[DangerousWithPowerTools]

So I have a 1025R with about 65 hours which I purchased new last Fall after we moved to a new property. I have lots of implements and love using it. I developed a slow hydraulic fluid leak on the rear by the pump and rear PTO that I could not isolate since late summer. I had to add hydraulic fluid once to top off the fluid level to an operable level. Two days ago I'm planning to burn several large brush piles that have accumulated over the past year. I go to attach my grapple. I get the third function hooked up and try closing the grapple. Hydraulic line activates but grapple doesn't close. I try several times and nothing happens. On the fourth try I hear a loud "clunk" on the back of the tractor. I turn around and see hydraulic fluid spurting out the back of my tractor. I shut everything down and inspect. There's fluid everywhere and I see something hanging from the bottom of the rear PTO, which I think is part of a gasket. There's fluid also leaking from the top of the pump that sits on the back of the transmission. It's quite a mess. This problem is above my paygrade so I call the dealer. Minimum 5 week turnaround. Probably covered by warranty, but I still pay for transport since I don't have a heavy duty trailer yet. Luckily, I hadn't yet sold my snowblowers, which I was planning on doing. Can anyone tell me what the white thing is hanging underneath my rear PTO shaft?

 

[Kbar]

What type of material is that? Looks like metal or could be gasket material. Methinks your PRV quit working if I’m going out on a limb. Have the dealer fix it and report back.

 

[DangerousWithPowerTools]

It appears to be a soft rubber-type material. What's a PRV?

 

[stevenk]

PRV=pressure relief valve

 

[MattL]

It appears to be a soft rubber-type material. What's a PRV?

As @stevenk Said - its a pressure relief valve. It's the "fuse" on the hydraulic system. If it's not working and a cylinder is no longer capable of moving (fully retracted/extended) yet the valve sending all flow to that circuit is open, the PRV opens and relieves the constantly building pressure. It's a closed loop system with constant flow and with a valve opened to a cylinder, the fluid has to go somewhere or something will break. If the PRV has failed or is set way too high, something in the path is going to fail.

 

[plumber802]

What is the procedure involved in replacing the PRV?

 

[MarkEagleUSA]

So I have a 1025R with about 65 hours which I purchased new last Fall after we moved to a new property. I have lots of implements and love using it. I developed a slow hydraulic fluid leak on the rear by the pump and rear PTO that I could not isolate since late summer. I had to add hydraulic fluid once to top off the fluid level to an operable level. Two days ago I'm planning to burn several large brush piles that have accumulated over the past year. I go to attach my grapple. I get the third function hooked up and try closing the grapple. Hydraulic line activates but grapple doesn't close. I try several times and nothing happens. On the fourth try I hear a loud "clunk" on the back of the tractor. I turn around and see hydraulic fluid spurting out the back of my tractor. I shut everything down and inspect. There's fluid everywhere and I see something hanging from the bottom of the rear PTO, which I think is part of a gasket. There's fluid also leaking from the top of the pump that sits on the back of the transmission. It's quite a mess. This problem is above my paygrade so I call the dealer. Minimum 5 week turnaround. Probably covered by warranty, but I still pay for transport since I don't have a heavy duty trailer yet. Luckily, I hadn't yet sold my snowblowers, which I was planning on doing. Can anyone tell me what the white thing is hanging underneath my rear PTO shaft?

View attachment 875393

That looks like a chunk of RTV sealant.

What is the procedure involved in replacing the PRV?

On a new machine let the dealer take care of it under warranty.

If the sealant blew out its possible the PRV is OK and the system just lost a bunch of fluid.

 

[dodgeman]

I’m wondering if a hydraulic line broke somewhere or came loose also.

 

[MarkEagleUSA]

I’m wondering if a hydraulic line broke somewhere or came loose also.

Good point. I don't think there's pressurized fluid behind the PTO cover. If fluid was spurting I'd be looking for a burst line or loose fitting.

 

[DangerousWithPowerTools]

Thanks for all the replies. I checked the hydraulic lines and looked for loose parts the day this happened and found nothing. However, I will take another look. Would RTV sealant been used in lieu of a gasket? And where is the PRV located in relation to the above photo? I'm having a hard time finding it on the diagrams and relating it to what I saw that day.

 

[MarkEagleUSA]

Thanks for all the replies. I checked the hydraulic lines and looked for loose parts the day this happened and found nothing. However, I will take another look. Would RTV sealant been used in lieu of a gasket? And where is the PRV located in relation to the above photo? I'm having a hard time finding it on the diagrams and relating it to what I saw that day.

RTV is used in place of gadgets is a few places.

The PRV is located on the bottom of the SCV (joystick).

 

[DangerousWithPowerTools]

I don't recall seeing any fluid under the tractor in that location.

 

[MarkEagleUSA]

I don't recall seeing any fluid under the tractor in that location.

In your original post you said "I turn around and see hydraulic fluid spurting out the back of my tractor". Pressurized fluid will spray quite a distance, is that what you saw? If so, then a hose had to burst or develop a hole, a fitting is loose, or a hard line cracked. Fluid would not spray out of the area of the RTV. There's a lot of plumbing on the right side of the machine that could be where the problem is.

At this point it's probably worth the $200-300 the dealer will charge for transporting the tractor and let them figure it out.

 

[ttazzman]

Sounds like the 3rd fuction lines were maybe not fully engaged at the hookup since it didn't move ...so when you held the 3rd fuction on...the pressure relief valve failed and/or a oil line failed....

Under warranty let the dealer diagnose and fix

Out of warranty I would recreate the event via triggering the 3rd function briefly with a observer to find the specific leak spot

 

[MarkEagleUSA]

Sounds like the 3rd fuction lines were maybe not fully engaged at the hookup since it didn't move ...so when you held the 3rd fuction on...the pressure relief valve failed and/or a oil line failed....

This, combined with the "clunk" that was heard could be one the the 3rd function hardlines coming loose or undone where they attach on the right side of the transaxle under the seat.

If it's the Deere OEM kit it's a dealer add-on and there's been plenty of reports of sub-standard workmanship over the last couple of years.

 

[DangerousWithPowerTools]

This, combined with the "clunk" that was heard could be one the the 3rd function hardlines coming loose or undone where they attach on the right side of the transaxle under the seat.

If it's the Deere OEM kit it's a dealer add-on and there's been plenty of reports of sub-standard workmanship over the last couple of years.

It is an OEM kit installed by the dealer. They're a big dealer in the area, but the service lady said they're having problems finding qualified mechanics. Hence, the 5 week turnaround. I didn't look under the right tire area closely where that PRV valve is. I will check that out when I get home. I was having problems earlier in the day with the third function QD couplers, so that is also a good possibility, but I don't recall finding them detached. Thanks for everyone's ideas. I've learned a lot just reading your replies.

 

[ttazzman]

It is an OEM kit installed by the dealer. They're a big dealer in the area, but the service lady said they're having problems finding qualified mechanics. Hence, the 5 week turnaround. I didn't look under the right tire area closely where that PRV valve is. I will check that out when I get home. I was having problems earlier in the day with the third function QD couplers, so that is also a good possibility, but I don't recall finding them detached. Thanks for everyone's ideas. I've learned a lot just reading your replies.

Just a fyi....sometimes QD couplers can look and feel connected but still not flow right causing non-movement like you experienced with your grapple and hydraulic dead heading ...usually the first thing to check when implement doesn't work is disconnecting and reconnecting couplers

 

[SulleyBear]

How much hydro fluid was in the machine "after the event"? Did it still register on the dipstick? Fluid leaks are blood events, often what looks like a lot isn't as much as one thinks................but you still don't want to lose either (hydro fluid or blood).....

As high as the pressure is in the lines and hoses, a pin hole leak will really spray fluid. I had one of my front quik hitch lines develop a pin hole leak and the spray rained down all over the entire tractor in a matter of seconds.

I would bet the quick connectors on the grapple weren't fully seated when you were trying to get it to work using the 3rd function and the pressure burst a line or hose some where. Or a line which wasn't tight from new, (which explains the drip you couldn't locate since new...) finally came disconnected, blew off due to pressure, etc.

Did you look at the hydro filter underneath to see if the filter gasket blew out? That makes a real mess quickly as well.........

 

[wardcollins81]

So I have a 1025R with about 65 hours which I purchased new last Fall after we moved to a new property. I have lots of implements and love using it. I developed a slow hydraulic fluid leak on the rear by the pump and rear PTO that I could not isolate since late summer. I had to add hydraulic fluid once to top off the fluid level to an operable level. Two days ago I'm planning to burn several large brush piles that have accumulated over the past year. I go to attach my grapple. I get the third function hooked up and try closing the grapple. Hydraulic line activates but grapple doesn't close. I try several times and nothing happens. On the fourth try I hear a loud "clunk" on the back of the tractor. I turn around and see hydraulic fluid spurting out the back of my tractor. I shut everything down and inspect. There's fluid everywhere and I see something hanging from the bottom of the rear PTO, which I think is part of a gasket. There's fluid also leaking from the top of the pump that sits on the back of the transmission. It's quite a mess. This problem is above my paygrade so I call the dealer. Minimum 5 week turnaround. Probably covered by warranty, but I still pay for transport since I don't have a heavy duty trailer yet. Luckily, I hadn't yet sold my snowblowers, which I was planning on doing. Can anyone tell me what the white thing is hanging underneath my rear PTO shaft?

View attachment 875393

hydrulic quick connectors can and do break internally and they act like a check valve blocking flow which may only show up in one direction of operation.

 

[DangerousWithPowerTools]

How much hydro fluid was in the machine "after the event"? Did it still register on the dipstick? Fluid leaks are blood events, often what looks like a lot isn't as much as one thinks................but you still don't want to lose either (hydro fluid or blood).....

As high as the pressure is in the lines and hoses, a pin hole leak will really spray fluid. I had one of my front quik hitch lines develop a pin hole leak and the spray rained down all over the entire tractor in a matter of seconds.

I would bet the quick connectors on the grapple weren't fully seated when you were trying to get it to work using the 3rd function and the pressure burst a line or hose some where. Or a line which wasn't tight from new, (which explains the drip you couldn't locate since new...) finally came disconnected, blew off due to pressure, etc.

Did you look at the hydro filter underneath to see if the filter gasket blew out? That makes a real mess quickly as well.........

The hydraulic fluid level was at the top of the operational range when i started that day because I had been checking it before each use with the slow leak and topping it off when need be. I checked immediately afterwards and it was at the bottom of the operational range. I observed no damage to the filter or any of the lines going in or out of the pump. I'm very curious to see what the dealer says later this week after they pick it up from my home, especially considering all the ideas that have been suggested here.