Steiner 420 hydrostatic problems

I have a Steiner 420, gas engine, 2 wheel drive. It came with a mower deck and a snowblower.
If you aren't familiar with them it is VERY easy to change the attachments.
Anyhow, it was lifting just fine when I loaded it. Got it home and it refuses to lift. Everything else seems OK.
Took it to a repair shop over 2 years ago and he decided the hydro is shot. Brought in second opinions and they agree with him.
Why would it work while loading and never again? The pressure is there, but where is it going? I think he and his second opinions are possibly wrong.
I am guessing it might be a control valve problem. The 300 mile ride home on a trailer may have messed up some adjustments.
The hydro pump is no longer furnished. I really don't want to sell it yet. Does anyone know where I can take it to have it checked out correctly? I am near Hannibal,MO or Columbia, MO.
 
This approach is only for the brave- but you could buy
a pressure meter and a hydraulics reference book.


The Steiner Tractor website has a dealer locator.
They show a dealer in Belleville, IL.
This Illinois side of the St. Louis Area.
There is another in Marengo, Iowa.
 
I don't like my original answer.

I'd go back to basics before I got involved in hydraulic stuff. Trailering can be hard on equipment.
I'd take the attachments off and check the tractor and attachments for bent/loose/broken/missing pieces.
Then I'd reinstall an attachment and make sure it hooked up properly. Like the pictures in the manual.
Then I'd check fluid levels and hoses and filters, and belts.
 
The Steiners I've seen used a Sundstrand hydro, and according to Tractordata, the "420" used a "15" series Sundstrand hydro. Parts should still be available from a Sauer-Danfoss dealer.

The "charge pump" for the hydro in addition creates flow and pressure for the hydraulic lift.

If the hydro is working/tractor moves normally, the charge pump is at least working to some degree.

There's a "charge pressure relief valve" and also an "implement relief valve" built into the charge pump area, could be an issue there.

I've posted a link to the factory manual below.

It would only take same VERY basic hydraulic test equipment to determine exactly what's wrong, with that manual at hand.
Sundstrand 15
 
The lift is not the hydro itself but the charge pump for the hydro. I have repaired the charge pump and the lift returns to proper operation. Since this happened all of a sudden, I would put money on one of the check valves in the charge circuit having failed.
 
If its moving under it own power with no issues but the lift isn't working it can't hardly be the hydro,I'd check the control valve or the lift cylinders.Also used hydro parts can be gotten
off some different garden tractors like the LGT Fords or the large MF like the 1650.
 

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