Eagle Hitch Problem

During the winter my Eagle Hitch wouldn't go down on its own. I would have to put pressure on it to help it go down. I thought that it was just the hydraulic fluid being thick from the cold but apparently that is not the case.

Where do i start looking to fix this?

Thanks.

Pull the leak-off tube off, operate the hitch and check that it is clear to vent the rockshaft, that can cause an air lock under the piston. I have also seen the rockshaft packed full of hard grease, same deal. Can be excessive lash or debris in the release valve.

Joe

Thanks Joe. Ill check tho overflow tube first. Will overfilling the grease zerks on the Eagle Hitch force grease into the rockshaft or are they seperate?

The rockshaft housing has four bearing surfaces that support the shaft. The four zerks are to lubricate these bearing surfaces and the excess grease ends up in the housing and eventually is conveyed to the torque tube via the vent/leak-off tubing.

Early VA vent/leak-off tubing entered the torque tube via the breather. Later VA tube entered the torque tube via the casting under the right side foot board.

I have seen the rockshaft housing packed full of grease even though the vent/leak-off tube appeared somewhat clear. That slowed the upward travel of the piston with a partial air lock since there was not a volume of free air space with-in the housing.

Joe

Joe. I removed and checked the line. It is clear and clean. Im thinking my "Down" selector valve is not engaging all the way or like you said the rockshaft housing is packed with grease. Ive included 2 videos of my EH in operation. 1 video with a drawbar weighing it down and 1 without.

<iframe width="420" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/8Bs6JlyxZLA" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

<iframe width="420" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/_hTHQA93iwk" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

The connecting rod is not attached to the piston so you can lift and lower the draft arms by hand and the piston will not necessarily follow. In other words, the draft arms are down so the piston is at the top of the cylinder. In my experience if you lift the draft arms by hand the piston will remain up as opposed to following the connecting rod down.

You can check all the mechanical linkage and rockshaft for binding or whatever may impede the gravity drop of the draft arms without the piston being a factor. Lift the draft arms by hand and see if you can spot any problems as they drop. Do not let the draft arms free fall, you need to support them as they drop since the connecting rod is below the piston skirt when the draft arms are all the way up and as it travels up the cylinder wall it may impact the skirt hard enough to knock a chunk out of the piston.

The release valve may be the problem but it is the last thing I would get in to because you have to remove the crank arm, control lever, and cover to get to the adjustment. Better to do the easy things first. Have there been any modifications to the hydraulic system on the return side of the control valve? Return tubing is not kinked? Have you checked the filter? Normally a return side restriction will cause the hitch to tend to rise with the lever in the neutral position when the engine is started and the oil is cold.

Joe