Q & A For the Ride Control

WARNING: If you don't have and AR1000 on your Ride Control you must shut it OFF when going into a pile! You can turn your Ride Control on again after your bucket is full.

Summary of how the accumulator works:
...........If the accumulator has too much nitrogen, the bucket will not be able to transfer oil out of the hydraulic cylinders to the accumulator shell. A lack of nitrogen in the accumulator bladder will result in the bucket pushing the oil out of the hydraulic cylinders and into the accumulator, thus crushing the under-filled bladder.

Q. How much charge do I put in the accumulator?
A. Start at 750 PSI and bleed nitrogen down to desired ride, usually between 600 PSI and 350 PSI. Keep in mind, pressures vary depending on the size of machine you have. Q. When I turn on the Ride Control I see the arms drop, but then nothing happens. A. Most likely the accumulator has lost its charge, or there is not enough charge in the bladder. You will need to raise the pressure by adding nitrogen. Q. When I turn on the Ride Control the solenoid does not energize. A. Check the wiring at the solenoid. Make sure a screwdriver will magnetize to the end of the cartridge. If you have an AR1000, make sure the boom arms are high enough to turn on the Ride Control. Q. My AR1000 is not working. A. Check the wiring and make sure you have the proper connections going to the sensor. The #1 problem after checking the wiring is that the sensor is to far away from the target plate. The sensor should be about 1/4" away. Q. I just installed the Ride Control and turned the switch, but nothing happens. A. There is probably too much nitrogen in the accumulator; bleed it down. Also, re-check your wiring schematic. Q. I have oil coming out of the schrader valve. A. If the schrader valve is depressed and oil is bubbling out of the accumulator, you have a failed bladder. This can happen for several reasons: 1. Operator was not shutting off the Ride Control when slamming into a pile, resulting in a spiked load going through the system. 2. Nitrogen got too low. 3. Schrader valve came loose. Q. Oil is dripping out of the bottom of the accumulator. A. The anti-extrusion ring in your accumulator could be leaking. Try tightening the bottom of the accumulator with a spanner wrench. If this doesn't work you will need to replace the anti-extrusion ring. Q. There is a horn where my accumulator is supposed to go. (Or some other machinery part) A. At the time your kit was designed, it fit your machine. With the manufacturer's continual updating and modifications done on the machinery, you may encounter a fit problem. Unfortunately, the manufacturers don't let us know about these changes. If this happens to you, please let us know so we can help you through this problem and update future kits.



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Last Revised: 11/08/99