# Bobcat 843 Lift arm not lifting



## Steve G. (Jan 18, 2009)

Hey guys, a few day ago we bought a bobcat 843 as an additional snow removal tool. It worked great moving our snow piles around, was a tight machine, pins not loose, fired up immediatley etc... (6500 hours, 1991).

So, I was using it yesterday for some clean up and the lift arm started to lift slower as I was putting snow over the fence, once I realized it was operating slower than normal, I went to grab another bite of snow, and it wouln't lift. 
It felt like the left pedal was just flopping around when I rolled it back as if to lift the arm up. When I pushed the pedal down as to lower the arm, I could hear the hyrdo going to it but it wouldn't go down obviously because it was all the way down already.
It feels like there is no back pressure when when I push the pedal to lift the arm, it doesn't even return to it's "neutral" position.

The bucket tilt works perfectly. The machine drives wonderfully. It's jsut the lift arm that's not working.

Could it be the lift actuator? 

What could it be? Could it be a linkage problem?

Do I have to lift the cab to check it out... it looks like I would.

How do I lift the cab?

thanks in advance,

Steve


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## equip guy (Nov 25, 2010)

Steve, since the bucket and the lift arms are on two different pedals, I would ck the simple things first. check the linkage where it meets the pedal, then lift the cab by taking (i believe) a 3/4 socket to the front corners of the cab and remove the hardware. lift the cab all the way back making sure the cab safetey lock is engaged, meaning it can't come down without moving the latch near the piston. Follow the linkage to the control valve which should be on right side as you sit in the machine, See iff all linkage is connected by manually moving linkage, check for hyd oil leaks on hoses, and valves, and alike. At over 6,000 hrs, there is a possibilty if you find no other problems, that the o-rings for the plunger on the lift arm "could" be worn. I have rebuilt many of the 743, 753, 843 over the years. Check all obvious things first, then we'll try to help you move further. good luck


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## Steve G. (Jan 18, 2009)

equip guy;1190013 said:


> Steve, since the bucket and the lift arms are on two different pedals, I would ck the simple things first. check the linkage where it meets the pedal, then lift the cab by taking (i believe) a 3/4 socket to the front corners of the cab and remove the hardware. lift the cab all the way back making sure the cab safetey lock is engaged, meaning it can't come down without moving the latch near the piston. Follow the linkage to the control valve which should be on right side as you sit in the machine, See iff all linkage is connected by manually moving linkage, check for hyd oil leaks on hoses, and valves, and alike. At over 6,000 hrs, there is a possibilty if you find no other problems, that the o-rings for the plunger on the lift arm "could" be worn. I have rebuilt many of the 743, 753, 843 over the years. Check all obvious things first, then we'll try to help you move further. good luck


Thanks, I will check the linkage tomorrow and see what the deal is, there was no hydro fluid leaking, so I figure none of the hoses blew.


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## EvenCutLawnCare (Aug 12, 2008)

did you check the hydro fluid level??


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## Steve G. (Jan 18, 2009)

EvenCutLawnCare;1190040 said:


> did you check the hydro fluid level??


Yeah, it's good. 
Thanks for your reply.


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## MIDTOWNPC (Feb 17, 2007)

when my lift actuator went the machine would start to move then beep and stop. 
that was also a machine with hand controlls which are electric over hydraulic.

id google search bobcat lift actuator symptoms a few things came up.


good luck


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