Is there a reason for small cylinder on case 530ck front loader?

I have done some searching to find this answer but didn't find the answer.

I have been wondering why there is a 3rd smaller cylinder on the case loaders. It seems as though it would contribute to breaking the top of the hydraulic tank (Where Mine is broken)

Is it worth removing or does it do something I do not understand?

TIA

I can't see from that close up, but maybe it has to do with the self leveling feature of the bucket.

It's a master/slave hydraulic cylinder arangement to level the bucket like Skyking said. Keeps you from dumping dirt in your lap and on the hood.

There have been others that said that but it is mounted to solid ears on the loader arm. Side to side leveling maybe? Still seems more like extra stress to the loader arms and top of the hydraulic tank

I thought the links between the bucket and the roll cylinders were the self levelers But I could be wrong

A couple of more pictures would help.
There is a need to see how it is mounted.
Many of these old machines have had major and improper modifications to them by previous owners.

It is a leveling slave cylinder and is correct as shown, the problem that breaks the upper pivot is when the operator lowers the loader with the bucket rolled clear back and the bucket cylinders have nowhere to move, the customer then forces the loader down over bucket cylinder high pressure relief and eventually pops the top off the frame, there are multitudes of repairs like that, proper operation with some knowledge of how the hydra leveling circuit works would make for very few repairs. To see the system in operation have someone raise and lower the loader while the hydra leveling cylinder goes through its arc while watching the loader bucket self level.

Thanks Melben, So is it to level the bucket left right as the bucket goes up/ down or front/back?

Front/ back, It keeps the bucket level as you raise it to keep the bucket from rolling back and dumping the load on the hood, It is a great setup if used as intended, if the engine is shut off with the loader raised and the bucket rolled clear back, if the loader valve is put in the lower position the hydra leveling cylinder will keep the loader suspended so you can see the issue with forcing it down with hydraulic pressure, something has to give and its always the top of the loader frame. if the bucket is rolled to a position where the hydra leveling cylinder oil can be displaced into the dump cylinders it will go right down with the engine shut off.

Ah, I understand now,It sort of acts as a proportional control for the bucket tilt cylinders.

In my mind I thought it was another lift cylinder that received full hydraulic pressure. Now it makes more sense

Thank you to all who responded.

Most modern front loaders have a self leveling feature of some sort like this:


the first is hydraulic valves, the other old case is a parallel linkage.
This Case system is not a valve, it uses a master and slave hydraulic cylinders to make the same movement as a parallel linkage. A valve leveling system will only tip the bucket forward as you raise, and then keep fixed to the boom as the boom is lowered like the video above. A parallel linkage or this system will tilt back as you lower the boom to automatically maintain level both raising and lowering. The master cylinders on the side of the loader are connected directly to the bucket tilt cylinder, they will operate the bucket from the force of the loader rising and falling, they see the same hydraulic pressure as the bucket tilt cylinder. As Melben said, if the bucket is tilted to the end of it's stroke, then the side cylinders are forced to release oil through the pressure relief valve, I assume?
https://www.flickriver.com/photos/94854784@N06/49266362557/

try and pay attention to the bucket curl whenever you lower the loader , or raise it for that matter. never allow the bucket curl to bottom out when raising or lowering the loader arms

Would have helped if someone hadn't done about the worst repair ever too. Have to take that all apart and cut all that chickenshit out.

Case has had some tough times designing a bucket that won't dump stuff in your lap. Much later the 580K had a linkage that activated a valve tilting the bucket down as the loader rises higher. Mine never worked & the drag link was missing. I've seen a number of them didn't work either.

Well, I did cut the po's repair out and did my own repair. I plug welded a 3/16" thick plate to the remaining tower. Then I in place blacksmithed a tab front back and top. Fully welded the edges all the way around. I have used it and so far it's holding. I needed to use it to move some loam out of where it was. I got the pile moved without breaking the fix. I still have to plate the back side. Back side is actually wide open so once the repair is fully completed I suspect it will be as strong as it was when new. Not pretty but...

It looks really good from my house!