3 point lift problem

   / 3 point lift problem #1  

Bocephus2002

New member
Joined
Aug 14, 2007
Messages
6
Location
North Carolina
Tractor
Massey Ferguson 1020 Standard
I just purchased an old MF, and when I try to use my Box Blade, I have to Rev the engine very high in order for it to lift it. Is this normal? Just wondering if something is about to go on it. It's only a 5' blade so I would not think it should have to work this hard to lift it. This is my first tractor and it needs a lot of work, but im looking forward to it. Any advice would be great.

Thanks,

Mike
 
   / 3 point lift problem #2  
Howdy, welcome to the forum. I'm not an expert, but looks like I'm the first one here. Have you checked your hydraulic fluid level?
 
   / 3 point lift problem #3  
Is there a hydraulic safety on the 3PH control valve? If it was leaking, this would divert flow from the lift and slow things down. Is the valve control linkage allowing full valve travel? Is there a speed regulating valve on the system to limit the lowering speed? If closed way down, it might limit the lifting speed. Do you have anything upstream of the 3PH such as a loader or QC fittings that may be restricting the flow? Do you have a way of measuring pump pressure? The pump may be tired...
 
   / 3 point lift problem #4  
Bocephus2002 said:
I just purchased an old MF, and when I try to use my Box Blade, I have to Rev the engine very high in order for it to lift it. Is this normal? Just wondering if something is about to go on it. It's only a 5' blade so I would not think it should have to work this hard to lift it. This is my first tractor and it needs a lot of work, but im looking forward to it. Any advice would be great.

Thanks,

Mike

Welcome to TBN Mike,


There could be several contributing factors such as low flow out of pump,low pressure our of pump, leakage passed the hydraulic piston seal or position of or rather mis adjustment of your lift control valve and last but not the least relief malfunction of your hydraulic system. I have had to do a complete overhaul of my system and systematically I was able to find the sources of the problem. Below you'll find a link to one of my post that has a lot of info and bunch of good feed back from folks here.


http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/nh-owning-operating/88973-sos-i-have-my-first.html

http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/nh-owning-operating/90819-my-f-1700-testing-my.html


JC
 
   / 3 point lift problem
  • Thread Starter
#5  
Thanks I have been looking around the forum here and I am thinking my cylinder rings could be leaking. When I turn off the tractor my 3pt lift falls to the ground. Am I on the right track here? If so, anyone know where could I find a rebuild kit?
 
   / 3 point lift problem #6  
Bocephus2002 said:
Thanks I have been looking around the forum here and I am thinking my cylinder rings could be leaking. When I turn off the tractor my 3pt lift falls to the ground. Am I on the right track here? If so, anyone know where could I find a rebuild kit?


Yes, partially you are correct and that may not be all. Your spool valves may be leaking hence not being able to trap the oil in the lift cylinder. there is a trick to check that... almost most tractors have a 3 point rate of drop needle valve right under the seat with some sort of a knob. The seating of needle valves allows fast or slow draining of the oil back thru spool valve. if your needle valve holds tight then you do the following.... raise 3 point ot desired height and close the valve by turning the knob alll the Clock wise at that point if your piston ring is okay and the valve is holding then 3 point would not drop. If 3 point again drops then piston ring or both piston ring and the needle valve may be leakin by. Saying that, the needle valve has a simple and stout design hardly affected by bad or dirty oil... so almost 8 out of 10 the guilty party is piston ring. Now the ring normaly is nylon made, not very expensive and easily replaced. on some tractor you have to take the top off of the differential housing such as 8N, but on many you'll only need to remove piston head. I had the description of that work in my previous link.

JC
 
   / 3 point lift problem #7  
Bocephus2002 said:
Thanks I have been looking around the forum here and I am thinking my cylinder rings could be leaking. When I turn off the tractor my 3pt lift falls to the ground. Am I on the right track here? If so, anyone know where could I find a rebuild kit?

Yes.. if it drops fast.. you could have a leaky check valve, relief valve.. spool, or cyl/rings.. or all.

Find the leak. then fix it.

Parts.. I think I'd try a MF dealer myself.. that or one of the many online parts palces that sell older tractor parts.. like YTmag.. etc..

Soundguy
 
   / 3 point lift problem #8  
Could be the pump. Could be a leaking cylinder. Could be a failing relief valve. Also could be the "standpipe". Just under the front edge of the seat, on the top of the rear end housing, you'll find a small cover plate, roughly 2" x 3". It's held in place with 2 bolts. This is where a spool valve (or isolator valve to feed a spool located elsewhere) would be added for remote hydraulics. If you unbolt that plate and lift it up, you will find a length of pipe with an o-ring at the top and another at the bottom. That pipe supplies pressurized oil to a remote valve if installed. The o-rings tend to fail, venting hydraulic pressure instead of containing it.

Approx. next to where your right heel would rest on the running board, you'll find a round inspection cover on the side of the rear end housing. There should be a dipstick located on that cover. Drain enough oil from the sump to, in combination with putting the right rear wheel up on a block, so that the inspection cover can be removed without dumping the remainder of the oil in the sump. (Drain sump/block right wheel to where no oil appears on dipstick) Start up the tractor and raise the lift. You MAY see oil spraying from around the top or bottom of that standpipe. If so, replace those o-rings. If you see turbulance in the oil around the pump, you have a bad relief valve. Niether of those showing troubles, and you have a worn out pump OR an internal leak in the lift cylinder.

Parts are available through Yesterdays Tractor, Valu-Bilt, AGCO/MF, and a host of other locations.

For the BEST advice on earth regarding Ferguson/Massey Ferguson tractor repairs, contact Big Dean's Massey Ferguson tips
 
   / 3 point lift problem
  • Thread Starter
#9  
Thanks for all the feedback I am new to Hydraulics so thanks again for the help. I removed my piston head where my lowering rate adjustment knob is in order to remove my piston. When I removed the cover a good amount of oil came spilling out. It looked like oil was leaking through. This may be a dumb question but there shouldn't be any oil in the top part of the cylinder, right? How does the lowering rate adj knob work. Does it have something to do with letting air in and out? I may be way off here please correct me if I am wrong. Does this mean the piston ring is leaking???

Also... How do I get the piston out of the cylinder??? Do I need to take the whole cover off??

Thanks
Mike
 
   / 3 point lift problem #10  
Bocephus2002 said:
I just purchased an old MF, and when I try to use my Box Blade, I have to Rev the engine very high in order for it to lift it. Is this normal? Just wondering if something is about to go on it. It's only a 5' blade so I would not think it should have to work this hard to lift it. This is my first tractor and it needs a lot of work, but im looking forward to it. Any advice would be great.

Thanks,

Mike

Another question...By older, how old do you mean? What model? Are we talking a TO series? 100 series? Later than that? It does make a difference in how you go about diagnosing a problem.
 
 
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