D17 IV Lift Arm Issue
Printed From: Unofficial Allis
Category: Allis Chalmers
Forum Name: Farm Equipment
Forum Description: everything about Allis-Chalmers farm equipment
URL: https://www.allischalmers.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=189613
Printed Date: 08 May 2025 at 5:05pm
Software Version: Web Wiz Forums 11.10 - http://www.webwizforums.com
Topic: D17 IV Lift Arm Issue
Posted By: NV4500
Subject: D17 IV Lift Arm Issue
Date Posted: 20 Jul 2022 at 4:14pm
First of all, thanks go to Dr. Allis and others who answered so many questions about Series 4 lift arms in the past. Now it's my turn to have problems. I always just stand on a lift arm and push the lever forward with something to make them go back down. Now they just laugh at me and will not budge. It also developed a click in the hyd valves and hoses to the cylinders when I started it. I did what Dr. Allis suggested in another post and took the cap and spring off above the acorn net and popped the valve back forward. That cured the clicking and flexing of the hoses but the lift arms still won't budge  What do I need to do next to get the hydraulic oil to backfill and get the arms working again? ------------- 1965 D17 Series IV |
Replies:
Posted By: DSeries4
Date Posted: 20 Jul 2022 at 9:04pm
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Traction booster linkage is seized and putting pressure on the valve. There are 2 or 3 pivot points under the console. If even one is rusted up, it will cause problems. Take each one apart, clean the rust, coat with anti seize and reassemble. The valve MAY be stuck, but for me, 9 times out of 10 it has been the linkage. ------------- '49 G, '54 WD45, '55 CA, '56 WD45D, '57 WD45, '58 D14, '59 D14, '60 D14, '61 D15D, '66 D15II, '66 D21II, '67 D17IV, '67 D17IVD, '67 190XTD, '73 620, '76 185, '77 175, '84 8030, '85 6080 |
Posted By: NV4500
Date Posted: 21 Jul 2022 at 2:08am
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Thanks for the suggestion. I suspect something in that area with either the traction control or the position control. The position control doesn't feel like it's doing anything sometimes like it's disconnected down inside there. It's just odd that this started happening suddenly. ------------- 1965 D17 Series IV |
Posted By: Oldwrench
Date Posted: 21 Jul 2022 at 7:37am
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Getting the linkages and everything totally freed up and working is worth the effort. On my IV, I pulled the entire lever assembly on the right, and cleaned and lubed everything like new. Now, the arms lower under their own weight, and the position and traction control work like they should. Hooking an implement up, I can just use the position control to raise and lower the arms a fraction of an inch. It is definitely worth the effort to restore the linkages and system, as it makes operations a joy to use rather than a pain. Also, everytime I am greasing the tractor or doing something, I hose a long squirt of some decent oil (not WD40) back onto all the linkages and joints to keep them from rusting or seizing. It has been several years since I redid the linkages and they remain operating like new. It is a really well designed system when working properly. |
Posted By: DrAllis
Date Posted: 21 Jul 2022 at 10:14am
| To be clear, snap-coupler arms will never lower by their own weight on a series 4. They always require someone standing on them with the Lift/Lower lever clear forward and maybe the engine off. Cold hydraulic oil is worse that operating temp oil. Some 3-point hitches require help too. |
Posted By: Oldwrench
Date Posted: 22 Jul 2022 at 8:00am
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I switched mine over to factory 3 ph off a salvage 180. With the heavier weight of the lower arms, using the Tractor Supply universal hydraulic oil, the arms lower under their own weight. It makes hooking up an implement so easy, as I can stand to the side and lower or raise the arms with the position control. I guess the main point is it is definitely worth the effort to pull the entire linkage assembly on the right and refurbish it as needed. With the good hydraulics of the IV, and the rugged 3 ph, it basically has everything compared to any modern tractor, except being maybe $40,000 cheaper. |
Posted By: NV4500
Date Posted: 22 Jul 2022 at 3:40pm
I hope to be able to start working on it this weekend. I have to decide the best way to get in there. I have a loader and the controls are on the right side so between those and the support structure, there's not much room on the right side. I think I'll either have to remove the seat or take the right side fender off to get access to that whole controls area. ------------- 1965 D17 Series IV |
Oldwrench wrote:Posted By: NV4500
Date Posted: 24 Jul 2022 at 1:57pm
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I'm back in business. Nothing made sense. The valves worked smoothly, the linkage was all free but it's all lubricated now. There just didn't seem to be any reason for the arms not going down with me standing on them. I tied the lift lever forward, put traction and position controls all of the way forward and attached a ratchet strap to the right lift arm down to the draw bar. I pulled it as tight as it would go then I stood on the right arm. It sorted of jerked as if they were stuck and they came down normally. I went ahead and backed up to the my Ford 2-14 plow and hooked it up. It easily lifts and lowers it so whatever was wrong seems to have fixed itself. Thanks to everyone for their suggestions! ------------- 1965 D17 Series IV |
Posted By: DrAllis
Date Posted: 24 Jul 2022 at 4:01pm
| When those large one-way cylinders aren't used somewhat regularly, they seem to get stiff especially on the ends of the stroke. My One-Seventy is difficult to get the cylinders 100% clear in. It seems the last one inch is pretty tight. But, neither one leaks and they work fine with an implement hanging on them. |
Posted By: NV4500
Date Posted: 24 Jul 2022 at 4:43pm
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That sounds exactly like my situation. It had a 9' blade on it last winter pushing a lot of heavy snow. I dropped off the blade in March and lifted the arms all the way to keep them out of the way of my International wheel disk. They've been all the way up since then and I usually leave them down. That Ford 404 plow is pretty heavy and all seems to be working well for now. I'll know better next time! ------------- 1965 D17 Series IV |