416C Cat Backhoe, driver's seat loses pressure over night, is there an easy fix?

[Dougie G]

Hi, My driver's seat loses pressure over night. I used to have a shop manual for the machine but lost it in our house fire. I'm looking for information on the least expensive fix for this problem. It airs up fine and holds pressure for pretty much a day but bottoms out by the next day. Thanks

 

[kshansen]

Assume this is one of those seats with an electric pump built in to supply the air?

First step would be to check any fittings in lines. Then try wetting down with some soapy water to see if it will blow up some bubbles to let you know where it is leaking.

 

[AllDodge]

Mine also does it, and have not found the leak, I'm just living with it

 

[Dougie G]

I 've been just living with it as well. I don't have schematic but I think they might have an air bag. Fittings, lines or air bag could be where it leaks. Not sure how easy it is to get to all that. I haven't started to take it apart. I thought I would try to learn a bit more before I dig in.

 

[AllDodge]

I removed and turned mine upside down, and did not find out where it was leaking. Maybe because it didn't have enough pressure in it.

 

[Dougie G]

It would be nice if I didn't have to take too much apart to find the leak and repair it. If its the air bag, if it has one, may need to be replaced. I'd like to find a break down of the parts involved.

 

[cuttin edge]

Does it have those plastic lines with push on fittings? My Volvo grader does that.

 

[Dougie G]

Does it have those plastic lines with push on fittings? My Volvo grader does that.

I'm not sure, I'll have to look closer.

 

[AllDodge]

Mine has plastic lines and compression fittings and is a 2000 model

 

[kshansen]

It would be nice if I didn't have to take too much apart to find the leak and repair it. If its the air bag, if it has one, may need to be replaced. I'd like to find a break down of the parts involved.

It would have an air bag(Cat calls it a "Spring"). But would have to determine if the problem is in the air bag, hoses and fitting to it, valve that controls the air pressure, or maybe hose or fittings to the compressor.

 

[John C.]

Seems to be a pretty common issue on most machines. They seemed to hold if someone was sitting in the seat but leaked down when no one was sitting in them for any amount of time. I always suspected the control valve leaking by if there wasn't an external leak. Is the button hard to hold down to air up the seat?

 

[kshansen]

Seems to be a pretty common issue on most machines. They seemed to hold if someone was sitting in the seat but leaked down when no one was sitting in them for any amount of time. I always suspected the control valve leaking by if there wasn't an external leak. Is the button hard to hold down to air up the seat?

Yes, we had a 980G with the air/electric seat that did the same thing. Seems that we just lived with it till for some other reason we had to replace the suspension system for the seat.

My thoughts would be, like I said, loose fittings or the control valve.

Just be careful if you are working on those that you have a block of wood under the seat so it can't drop down and bite you!

 

[Bls repair]

I don’t think I remember any lasting over night

 

[cuttin edge]

An overworked company mechanic with a lot more pressing jobs on his plate than my seat, told me if you don't want it to leak down at night...... Let the air out of it before you go home!

 

[kshansen]

An overworked company mechanic with a lot more pressing jobs on his plate than my seat, told me if you don't want it to leak down at night...... Let the air out of it before you go home!

I can imaging that!

Now if it was me I might try to sneak in before the operator and run the seat up to maximum pressure in the morning just to mess with his mind!