5U hydraulic cylinder travel

Jesse, you have enough oil? Sounds like air in the cylinders, have you tried raising the blade all the way and holding it there until the bypass valve lets any air get chased out? Failing that, the cylinder is dead simple and $1400 is complete robbery. The rod packings are v- rings and last about forever and are very forgiving. The piston seals vary, but could be replaced in about 2 or 3 hours. Again, if there is movement in the blade as you describe, probably it is air, discounting any linkage wear.

Which cylinders are used? I can't tell if it's early or late.
For sure you want to get all the air out.
Problem could be in the travel relief valve/s or the piston seals.

[quote="Garlic Pete"]Is this a new problem, Jesse?

I don't have much experience with the Cat blade setups and none with hydraulics. I can say though, that I've noticed on the Cat systems which are mounted on the track frames that as the tractor is moved over uneven ground, the cylinders on each side extend and retract just a bit as the track frames move up and down.

I don't know if it is correct, but I always thought this was because when in "hold" position, the two cylinders are isolated from the pump and reservoir by the valve, but they are connected together. As one track frame falls and the other rises in relation to the tractor, one cylinder will extend and the other will retract. The net effect is the blade center should remain in the same relation to the front of the tractor, but the two cylinders can act opposite to each other if you were watching the rod carefully while one track is running over a bump.

I might be totally wrong and the action I saw might be simply because of the brackets and cylinders themselves moving in opposition to each other, but I could swear that there were times I was concerned that the rod was extending and retracting a bit on its own until I noticed there was no drift and the action was related to relative motion of the track frames and tractor.

Just a thought. I might be totally off base though.

Pete.[/quote]

Pete, as I understand the setup you are completely correct. They let the track frames float somewhat independently, but are solid as well.
Jesse, what say you?

my 5r d6 has a similar setup with a Bates blade and the cylinders definitely move when the track frames oscillate, Dan, i see your point about he trunnion location and the minimal amount of movement witht he track oscillation due to the design.

My initial thoughts were air in the system, as i assumed that the cylinders are moving up and down in a synchronized manner, but as GP suggests, the cylinders could be moving in and out opposite to each other during an oscillation of the track frame. Perhaps, more info is required?

I could see that happening on a tool bar setup---but this machine has the standard mount and the bracket is pretty much to the midpoint/rear of the machine
which I have and have not noticed any differential track frame movement to make the cylinders equalize??

[quote="dpendzic"]I could see that happening on a tool bar setup---but this machine has the standard mount and the bracket is pretty much to the midpoint/rear of the machine
which I have and have not noticed any differential track frame movement to make the cylinders equalize??[/quote]

Although the mount for the blade or c frame is low in the rear,
The cylinder mount is something like 30" above the track frame pivot, so the blade will rise and fall with any track frame movement.
I have noticed my cylinders equalizing while traveling with the blade raised over uneven ground (no loss of blade lift noted).