JD 950 Power Steering/Hydaulics Problem

[DJCohenour]

Conservation,

Thank you for the kind words.

According to my service manual, part of my hydro system is for a 1050, including the pictured valve, and power steering.

As far as your howls with the rocker shaft, that is exactly what that is. That is assembly No. 10 in my diamgram. Mine does the same thing, exactly, including the little RPM drawdown.

One thing that I learned through this challenge: Over the years, the tractor has leaked hydro fluid, obviously, so I used whatever brand hydro fluid that was the cheapest and my FEL and backhoe have always been kind of sluggish and a little low on power. I read recently that JD has a different fluid that is recommended in these and a lot of other JD machines so I asked my dealer. He confirmed this. It is a low viscosity fluid. I bit the bullet and replaced with JD fluid this time. OMG!!! What a difference! I would swear that I have a totally new hydro system. The FEL is as faster and stronger and very responsive. I haven't tried the backhoe yet, but anything would be an improvement.

A 5 gallon bucket cost me $60, but I think that it is worth it.

 

[Conservation]

I think that is low viscosity fluid, and don't give completely up on being cheap yet. You can still get an approved low vis fluid at Farm and Fleet or most decent parts stores for less than JD.
Oh, if you ever lose prime on the hydraulic system, just pop the output on the pump off and crank it up. Makes a real mess, but solves the problem. Just make sure it is all the way off. I think half off could mess up the threads, and potentially create a fine stream under high pressure, which is dangerous. With the entire hose off, the pressure is very low. I assume that you have replaced the hydraulic filter, and cleaned the screen. The screen can be a big one. You have done some great work, and when I finish my shop, I will someday do my own clutch and trans work.

 

[DJCohenour]

I will have to look into the fluid at Tractor Supply Store. I will get the specs off of the bucket and check out possibilities.

I went to JD and bought the hydraulic filter at the same time as I ordered replacement parts. I also cleaned and very thoroughly inspected the sump screen for holes.

I still don't know how I picked up that chunk of, I think, rubber. I used compressed air to blow out each and every hydraulic line during reassembly. Just proves that I am human and missing something.

Thanks for the tip on restoring prime to the hydaulic system. That will prove one day to be very handy and save me a lot of headbanging on the wall.

Splitting the tractor for clutch work is not difficult at all. When I split mine, I split right in front of the transmission. This makes the rear end very well balanced on the rear axle. On a smooth surface, you can actually push/pull the whole rear end to a storage place out of the way.

The hard part is during reassembly lining up the drive shaft couplers. The two halves have to be lined up very closely to mate the shafts.

Oh, and just make sure that the PTO shaft does not pull out the rear end more than about 3/4". Learned this one the hard way. If it slips out too far, there is a coupler in the shaft over the differential that will slip off and fall down into the hydraulic reservior, mabe in the differential itself. Fortunately, I didn't find out about it the hard way, just an inoperable PTO. I had to split the tractor back apart just to get that little collar retrieved and reinstalled.

 

[kennyd]

Great job DJ, I had confidence in you

 

[Hooked_on_HP]

I think that chunk is a piece of hydraulic hose. You may have a hose comming apart internaly. It is not uncommonon hoses that flex alot.
Bill

 

[George G]

Just to let ya know. Modular Controls Corp was bought out by Vickers (Eaton). I know they still use some of the old Modular part numbers.

 

[DJCohenour]

I hadn't thought about a hose coming apart. If I remember correctly, I still have a couple of very old if not original hoses on the FEL and the machine is 21 years old now.

Guess I better check them and get them replaced. It would be a real shame for a piece of rubber from a $10 hose to cost me a many hundred dollar hydraulic pump.

 

[DJCohenour]

Thanks. I Googled Modular Controls and all I could find was the employment history on the original founder of Controls.

I'll have to jot that down in the back of my service manual if/when I ever need it.