would be better for them to be on common pipework to the two rams, but I expect it makes little difference.

Identify your tee in point and put in a pressure gauge instead of accumulator. Have a few different weights on the loader and read off the pressure and get a pre charge to suit. My quicke is charged to 20bar and works well in most conditions, including when empty.

 

[Xiaomi]

That's a good idea @Sausage. Getting a tee this week and will test over the weekend with loader and attachment unloaded and loaded.
Might be back with the readings to figure out what pre charge I should go for!