# Plow blade not turning left -- has trouble turning right



## martyrant (Nov 14, 2012)

So I pulled the whole head unit off and brought it to a shop to have it looked over (I had put a new motor on last year and the previous owner had put a brand new pump in) because a seal had broken on me and I didn't have time to look at it this year.

They looked at the cushion/poppet and said there were no issues there and that it was probably my cable adjustments.

I had messed with the cable adjustments last year and didn't think it was that, but gave it another shot this year--and again, no go.

It almost looks as if the rams are trying to push out/retract when you turn it left/right, but it just won't move (moves less than a centimeter).

Does this mean fluid isn't getting to those rams? I don't know...sometimes if I have pressure on the wing of the blade to go left (pushing it gently into a tree, or I've even had my wife use the joystick while I push on the blade and it will move).

Anyone have any idea what it could be if it's not the poppets/cushion pins and not the cable adjustments/?


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## wcup102 (Jan 29, 2012)

my experience with this type of problem is either the pump is weak, the fluid is low, cables need adjustment(if cable equipped) or the valve body needs work(if equipped)


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## streetfrog (Dec 9, 2007)

check to see if the safety chain is caught up in the a frame assy where blade meets it and pivots.


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## dieselss (Jan 3, 2008)

what kinda plow?


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## basher (Nov 13, 2004)

If you hook the cylinders together can you move it manually? Could it have bad coupler(s)?

Do the gates work manually? Try operating the valves at the pump taking the cables out of the equation. If it works then either your cables are out of adjustment, or the control needs a base or platen.

If it still does it and the is no mechanical binding (pin, chain,etc) perhaps your lift valve is out of adjustment.

This is all assuming you have a isamark cable operated pump, If it's an old Meyer E-45 well that's an entirely different scenario.



dieselss said:


> What kinda plow?


Look where he's from I'm betting it's yellow


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## martyrant (Nov 14, 2012)

dieselss;1651447 said:


> what kinda plow?


I don't know, but this manual works for the model: http://library.westernplows.com/ddcommon/dd_pdf/pdfs/62880_060304_rescanned.pdf

It's a Fisher plow, though, even though the manual is for a Western.


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## martyrant (Nov 14, 2012)

basher;1651469 said:


> If you hook the cylinders together can you move it manually? Could it have bad coupler(s)?
> 
> Do the gates work manually? Try operating the valves at the pump taking the cables out of the equation. If it works then either your cables are out of adjustment, or the control needs a base or platen.
> 
> ...


The gates do not work manually--I removed the cables and tried turning the levers by hand with no luck (does what I described before).

Where would I look for a mechanical binding? Like I said, if there is pressure on the wing to turn it left (like gently pushing it into a tree, or if I'm using all my strength) when I activate the pump to turn it left, sometimes if there's enough pressure it will start to turn, but then stop and not go anywhere. Usually at this point, if I turn it right, it will turn right, but not go back left, etc. I have also had it refuse to turn right again after forcing the wing left.

How do I tell if it is a ismark or a Meyer E-45 style? (I know it's not a meyer, it's a fisher, but there's no model #s on it).


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## martyrant (Nov 14, 2012)

wcup102;1651251 said:


> my experience with this type of problem is either the pump is weak, the fluid is low, cables need adjustment(if cable equipped) or the valve body needs work(if equipped)


Pump is brand new (just had the service guy look at it, said it was brand new), motor is brand new (I put it on last year), and I checked the fluid levels multiple times (even after forcing the wing left/right manually). It's not the cables, as I've turned the levers by hand.

What is the valve body? The big hunk of iron that holds the pump/motor and 3 and 4 way valves? What might be wrong with it, and would the guy at the service station would have seen something wrong with it when replacing seals on the ram?


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## basher (Nov 13, 2004)

martyrant;1651485 said:


> How do I tell if it is a ismark or a Meyer E-45 style? (I know it's not a meyer, it's a fisher, but there's no model #s on it).


If it's cable operated Fisher electric over hydraulic it's a Isa-Mark. I would guess your lift valve is out of adjustment. Yes I'm sure it lifts just fine, but you still need to check the lift valve adjustment. you could have a broken shuttle but first you need to verify lift valve adjustment before you start ripping it apart.

Try the Fisher site for instructions, they have all the manuals posted.

There is no reason the brand new out of the package pump can't be failed, bad from box is common in repair mechanics particularly if you are using inexpensive aftermarket parts. However I would expect it to be a bad pump if it lifts the plow.


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## martyrant (Nov 14, 2012)

basher;1651534 said:


> If it's cable operated Fisher electric over hydraulic it's a Isa-Mark. I would guess your lift valve is out of adjustment. Yes I'm sure it lifts just fine, but you still need to check the lift valve adjustment. you could have a broken shuttle but first you need to verify lift valve adjustment before you start ripping it apart.
> 
> Try the Fisher site for instructions, they have all the manuals posted.
> 
> There is no reason the brand new out of the package pump can't be failed, bad from box is common in repair mechanics particularly if you are using inexpensive aftermarket parts. However I would expect it to be a bad pump if it lifts the plow.


I used the plow last year w/ the same pump (it was installed new before I got it used apparently) so I'm not sure if it would be that (it certainly could, that is why I'm asking for help as I don't know the culprit, but I have my doubts about it being the pump).

I don't see the ISARMATIC stuff on the fisher site, but it is in the western manual I posted earlier...you think it's the lift valve adjustment? so take off the 4 way valve and take a look?


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