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2003 4x2 gator lift bed

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edmoore
Join Date: Feb 2016
Posts: 3 ohio
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2016-02-20          194573

today the electric lift went down..then stopped working. i cannot find any fuses. i do hear an audible click when i activate the switch. the click is under the dump bed. my manual for this gator is freakin useless as it is with all john deere products. is there a freakin hidden fuse?....im very pissed off with this shit....cant get the bed up or down to see.

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2003 4x2 gator lift bed

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JLMiller
Join Date: Aug 2010
Posts: 32 Deerfield or Sanford, wherever the weather's nicer
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2016-02-21          194575

I have a 1998 & 2000 Gator. On both, the linear actuator that lifts the bed is controlled by two relays which feed power to the actuator with normal polarity (up) or reverse polarity (down). The relays are controlled by the dashboard switch, which is fused by the ignition circuit. Since you hear the relays clicking (and because you can start it), the ignition fuse is intact. The main power to the actuator is unfused: the relays are fed directly from the battery.

If you get only up or only down action, then one of the relays is shot. Hopefully, that's the case, 'cuz they're cheap. If you get no response at all from the actuator, then if you're lucky, there's a broken wire between the relays and either ground or the battery or between the relays and the actuator, but more likely, the actuator is gone.

I've disassembled and fixed one. I've never found any documentation for repair of the actuators; you have to figure it out as you go. It takes care and a lot of patience, but it's not rocket science. Once you find the problem, you have to hope you can find a supplier who'll help you identify and provide you with the needed components. JD is pretty rigid about *everything* they sell being proprietary, so suppliers are pretty hesitant to release any information. I just lucked out and got a sympathetic sales engineer. It was several years ago, so I don't remember who my contact was. Google is your friend.

The easiest (but by no means cheapest) solution is to replace the actuator. You can usually find one on eBay for a few hundred bucks.

Edit: One more thing: if the actuator is toast, you can disconnect it at the bottom (motor) end by looking under the bed from the rear. A little to the right of center, you'll see a double bracket with a clevis pin retaining the bottom of the actuator. Remove the retaining clip and the pin, and the actuator will be free of the chassis. Then you can manually lift the bed up and gain access to both ends of the actuator. ....

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2003 4x2 gator lift bed

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edmoore
Join Date: Feb 2016
Posts: 3 ohio
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2016-02-21          194576

thank you very much for all your help. i did remove the pin...raised the bed by hand to work on it this morning. at one point...the motor would work..then it stopped. i had relays all clicking....so i suspected a faulty connection to the motor. the plug going to the motor had some kind of sticky gooey dielectric compound in it....so i cut the wires to eliminate the faulty plug....hard wired together with connectors and shrink tubing....and the problem went away. it works fine now. and i want to thank you again for your help..i really appreciate!! ....

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2003 4x2 gator lift bed

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JLMiller
Join Date: Aug 2010
Posts: 32 Deerfield or Sanford, wherever the weather's nicer
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2016-02-22          194588

You're welcome. You lucked out, eh? Here's a little more reference material I dug out that you or others might find useful some day:

--------------------------------------------------

John Deere BM20701 Dump Cylinder Notes
======================================

Originally manufactered by Warner Electric, P/N D12-21B5-05JD. Manufacturing rights are now held by Thompson Division of Danaher Motion.

Specifications:
Proprietary John Deere product
Referred to as a "B-actuator"
12.89" CPCD
5" stroke
1,500 lb. capacity
R0705 square nut drive
172 standard 0.125" ball bearings
Split return tube P/N 906-9070 (2 required)

--------------------------------------------------

On the one that I rebuilt, the return tubes had worn to the point that the ball bearings spilled out into the actuator body. It was a learning experience... ....

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2003 4x2 gator lift bed

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JimSmaardyk
Join Date: Jul 2018
Posts: 4 Twin Lake, MI
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2018-07-06          197844

My HPX 4X4 lift went down and now NOTHING happens. No clicking just dead. Checked switch on dash and power there and the rocker witch shows power in up and down positions.
My Gator has 2 actuators - hard to believe that 2 would go bad at the same time as well as the 2 relays? Does this mean that the actuator motor is bad? ....

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2003 4x2 gator lift bed

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JLMiller
Join Date: Aug 2010
Posts: 32 Deerfield or Sanford, wherever the weather's nicer
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2018-07-06          197845

Check for power from the battery at the input to the two relays as well as ground at the relays. If either is missing, look for a broken wire (not likely, since they're fairly heavy gauge), or a loose or corroded connection. If you have solid input power & ground, monitor the output lines from the relays to the lift cylinder (as near as possible to the cylinder). Toggle the panel switch both ways and watch for 12v (normal polarity one way, reverse polarity the other way). If power is absent, you have a broken wire, poor connector, or one or both of the relays are shot. Otherwise, you have a failed lift cylinder. ....

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2003 4x2 gator lift bed

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JimSmaardyk
Join Date: Jul 2018
Posts: 4 Twin Lake, MI
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2018-07-06          197846

Thank you for the quick followup! It's hard to believe that 2 relays could go bad? But if one goes bad would that break down the whole circuit and nothing works?
....

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2003 4x2 gator lift bed

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JLMiller
Join Date: Aug 2010
Posts: 32 Deerfield or Sanford, wherever the weather's nicer
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2018-07-07          197847

Each line from the lift cylinder is atyached to the armature of its own relay. If either armatute were to hang up away from both of its stationary contacts, nothing would work. Yhat's an unlikely, but certainly not impossible, failure. But since you say don't hear the relays clicking when you actuate the raise/lower switch, the problem is most likely with the switch itself or the wiring on either side of that switch. ....

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2003 4x2 gator lift bed

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JimSmaardyk
Join Date: Jul 2018
Posts: 4 Twin Lake, MI
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2018-07-07          197850

There is a wire with a fuse hanging under the dash near the switch but I'll be hanged if I can figure out where it plugs in at? I'm wondering if it could be for running a test meter?
I'll take another look to see if it connects somewhere to the switch. I've pulled the switch, tested it and then under power, tested and all is good. ....

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2003 4x2 gator lift bed

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JLMiller
Join Date: Aug 2010
Posts: 32 Deerfield or Sanford, wherever the weather's nicer
TractorPoint Premium Member -- 5 Tractors = Very Frequent Poster  View my Photos  Pics

2018-07-07          197851

You might want to download the tech manual to see the wiring schematic and troubleshooting guidance. I think your machine is covered by TM1518. ....

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