hydraulic lift

[340demon]

I have a 1250 with spring assist lift. Now a friend has a hydraulic lift on her 1650 cub. Now my question is she said she heard it is bad to leave the lift/deck up? I am just asking if this is true because i have never heard that? I could see a plow but thats why i'm asking. Thanks guys

[JayJay]

Your friend may be on to something. I know that I typically raise mine to get across the threshold of the shed, but when I come back a week later the deck (and the right front tire) is down.

Maybe raising a deck and leaving it is like raising a vehicle with a hydraulic jack and leaving it there. I know the manufacturer of the jack recommends storing it with the valve backed off 1/2 turn and the pressure released.

Perhaps a hydraulic jack and a hydraulic lift are different, I can't see how, but perhaps they are.

[red56turbo]

I've never heard that it's "bad" to leave decks or blades in the "raised" position on a hydraulic lift. My practice is to always lower the blade or deck after I've parked the tractor and before I shut her down. If they are left up, most tend to leak down anyway, but I don't think it will do any harm to the hydraulic system or cylinder. Sure beats the armstrong lift, though.

[R Bedell]

I have heard this a long time ago when I was a young kid. When my family was farming we always took the load off our hydraulic cylinders. I don't know if there is a difference or not, but that what we always use to do. I still do that today with my Cubs and hydraulic attachments.

Just a long time embedded habit. I can't see that it hurts anything

[edw]

when was farming in 60's had been farming with fords and in 65 got MF 165 and one of the first things I noticed was when engine off MF 3 point would go down. I talked to dealer mechanic and was told that it was a design in the MF hydrolics to bleed down when engine off. I would say on things like loaders etc for safety when not in use they should be lowered to ground.

[cub123]

I like to keep the cylinder retracted on my narrow frame lifts because the chrome is a little damaged and leaving them up causes them to rust. Other than that I don't think it hurts anything.

[Matt G.]

It's not going to make a difference whatsoever. The pressure in the cylinder and lines with the implement hanging on it is far lower than it is when the cylinder is in use.

[340demon]

Thanks guys, i assumed it wouldn't hurt the system. But never thought about the chrome on the cylinder ? She does leave it sit for long periods, not sure if its pitted or not. Ok thanks for answering just never thought about it. Ya much nicer than manual lift. need one myself LOL. She uses an old ford for the most and trims with the Cub, hoping she sells it down the road cause its pretty clean. But then i would need another shed!

[akilheffer]

Just my two cents but lowering or retracting the cylinder would probably do more to protect it from rust than anything else. While it may take some time for rust to form, it can and if it progresses far enough can pit the cylinder even if the machine is under cover or inside.

[cub123]

I don't worry about it on he wide frames, because the chrome is protected better and I think it's better quality, I've never seen a wide frame cylinder rusted, but I've seen a lot of narrow frames rusted real bad.